Bartonella: Everything you need to know about the bacterium maintained by fleas, ticks and other biting insects...

 THE BREGMAN VETERINARY GROUP 

www.BregmanVetGroup.com

According to a new research done at North Carolina State University, a bacterium associated with cat scratch fever and transmitted by fleas may play a role in human rheumatoid illnesses, such as arthritis.

Bartonella is a bacterium that is maintained in nature by fleas, ticks and other biting insects. It can be transmitted to humans both by these parasites as well as by bites or scratches from infected cats and dogs. The most commonly known Bartonella-related illness is cat scratch disease, caused by B. henselae, a species of Bartonella that can be carried in a cat’s blood for months to years (http://goo.gl/0PCnM).

Blood samples from 296 patients were tested to see if there was evidence of the Bartonella infection. These patients had been previously diagnosed with conditions ranging from Lyme disease to arthritis to chronic fatigue. 

Out of the 296 patients tested, 62 percent had the Bartonella antibodies, which supported the evidence that they had prior exposure to these bacteria. Bacterial DNA was found in 41 percent of patient samples, allowing investigators to narrow down the species of Bartonella present in patients’ bodies.

“Based upon this one study we can’t definitively say that a subset of rheumatoid illnesses have an infectious origin,” said Dr. Ed Breitschwerdt, professor of internal medicine at NC State’s College of Veterinary Medicine. “However, our results this far do implicate Bartonella as a factor in at least some cases. If the link between Bartonella and rheumatoid illnesses is valid, it may also open up more directed treatment options for patients with rheumatoid illnesses.”

If your feline friend is having any health issues and you need to have them checked out by a veterinarian, please call one of the Bregman Vet Hospitals to schedule an appointment.

Keep Your Dog Parasite-Free

 THE BREGMAN VETERINARY GROUP 

www.BregmanVetGroup.com

Once a dog is adopted into your family, they are just like your children. They go everywhere you go – vacations, long trips to see family, a trip to the store. But just as you have to look after germs for your own children and make sure their hands are clean, you definitely want to keep your dog free of parasites.

You should always keep an eye on your dog and monitor for any changes in behavior, appetite or water consumption. Also, make sure that you take your regular visits to see Dr. Bregman and his great staff at all of the Bregman Vet Hospitals. Your pet’s doctor can diagnose and treat parasites and other problems that could not only affect your dog, but your family’s health as well.

It is fairly common for a dog to become infected with an internal or external parasite at some point in its lifetime. Parasites can affect your dog in a variety of ways, ranging from simple irritation to causing life-threatening conditions if left untreated. Some parasites can infect and transit diseases to people (http://goo.gl/HS1LG).

Protect your dog and family by following the advice of your veterinarian and having your dog tested annually. This will ensure that everyone in your family – pets and humans – will all stay healthy and parasite-free.

Don’t forget to call us and make an appointment so we can check to see if your pet is free of parasite and healthy as can be!

Early Spring Means Increased Risk for Ticks!

 THE BREGMAN VETERINARY GROUP 

www.BregmanVetGroup.com

Although most people weren’t complaining about the warm winter and Spring’s early arrival, pet owners are faced with a double edged sword – warm weather brings sun, short-sleeved shirts, and an earlier risk of ticks!

“This is going to be a horrific season, especially for Lyme,” says Leo J. Shea III, a clinical assistant professor at the Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine and President of the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society.

Often hard to diagnose and tricky to treat, tick-borne illnesses, including Lyme disease, can cause symptoms that range from muscle aches and headaches to serious and long-term complications that can affect the brain, joints, heart, nerves and muscles (wsj.com).

After a tick bite, Lyme disease could be identified by an expanding rash that looks like a bulls-eye. That doesn’t always happen, though. Some of the antibodies against Lyme disease will not show up for weeks, which could cause false blood tests. Some infections may not even be detected for months or years. When caught early, tick-borne diseases can be treated successfully with antibiotics.

Other symptoms to look for are fatigue, chills, fever, headache and swollen lymph nodes, which all can go misdiagnosed.

Researchers say the primary reasons for the global rise of tick-borne illness include the movement of people into areas where animal hosts and tick populations are abundant and growth in the population of animals that carry ticks, including deer, squirrels and mice (wsj.com). Between 1992 and 2010, reported cases of Lyme doubled, to nearly 23,000 – with another 7,600 probable causes in 2010, according to the CDC.

Prevention is most important, because the complex interaction between ticks, their hosts, bacteria and habitats isn’t completely understood.

Please make sure you check yourself and your pets regularly for ticks. This can reduce exposure because removing them quickly can prevent the transmission of disease. Showering or bathing quickly after being outdoors can also help was of crawling ticks, or make it easier to find them.

If you think your pet has been bitten by a tick and/or is showing related symptoms, please contact us at one of the Bregman Vet Hospitals. You can also contact us to discuss preventative measures!

Introducing Our New Digital X-Ray Machine!

 THE BREGMAN VETERINARY GROUP 

www.BregmanVetGroup.com

Introducing Our New Digital X-Ray Machine!

With all of the advances in digital technologies these days, we are pleased to announce that as of April 2012, ALL Bregman Vet  Group locations are digital! We are using the Fuji Film USA CR System X-Ray Machine.

This small, powerful machine and can fit in any exam room, remote office or even under counters. It’s less than two and a half square feet and stands only 32 inches high.

It can process up to 94 images per hour and is capable of producing high resolution scans for 18x24cm and 24x30cm sizes, making it ideal where seeing fine detail is crucial.

Not only does it improve the quality of our work, but speeds up the process allowing us to give answers to our patients quicker than ever before! We can have a disc made with all of your pets images ready for you in no time to take to a specialist or keep on file!

To read more about this machine, click on the link here: http://goo.gl/sXZVW.

To schedule an appointment with our wonderful veterinarians, please give us a call at one of our Bregman Vet Hospitals.

Keep Your Pets Cool This Summer

With the summer months’ right around the corner, we all must keep a close eye on ourselves and our pets as the heat could get the best of us.

Every year, hundreds of pets die because they are left in parked cars, tethered outside without shade and water, or exercised in hot, humid weather. This is a serious threat in the state of Florida (http://goo.gl/Gna69).  Short-nosed breeds, such as Pugs, Boston Terriers, Bulldogs and Pekingese, are more apt to getting heat stroke because panting in these breeds is less-effective in decreasing body temperature compared to other dogs.

 

The normal temperature for a dog or cat is about 101.5 degrees, plus or minus 1-2 degrees. If your pet’s temperature reaches 105 degrees, call our offices immediately as elevated body temperatures can cause multi-organ failure leading to possible death.

The symptoms of heat stroke include restlessness, panting, drooling, bright red gums, behavior changes and difficulty breathing. If you believe that your pet is experiencing these types of symptoms, call us right away. 

One dangerous thing to do is to put your pet in an ice-cold bath. This could cause constriction of the blood vessels in the skin and could trap the heat inside your pets’ body. Do not leave your pet unattended if you believe it may have heat stroke for 24 hours as symptoms that are mentioned above may not occur until later in the day.

Don’t leave your pets in the car, even if you are running a quick errand. Leave them home in a nice temperature and environment. Do the safe thing!