September Newsletter

     All is well on the home front. The grandchildren are growing and healthy and the children are all employed, drawing paychecks. HoooRayy!!!

    September is here and we are all holding our breath fearing hurricanes. Maybe we’ll be lucky and avoid one. If in the event our luck runs out and we unfortunately do have a visit of bad weather, not only provide for yourself, but also meet the needs of our pets –wind and rain protection, food and water, maybe a mild tranquilizer for hypertensive individuals.  If the pet is currently on medication, have an adequate supply on hand.

     We have a new test to determine beginning kidney deterioration. Current tests only detect advanced kidney destruction usually after about 75 % of the kidney is damaged. We can now find beginning kidney disease and take measures to stop the process before reaching terminal kidney crises. Routine testing should begin at about 6 years of age. This requires a urine sample (approximately one teaspoonful) less than 3 hours old.  The owner will need to provide the sample on females. We can catheterize male dogs and obtain a sample here in the clinic.

     A new vaccine for cats is now available called Feline Infectious Viremia. This is an immune depression type of disease, which is primarily transmitted by catfights. We highly recommend that vaccinations be given to young outside cats. This is an initial 3-dose vaccination given at 3-week intervals, and then annual boosters are required.

      Labor day weekend is coming up. Have a fun, safe one. Andrew (grandchild) and his folks will be spending the weekend with us. Through a neat computer program using a small camera on the computer, we’ll talk to our other grandchildren in Ireland.  It will seem that they are not quite so far away. Visit us on the web at IRAHINC.com.