Welcome to our email newsletter for February!

It continues to be incredibly busy at Mira Mar Vets over the summer months. We have met LOTS of new family members, and well as managed many other unwell or injured pets. Please know that we endeavour to see every patient in a timely manner, and that we are trying our best even though we are run off our feet!

This month's newsletter contains information about some of the more serious conditions that can affect our pets, and how you can manage both at home and in combination with your vet.

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It’s natural to feel a little worried if you find an unusual lump on your pet.

Our team are here to reassure you that with prompt treatment, there’s a good chance of a positive outcome for your pet. Here are two potential ways we could achieve a good result:

1. Not every lump is nasty
As well as malignant (cancerous) tumours, there are many other causes of lumps in pets that are less of a cause for concern. These include:

• Benign tumours – these are tumours that are unlikely to spread and cause harm in your pet’s body, including lipomas (“fatty lumps”), histiocytomas and benign sebaceous tumours (“old dog warts”)
• Skin tags – these are small skin growths that are thought to be associated with persistent irritation or pressure
• Cysts – these hollow swellings may contain fluid or thick, cheesy material
• Papillomas – these are wart-like lumps caused by dog papillomavirus

• Hives – these are allergic skin swellings that can occur after insect stings or contact with an irritating plant
• Abscesses – these are pockets of infection that often occur secondary to tooth root infections or a cat bite, or due to a penetrating foreign body such as a grass seed

Chronic kidney disease (or CKD) is particularly common in elderly cats, and involves a progressive deterioration in kidney function. Whilst early CKD rarely causes any obvious signs in affected cats, cats with more advanced disease can show symptoms of unwellness, including weight loss, reduced appetite, poor coat quality, and increased drinking and urination. CKD can also predispose them to secondary health problems, such as urinary tract infections or high blood pressure.

Whilst a diagnosis of CKD in your cat can certainly be worrying, rest assured that with early detection and management, affected cats can still have a good quality of life and may live with the disease for several years. Here’s how to proactively maximise your cat’s kidney health potential:

1. From eight years of age, book veterinary health checks for your cat every six-to-12 months

During these health checks, our vets can assess your cat’s overall body condition and musculature. Any weight loss should ideally be investigated with blood and urine tests to screen for early kidney deterioration.

2. If your cat is diagnosed with kidney disease, implementing these simple management strategies can help slow the deterioration of your pet’s kidneys and help them to feel well for longer:

• Perform a gradual switch to a prescription kidney support diet with reduced levels of protein, salt and phosphorous, which can reduce the strain on your cat’s kidneys
• Ensure your cat always stays well-hydrated by feeding them a portion of their diet as wet food and encouraging them to drink water – this may involve the use of particular bowls that your cat prefers, adding tuna juice to their water, or using special pet drinking fountains
• Have your pet‘s condition checked every six months, including urine testing (to screen for any secondary urinary tract infections) and measurement of their blood pressure

Mitral valve disease (MVD) is a degenerative heart condition most commonly seen in middle-aged to older small-breed dogs. It involves the progressive thickening and dysfunction of valves within the heart, eventually leading to heart disease symptoms in some dogs.

Whilst this sounds pretty scary, the good news is that our vets can offer lots in the way of screening, monitoring and support of pets affected by MVD to help extend their lifespan and maintain their quality of life.

1. Screening pets for MVD

Many cases of MVD in pets are first discovered during routine health checks by the detection of a heart murmur (an unusual heart sound). For this reason, we recommend health checks every six-to-12 months in all dogs eight years old and above, particularly for at-risk breeds such as cavalier king charles spaniels.

2. Monitoring pets for heart disease

If a murmur suggestive of MVD has been detected, we will discuss various monitoring options based on that pet’s particular condition. These include:

• Monitoring the pet’s sleeping breathing rate – an increase above 30 breaths per minute when they’re deeply asleep (and not dreaming!) warrants a prompt veterinary recheck
• Chest x-rays to measure the size of the pet’s heart and look for any signs of fluid accumulation in or around their lungs
• Monitoring the pet for any symptoms of heart disease, such as becoming puffed with exercise
• For some pets, referral for heart ultrasound (echocardiography)

3. Treating pets for symptoms of heart disease

If pets with MVD proceed to a more advanced stage of heart disease, our vets will discuss medical options to reduce their symptoms and improve their quality of life.

Whilst we sadly can’t cure pets of heart disease, we can help protect your heart and theirs by maximising the quality and quantity of time you spend together.

Does your pet have a sensitive tummy?

Recurrent gastrointestinal upset can be a real bother for both pet and owner, with common symptoms in affected animals including runny, bloody or mucus-covered poos, increased toileting frequency, vomiting episodes, or a reduced appetite.

Whilst a diagnosis of gastrointestinal sensitivity in your pet can be a real bummer, the good news is that there’s plenty we can do to treat that tummy and keep them feeling happy and well in the long term! Depending on your pet’s individual needs, management of their sensitive gut may be achieved by:

1. Testing and treating for infectious causes

It is possible for pets to have long-term infections as the root cause of their gastrointestinal upset, such as chronic whipworm or giardia infection.

For this reason, it’s recommended to perform testing on a sample of your pet’s abnormal stools (known as faecal analysis). In some cases, we may also advise a treatment trial of anti-parasitic medications.

2. A prescription diet

Depending on your pet’s particular problem, they may do best with:

• A consistent, blander diet, avoiding richer, fattier foods or treats
• A highly digestible prescription or home-cooked diet
• A hypoallergenic diet, using either a prescription hydrolysed diet or a novel protein formulation (to avoid certain food proteins that your pet has developed an allergy to)

3. Supportive supplements

For some pets, additional supplements such as psyllium husk or pet-specific probiotics can help to keep their internal bacterial balance in check.

Chat with our vets for recommendations on safe and effective dosing.

4. Medications

For particularly troublesome IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) tummies, our vets may need to prescribe short- or long-term antibiotic or steroid medications to help control ongoing inflammation or bacterial imbalances.

Rest assured that our dedicated and knowledgeable vets will get to the bottom of your pet’s gastrointestinal sensitivity.

Guinea pig town goes TikTok viral

Vienna will have some serious competition for the most livable city this year! A little-known and relatively new town has popped up in an unassuming backyard in Collinsvale, Tasmania. ‘GuineaVale’ is home to 37 guinea pigs. When they bought their first guinea pigs, the Ransley family simply needed a few tiny farm hands to help mow (or eat) the lawn under the orchards. “They turned out to be good lawnmowers but I fell in love with the guinea pigs, myself,” said Steve Ransley, grandfather, creator, and town planner of ‘GuineaVale’. Mr Ransley’s tiny village is complete with handmade cottages, lampposts, lounges, campground tables laden with fruit and veg, and even a miniature water tower. Videos of life in this ‘piggy paradise’ have become a social media sensation. “The grandkids said ‘You’ve gotta put ‘em on TikTok, Pop!’. They got a couple of thousand views, then 10,000, then 100,000, now they’re getting millions,” said Mr Ransley. Plans are in the works to expand GuineaVale to include a custom church and pint-sized pub. With a twinkle in his eye, Mr Ransley assures his fans that “the pub will serve, obviously, ‘Guinness’”.

Visit ABC News to see video of GuineaVale and its furry residents and view the full interview with Steve Ransley. 

Pictured: Steve Ransley reclines with pet guinea pigs at 'GuineaVale'. Image source: ABC News

The pomeranian and the python

When Amanda Taylor and her three dogs headed off for a walk around Noosa Woods shortly after Christmas, she wasn’t expecting to return home as a local hero. But when a three-and-a-half metre long python set eyes (and tail) on her two-year-old pomeranian, Ferrari, Amanda was forced into action. “All of a sudden, little ‘Rari was screaming. I wasn’t sure what was happening because it was happening so quickly. The snake was coiling around his head. I just shook it and shook it until it started to uncoil. [Then] I had it in my arms, and I hurled it into the water,” said Amanda. While non-venomous, the three-and-a-half-metre coastal carpet python’s brief but powerful squeeze was strong enough to leave little Ferrari with a burst blood vessel in his eye, but no other injuries. “I was very proud of mum. Mum’s such a weapon for grabbing the snake!” said proud daughter, Jessica Taylor.

Watch the full interview with Amanda and Jessica Taylor on ABC News.

Floss of the Kimberleys

You might have heard the great Aussie yarn of the red dog of the Pilbara, but have you heard of the red dog of the Kimberley? When a truck driver opened his cab to a stray dog in Western Australia, neither of them could have known that they were in for a grand buddy adventure. What was supposed to be a straight run from Kununurra to the Perth Dog’s Refuge Home, would turn into an epic 20,000km journey around Australia. Floss and her driver Barry Horsman made it to Geraldton, WA, before unforeseen circumstances and delivery duties required Barry to make a few additional stops along the way. Together, they made deliveries to Echuca, Victoria, then up to Katherine, Mataranka and Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. Next, down to South Australia, to visit Port Augusta and Adelaide, before heading up through Ballarat, Victoria to Brisbane, Queensland, and back to South Australia again. “We didn’t have any music or air conditioning, so we just drove and drove and looked out the window, and she showed a bit of interest whenever she saw a cow,” said Mr Horsman. Four weeks later, the pair finally arrived in Perth to a warm welcome from Ruth Gourley, a longtime volunteer at the refuge home. “Everyone’s heard of the red dog of the Pilbara, [but] I would say that Floss is the red dog of the Kimberley,” said Ms Gourley.

Read more about Floss and Barry’s extraordinary adventure on ABC News.

A day in the life of an elite Malilangwe Scout begins with a patrol of the 500 sq km animal sanctuary, and careful documentation of every sighting of the black and white rhinos under their guard. Each rhino has a unique identifying pattern notched into its ear.

“In an ideal world we wouldn’t [mark] these animals, but because of the challenges we have nowadays with poaching and with the reduction in habitat, the more that we know about these animals, the better we’re able to protect them,” said Sarah Clegg, senior ecologist at the park.

Beginning with a mere 28 black, and 28 white rhinoceros, now Malilangwe Trust, Zimbabwe, is home to hundreds of rhinos, protected by the Scouts and monitored by Ms Clegg. The conservation project was founded in 1998 to protect animals whose numbers were so decimated they were at risk of extinction, after years of targeting - in the 19th century by trophy hunters, and relatively recently by poachers. “The value of the horn is worth so much more than the value of the animal (living) with its horn on,” said Ms Clegg.

“A poacher is a dangerous human being because they kill rhinos every day. When they see a rhino, they see money, like 'hey, someone has dropped money on the ground’. Everyone needs to know these animals are not for being poisoned, to make money through them,” said scout leader Sgt Patrick Mongodo. “To be a scout, you are someone who is patriotic, someone who is taking care of the community. Someone who is proud of what he is doing.”

Decades of data collected by the scouts in thousands of logbooks has helped the ecological team to reintroduce black rhinos to the nearby Gonarezhou National Park. Once there, the scouts have been instrumental in teaching park rangers skills in tracking and defending the rhinos. “Relationships matter, you can’t just put any old couple together,” said Ms Clegg. “They won’t breed unless they’re happy. [We had to] consider the social stability of the animals [we moved], and those left behind too.”

Since relocation began, five baby rhinos have been born in the national park, the first in 30 years.

For more information about the conservation work of the Malilangwe Trust, you can view the Four Corners episode Return of the Rhino’s on the ABC iView website and app.

This email contains comments of a general nature only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional veterinary advice. It should not be relied on as the basis for whether you do or don't do anything. 

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