Hi animal lovers. I hope you enjoyed our last spring time post on how to protect your puppy against allergies. As you may or may not know, Dr Mark, VetShopAustralia’s in-house resident vet, is also a contributor and valued team member of PET’s Magazine, Australia’s largest pets publication. In each edition of PETS, Dr Mark answers reader questions on anything and everything pet related.
Continuing the spring time theme with a focus on our feline friends this week, Dr Mark addresses some very topical questions from Bianca re: allergies and cats, which breeds are less likely to cause allergic reactions and what actions we as cat parents can take to help reduce these allergies in people; particularly during spring!
Continuing the spring time theme with a focus on our feline friends this week, Dr Mark addresses some very topical questions from Bianca re: allergies and cats, which breeds are less likely to cause allergic reactions and what actions we as cat parents can take to help reduce these allergies in people; particularly during spring!
Q: For as long as I can remember, I have wanted a cat. Problem is, my dad and my younger brother both have asthma, and animal fur is a big issue. My dad has it the worst though - sometimes his asthma even acts up a little around our whippet, Spark! What cat fur doesn't make allergies or asthma act up that badly? Bianca
A: Hi Bianca,
For humans that are allergic to cats, the major source of allergen is protein produced by the cat’s sebaceous glands – the oil secreting glands in the skin. When a cat grooms and licks itself it will spread the allergen throughout the coat. Wherever the cat’s hair or skin particles are shed, this helps spread the allergen around. Because it is not the hair itself that causes the allergy, a short haired or hairless breed will not stop an allergy.
There are some breeds that seem to produce less potent allergens such as the Siberian and Russian Blue however no breed will be allergen free. Desexed cats produce less allergen than intact cats and female cats produce less than male cats.
Regular washing of a cat in a natural shampoo such as Dermcare Natural Shampoo will reduce the amount of allergen on a cats coat and is an important control measure to reduce allergies in people.
- Restrict your pets to one area of the home.
- Keep pets out of bedrooms.
- Keep pets off carpets, rugs and soft furnishings.
- Use a high-efficiency air filter.
- Wash pets and pet bedding weekly.
- Limit your contact with pets and exposure to areas they inhabit.
- Avoid facial contact with pets.
- Wash your hands thoroughly after handling or feeding pets.
If you need advice from PETS magazine’s resident vet Dr Mark (a.k.a VetShopAustralia’s Leader of the Pack) send your question and if possible a photo of your pet’s problem to pets@universalmagazines.com.au with the subject heading “Ask Your Vet.” Contact your vet directly for any health emergencies and if you require any pet medications or supplies, visit VetShopAustralia's online store.
Until next week.
Naomi.
Is this the best puppy quote ever?
- October 08, 2014
- By VetShopAustralia.com.au
- 0 Comments
My all time ever most favourite quote from the creator of Charlie Brown ~ "Happiness is a warm puppy".
Hi animal lovers.
Naomi here, VetShopAustralia’s Marketing Manager. I love this time of year. I love that I can take off my knee high boots
and slip comfortably into a pair of open toed sandals; and roam bare footed on the weekends. And there’s nothing quite as beautiful at
this time of year than the Sunshine Coasts's wildflowers; bursting forth in an
array of vivid shapes and spectacular colour blooms.
The Vanilla Lilly
The Wedding Bush
But guess what? I also hate this time of year; my allergies really start to take hold. Unfortunately allergies also have an effect on our four
legged friends. This month on the blog I’m reposting a popular article (as seen in PETS Magazine) written by our very own in-house vet Dr Mark, in which he offers advice on how
to keep our pets happy, safe, comfortable and allergy-free this spring. Happy reading.
Q: With spring coming up, is there anything I should do to protect my pet puppy
Roxie? I just want to make sure she’s okay. Kristy.
A: Hi Kristy and thanks for your email. As the weather changes
and we go from winter to spring there are a few things we can do to make sure
our puppies stay happy and healthy. Now is the time to groom our pet to remove
the remains of that winter coat. There are a number of products that make this
task easier. Look out for Zoom Grooms and slicker brushes that remove the thick
undercoat, any matted hair and knots.
Parasites such as fleas and tick start to become more common, so make sure you are using a good flea control treatment on your pet. There are many different brands of preventatives that are very easy to use and very effective. There are once a month spot on type products such as Advantage, Advantix, Frontline Plus and Revolution or if you prefer to give a tablet once a month, look out for Panoramis or Comfortis.
Parasites such as fleas and tick start to become more common, so make sure you are using a good flea control treatment on your pet. There are many different brands of preventatives that are very easy to use and very effective. There are once a month spot on type products such as Advantage, Advantix, Frontline Plus and Revolution or if you prefer to give a tablet once a month, look out for Panoramis or Comfortis.
As the weather warms up
many places will see an increase in those nasty mosquitoes. While they are a
nuisance and irritation for us, for dogs they can also spread potentially
deadly diseases such as heartworm. When infected mosquitoes bite your puppy, the heartworm larvae
transfer to your pet and work their way to their heart and lungs, where they
grow and cause severe disease. Ensure your pup has started on heartworm preventative before spring starts and then continue all year round.
Spring is a wonderful time to explore the outdoors with our
pets and remembering these few things will help ensure they stay happy,
comfortable and safe.
If you need advice from PETS magazine’s resident vet Dr Mark (a.k.a VetShopAustralia’s Leader of the Pack) send your question, and if possible a photo of your pet’s problem, to pets@universalmagazines.com.au with the subject heading “Ask Your Vet.” Contact your vet directly for any health emergencies and if you require any pet medications or supplies, visit VetShopAustralia's online store.
Or if you need advice on your human allergies just ask me (Zyrtec is the answer; always!).
Take care,
Naomi