Animal Talk – July 2019

q&a

DOGTA LK

I

t is better to have your pets sterilised to avoid

unwanted pregnancies, especially if you are

not a registered breeder. Intact males roam to find

females who have come into season, which then

increases their risk of coming into contact with other

animals who may carry parasites and/or infectious

diseases. Intact males often injure themselves trying

to get to females who are in season. If they are

roaming the streets, they may even be involved in a

car accident, which can be fatal.

Dogs and cats who have not been sterilised have

a higher risk of developing cancer as they get

older – males can get testicular or prostate cancer

and females can get mammary or ovarian tumours

or severe uterine infections, which can be fatal.

The risk of your dog developing these problems is

dramatically decreased by having them sterilised at

a young age.

Routinely, dogs and cats are sterilised when

they are six months old. Older animals can be

safely sterilised, but the risks involved become

greater as they get older. Many veterinary practices

recommend that a pre-anaesthetic blood test is

done before an older pet is put under anaesthetic to

ensure that there is no underlying internal problem

that may increase the pet’s risk.

Dr Amanda Haechler, veterinarian

Reason for

sterilisation

Why should I sterilise my dog?

Ash in food

What’s the deal with ash in my dog’s food?

A

sh is a commonly misunderstood item on the pet food label. Ash is not an ingredient used to bulk

up the food, it is a measurement of the food’s mineral content. When major nutrients like protein,

carbohydrates and fat are incinerated for the food’s nutritional analysis, all that remains are inorganic

minerals like calcium and phosphorus. The average ash content for dry pet food is between 5% and 8%,

and for wet food about 2.5%. In some cases, a diet with a higher than average ash content may not be

appropriate for your pet, so speak to your veterinarian if you are concerned about your pet’s current diet.

Small animal veterinarian

P

ets must be dewormed every three to six months, or if your dogs are in regular contact with other dogs

(or their faeces), deworm every three months. A broad-spectrum dewormer which covers a number of

worms, including the deadly Spirocerca lupi, is advised. If you have a Collie-type breed, always check with

your vet first before administering any dewormer. Ivermectin, an active ingredient in some dewormers, must

be avoided in dogs with the MDR1 gene mutation, which is generally more common in the herding breeds.

Small animal veterinarian

Deworming frequency

How often should I deworm my dog?