June 18th is Veterinarian Appreciation Day and at YAH we’re so blessed to have three of the best (if we do say so ourselves) – Dr. Bailey, Dr. Bakal and Dr. Lanza! The hallmark of our practice is based on a compassionate, caring staff that places your pets’ needs. Our doctors strive to provide you with the absolute best in veterinary care by taking time to understand your needs as a client and how best to educate and serve you.

Please take a moment today (and any day) to give a pat on the back and big THANK YOU to the best doctors around!

Unlike humans who sweat, dogs eliminate heat from their bodies by panting. When panting isn’t enough, a dog’s body temperature rises, and they can experience heat stroke, which can become fatal if not treated immediately.

What causes heat stroke in dogs?

Any hot environment can cause heat stroke in dogs. The most common cause is careless action by a pet owner, like leaving a dog in a car or forgetting to provide water and shade when they are outdoors.

Some dogs are more prone to heat stroke than others. Dogs with thick fur, short noses or those suffering from medical conditions are predisposed to heatstroke. Even dogs who enjoy constant exercise and playtime should be closely monitored for symptoms of heat stroke, especially on hot and humid days.

What are the symptoms of dog heat stroke?

The most telling symptom of heat stroke in dogs is excessive panting. Other symptoms may include signs of discomfort such as drooling, reddened gums, vomiting, diarrhea, mental dullness or loss of consciousness, uncoordinated movement, and collapse. 

Heat stroke in dogs can indicate a serious medical problem and cause unseen problems, such as swelling of the brain, kidney failure, intestinal bleeding and abnormal clotting of blood. For this reason, immediate veterinary care is highly recommended. 

What should I do if I think my dog has heat stroke?

Call your veterinarian or the nearest emergency animal hospital and tell them you are on your way. On the way to the veterinarian, travel with the windows open and the air conditioner on.

Until you can get to the veterinarian, be sure to:

• Remove the dog from the hot environment immediately.
• Do not give the dog aspirin to lower its temperature and can lead to other problems.
• Let your dog drink as much cool water as they want without forcing them to drink.
• Cool your dog off with cold water by placing a soaked towel on their back.

How will the veterinarian treat my dog’s heat stroke?

With cases of heatstroke in dogs, treatment will include intravenous fluid therapy to replace fluids and minerals. 

Your veterinarian will also monitor your dog for secondary complications such as kidney failure, development of neurologic symptoms, abnormal clotting, changes in blood pressure and electrolytes abnormalities. 

How can I prevent my dog for developing heat stroke?

As a pet owner, it is important to be aware of the outside temperature and take appropriate measures to prevent heat stroke, especially during hot and humid conditions.

When outdoors, always make sure your dog is in a well-ventilated area with access to plenty of water and shade.

While traveling in cars, make sure that your dog is kept in crates that has good ventilation, and never leave your dog in a car with the windows closed.

YAH is proud to be a sponsor of the Youngsville Parks and Rec programs and this year our sponsored team, the Cubs, won the spring season Coach Pitch Championship! Our congrats to Coach Joe Rozmus and the kids for an UNDEFEATED season this year. WAY TO GO CUBS!

YAH would like to wish everyone a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend. We remember and honor those for whom this day/weekend is dedicated to – our heroes who paid the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we cherish. YAH asks blessings too upon our Gold Star families, you are always in our prayers. God bless our troops who sacrifice for our nation and God Bless America.

It can be heartbreaking to watch: Even before the first clap of thunder, otherwise well-behaved dogs begin to pace, pant, cling to their owners, hide in the closet, or jam themselves behind the toilet. In severe cases, they’ll claw through drywall, chew carpets, or break through windows in their escalating panic. Thunderstorm phobia in dogs is real, not uncommon, and shouldn’t be ignored, experts say. It’s not normally something that they grow out of and if untreated can actually become worse over time. Why does storm phobia happen, and what can you do if your dog suffers from it? WebMD has a great website for educating on how to calm your storm-phobic pets. (https://pets.webmd.com/dogs/features/dog-storm-phobia#1)

YAH is always here to help – we have therapies we can recommend that help ease this form of anxiety.

In our house, and probably in yours, pets are family. Please spend a few moments this week, making sure they’re safe and can be quickly returned to you in case they’re lost. Pet parents know that a missing pet is scary and upsetting. In general, one of the biggest issues in returning a missing pet to his proper home is a lack of proper identification. Microchips and tags mean pets, and their parents are reunited far more quickly. This week is pet ID week, so it’s a good time to look more closely at pet IDs and how to make sure your pet can be brought home quickly.

If your pet does become lost, act fast and don’t wait! While this may sound obvious, many pet owners assume their pet will simply turn up on their own. The truth is that the sooner you start looking, the more likely it is that you’ll find your pet. Make posters with a picture of your pet and your phone number and hang them in the area your pet was last seen. Contact the animal control officer in your area and alert local shelters. Most lost pets don’t stray too far if you start looking right away.

A simple collar and ID tag is always a great first step to keeping your pets properly identified. It should contain their name, your name and your phone number.

YAH is a big advocate of microchipping your pet. Particularly in the case of cats or smaller dogs, collars easily get caught on bushes and safely break away to prevent choking your pet. However, once they’ve fallen off, they don’t help your pet get back home. Having your pet microchipped is an important safety net. Shelter workers and veterinarians can scan for the chip and contact you based on that information. Consider keeping your microchip information updated, now’s as good a time as ever!

As we move into the warmer months, our thoughts move towards the beautiful Carolina spring temperatures, the flowers and trees blooming, and….heartworms in our dogs. Well, while we associate heartworm threats with the warmer months due to the increase in mosquito, fleas and tick populations, heartworms are in fact a year-round issue for us to manage here in the Triangle due to our moderate temperatures in the winter. April is designated each year as the national month for awareness and prevention, and this month YAH wants to make sure we’re helping you keep your pets safe.

This month, if you buy a 6-month supply of heartworm prevention medication, YAH will offer the test involved for FREE (a $35 value). We’re still happy to offer our traditional prevention medications such as Heartgard, Revolution, Trifexis, Interceptor and many more. This year we’re excited to include a new medication recently released by Zoetis called Simparica Trio. Simparica Trio is a once-a-month chewable that is clinically proven to kill 5 types of fleas and ticks found in our area. It differs from the original Simparica in that it also protects against heartworm instead of only a flea and tick preventative. It’s FDA approved and available right now at YAH!

As always, the best way to book your appointment at YAH is through our app, which is downloadable from the Apple App Store and Google Play. Follow this link to download today and make your appointment!

YAH is excited to announce the newest member of our clinic family, Dr. Dawn Lanza!

Dr. Lanza grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana.  For undergraduate, she went to the University of Alabama and Louisiana State University where she was a SEC swimmer.  She obtained her DVM at LSU Veterinary school in Baton Rouge, La.  After graduating, she practiced one year in New Orleans as a general practitioner.  Dr. Lanza and her husband then moved to North Carolina and settled in Wake Forest.  For the next 13 years, Dr. Lanza practiced as an overnight Emergency Veterinarian.  After many long and exciting nights, she is looking forward to returning to General practice where she is excited to get to know her patients, their families, and help keeping fur babies happy and healthy. 

She lives in Wake forest with her husband and two your children.  She has a cat named Stoli and a French bulldog/boston terrier mix baby named Rocco.  A fun fact-Dr. Lanza fell in love with and bought Rocco after she delivered him by an emergency C-section when his mother could not have him naturally.   She enjoys exercising, cycling, eating out, binge watching Netflix, and going to the beach with her family.   

Dr. Lanza’s first day with YAH will be next Monday, April 5th. She’s already accepting appointments, so book yours today to stop by and say a hearty HELLO!

With a very heavy heart, YAH is extending our most heartfelt best wishes to Ms. Ashley Lloyd as she is entering her final week with us. Ashley has been such a wonder member of the YAH family the past almost 5 years, being with us from nearly the beginning of the clinic. Ashley’s grown into a tremendous veterinary technician, showing the utmost focus on her patients and customer care. We wish her all the best in life as she transitions into her next chapter and hope you’ll also take a minute to give her a big thanks!