Chomp

While under the care of Sydney Dogs and Cats Home was diagnosed with and/ or treated for the following diseases and conditions:

Lump
There was a benign mass on his right thigh that has been surgically removed. Further lumps are possible to develop on the skin independent of this mass so it is advisable to consult with a vet regarding any new lumps.

Teeth
All the front teeth are worn down leaving the pulp exposed. Those that appeared to be of concern have been removed, which included the upper canines and all the incisors. The right upper canine extraction site has healed while the left upper extraction site still needs more time. This is currently being monitored. The lower canines remain and have been left in place because it appears that they are not causing discomfort and removing them may cause more discomfort or complications. Monitoring his eating habits will be a possible to assess how comfortable he is. Consulting with a dental specialist is an option to get advice on methods to preserve the teeth.

Behaviour Medication

While under the care of Sydney Dogs and Cats Home, this animal has been placed on a course of anxiety-management medication. Being in a shelter environment is an unfamiliar situation and can be highly stressful for an animal. SDCH believes in supporting the mental health of the animals in our care and medication is a key part of achieving this. The medication does not change their personality or suppress any behavioural traits, it merely lowers their level of arousal and allows them to think more clearly and cope better while they are in the shelter.

This animal has been provided with a medication plan to gradually wean down the medication in their new adoptive home. It is important to wean down the medication gradually, as stopping it suddenly can have serious and long-lasting side effects. Please follow the medication plan as directed and contact the SDCH veterinary team with any questions.  

Otitis externa
This animal has been diagnosed and treated for otitis externa (ear infections).
Otitis externa is a bacterial and/ or yeast infection in the ear, commonly involving the normal organisms that live on the skin. It is usually a secondary condition that can result from many diseases and abnormalities including; ear mites, underlying allergic skin disease, structural changes such as narrowed ear canals, ear polyps and masses, and constant wetting of the ear canals eg. frequent swimming.

The condition is treated with ear flushes to remove excess debris, medication ear ointments and oral medications. The ear canal can become damaged and thickened after infections and so the risk of recurrent infections is greater in affected animals. For this reason, care should be taken to minimise the risk of this animal getting his/ her ears wet during baths and swimming and ear cleaners such as Otoflush and Epiotic are recommended to be used 1-2 times per week to keep the ears as clean as possible.

Any underlying diseases such as mites and allergic skin disease should be managed in order to minimise the risk of progression to secondary ear infections. We recommend using regular flea and mite prevent such as Advocate to prevent ear mites.