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 PET & ANIMAL CARE

by Dr. Erik Wirtanen

AUGUST 2010, Sooke, BC. Welcome to my new animal care column. I'm a vet with 13 years experience in the Sooke area. My new clinic -- the Otter Point Veterinary Hospital -- is on West Coast Road, just past Sooke town centre.

This month I'd like to tell you about cancer incidence in cats and dogs. It's increasing! Compared to a few decades ago, we see a 3-times increase in cancer in pets. Feed your pets food that has proven itself. Look for unbiased scientific research and don't be affected by marketing; ask your vet.

It's an interesting thing about cats is that they often don't show signs of disease until it's too late. An annual checkup for cats and dogs is recommended to catch signs of disease in early stages; vets are trained to detect changes in animal health before they might become obvious to the pet owners. In older cats we see kidney disease, cancer and hyper-thyroidism.  Contaminants and pesticides in our environment are affecting the health of animals as well as people.

I have a dream of socialized medicine for animals. Pets are members of our families, just like anyone else.

Coming up soon I will be offering opportunities for youth (ages 12 to 18) to volunteer their time to help at my clinic. Learning about the life sciences is exciting at any age, but for young people this might also spark an interest in a veterinary career. ~ MapleLine Pet News

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Photo (above): Dr. Erik Wirtanen checks on a 9-year-old Rottweiler after cyst-removal surgery at the Otter Point Veterinary Hospital.

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