‘Dr Bobs’ Animal Tips. Crusty Demons: The Mudfever Saga

Dermatophilosis, a bacterial skin infection colloquially known as “rainscald” or “mudfever” is a common equine ailment especially in wet conditions. I’m sure most horsey people are familiar with this frustrating and painful problem.

There have been endless remedies and potions formulated for this infection, with highly variable (and often disappointing) results. If possible, the first thing to do is to clip the hair overlying the affected areas to help with scab removal. We recommend daily washes with 1% potash alum or a chlorhexidine scrub to remove scabs followed by thorough drying of the skin afterwards. Persistence is the key- any treatment undertaken cannot be expected to work if not used daily.

 

The organism (Dermatophilus congolensis) lives in the scabs, therefore their removal is paramount to allow healing. This also means that the scabs are contagious to other horses and should be disposed of. Systemic (injectable or oral) antibiotics are sometimes given in severe cases. The main point to remember though is that this is not a primary disease. The skin must be damaged in some way for these bacteria to gain entry and set up shop. Therefore once treated, the horse or pony must be kept in dry conditions if at all possible to avoid recurrence of this painful and debilitating condition.

–  Dr Angela Shoemack

Coughs In Children

Coughing is common a frequent cause for GP visits. The cause of cough in children is usually different from the cause in adults. Coughs and colds also affect children differently. Therefore management is different.

Cough maybe;
1. Acute = duration of less than 2 weeks
2. Sub-acute = duration of between 2- 4 week
3. Chronic = duration greater than 4 weeks

Most acute coughs will be viral upper respiratory tract infections that do not require anything other than symptomatic treatment. But it is important to determine when a child has a lower respiratory tractinfection. Usually there will be signs of this such as; looking unwell, a fever, rapid breathing, lethargy, bluish colour and chest signs.

Antibiotics may be required along with careful monitoring, follow up and maybe further investigation.Some cases of acute cough may be more serious such as, aspiration of a foreign body, pneumonia or pertussis so details of the cough are important for your Dr to know.

The key questions about any cough are: Duration of cough, what is sounds like, is it a wet or dry cough? Is there night cough? The age of the child, are there any triggers, are there any other findings.

Other important factors your Dr needs to know are; environmental factors that affect cough (pets, smokers in the house), your childs medical history, if there are any family history of respiratory problems, immunisation status and any prior exposure to tuberculosis.

Management of chronic cough will depend on the cause. Causes include; persistent respiratory infection, asthma, recurrent aspiration, cardiac causes, medications, passive exposure to cigarette smoke and habit cough.

Habit cough has no underlying physical cause and can be determined by using the key questions above.

It is important to take your child to your Dr if; 1. Cough present from birth. 2. Cough in babies during feeding. 3. Cough of sudden onset or associated with choking. 4. A cough that is chronic, wet and produces mucus. 5. Continuous and worsening cough. 6. There are other signs that the child is very unwell, or signs of an underlying lung disease ( eg. Poor growth or an abnormal chest shape). 7. You, as a parent, are concerned.

Cough and cold medicines are not recommended for children under 6 years of age and have not been proven to be of benefit. Paracetamol at the appropriate dose should be used for fever rather than ibuprofen.

Keep the house warm, dry and smoke free. Avoid overwrapping and under dressing your child. Keep the fluids up. See you Dr if you think your child is worse.

– Heather McIntyre, G.P.

 

Your Health – Important points about Hayfever

Hayfever (rhinitis) may be allergic, non allergic or a combination of  both. Rhinitis is common and although not a serious disease, it can impact on your quality of life. It can range from mild to severe

Allergic rhinitis has a definite trigger, can be seasonal (spring/summer, perennial or occupational. Common triggers are; pollens, dust, house dust mites, pets and chemicals/irritants in the workplace.

Non-allergic rhinitis can be caused by, pungent smells, temperature change, infection, hormonal changes (eg; pregnancy) and medications.

Rhinitis is often a chronic relapsing condition so management is focused on symptom control rather than cure. It may be associated with asthma and eczema.

Current guidelines for management of rhinitis support, clinical assessment, patient education, intranasal steroids and in some cases desensitization (immunotherapy).

Anti histamines are useful for reducing sneezing, runny eyes and nose and itch but not for nasal stuffiness.

Tolerance to antihistamines can develop.

Although avoidance of triggers is part of the management of allergic rhinitis it is often difficult to achieve and can be impractical.

Allergy testing has a role in some cases but can be confusing and should not replace a proper clinical assessment.

Keeping a symptom diary will help your GP with diagnosis.

– Heather McIntyre GP

Health Tip – Positive Thinking. Let’s “think ourselves” into having an excellent 2011

Frequently when I switch on the TV or open a newspaper, I feel like I am being bombarded with messages of national depression, doom & gloom. So the question arises, “Can a nation be talked into believing this and if so, can we also talk ourselves into thinking positive?” 

Research studies have shown that scents around us can “trigger” memories, feeling good & thinking clearly. Here is a simple “Think Positive” diffuser blend  for home and office that you may like for your personal use. 

• 1 drop Basil (Ocimum basilicum) – helps clarify the intellect.
• 3 drops Bergamot (Citrus auranthium var. bergamia) – traditionally used in times of crisis
• 1 drop Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea) – encourages a euphoric outlook
• 2 drops Lime (Citrus aurantifolia) – builds confidence in yourself
• 3 drops Mandarin (Citrus reticulata) – fresh like youth, it inspires & quietly strengthens. 

Our finish pure blend called Clarity & Confidence (organic) and is the 1 bottle solution for ease of use.
Add to your diffuser or put some onto a tissue and inhale every hour and think yourself into living a fantastic year. 

Dr Bo Hendgen  http://www.absoluteessential.com

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is an essential fat that is used by the liver to make hormones. The liver produces 80% of our total cholesterol and the rest is from our diet.  The liver makes all the cholesterol we need then any cholesterol from our dietary intake is released into the blood circulation. There are different types of cholesterol, VLDLs, LDLs and HDLs. VLDL carries fat from the liver to body tissues where it is needed. Once the VLDL has met the tissue requirements it becomes LDL which carries remaining cholesterol around the body in the blood.  HDL carries excess cholesterol back to the liver. 

LDL is considered a ‘bad’ cholesterol as it keeps cholesterol in the circulation which can stick to blood vessel walls causing narrowing and blockages that result in heart disease. HDL is a ‘good’ cholesterol as it removes cholesterol from the blood vessels. 

We are encouraged to have a diet high in HDL and low in LDL. Saturated fats from animal products, coconut oil and palm oil increase LDL. Poly unsaturated fats from seeds and grains decrease LDL but may also reduce HDL.  Monounsaturated fats (olive/canola oil, avocado & nuts) reduce LDL and increase HDL. If we take in too much saturated fat our liver will make more bad cholesterol. Therefore animal (saturated fat) should be limited. 

Your cholesterol can be measured by a fasting blood sample and should be less than 4mmol/L with an LDL of less than 2.5mmol/L and HDL greater than 1.0mmol/L. High cholesterol may be hereditary. You should have your cholesterol screened annually. 

Elevated cholesterol is one risk factor for heart disease. Other risk factors are; male >45 years, female > 55 years, smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes and a family history of heart disease. These risk factors are cumulative.If you have elevated cholesterol see your GP or practice nurse to discuss dietary and lifestyle changes and cholesterol lowering medications.

   – Heather McIntyre  G.P.

Your Health – Skin Care

Our skin is the largest organ in the body. It provides protection against infection. Skin is an active organ undergoing renewal and repair, it also produces Vitamin D.  Skin is subjected to regular injury and irritation. Skin changes and gets thinner and dryer and more prone to injury with age

Skin cancer is the commonest of all cancers and affects 2/3rds of fair skinned New Zealanders. In addition New Zealand has a high rate of melanoma.  There are 3 types of skin cancer; basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. They all look different so basically be looking for early changes. Get checked if a spot; changes colour, gets bigger or thicker, feels different to touch, is irregular, or is bigger than 6mm. OR check a sore that itches, is painful, ulcerates and bleeds, or fails to heal within a month.

Your Health – Wine, the downside

Have you noticed how many people have had to stop drinking wine because they are having some kind of allergic response to it? From sinus problems and sneezing to headaches approaching migraine in their intensity, nausea, vomiting and even asthma attacks. It can even account for that really bad hangover! So how come?

Sulphur dioxide (SO2), in various forms and collectively known as sulphites, is the culprit. It is used as a preservative and anti-oxidant, and even in completely unsulphered wine, it is present at concentrations of up to 10 milligrams per litre. The bad news for us is that New Zealand and Australian wines, in fact, most new world, tend to be sulphite heavy, unlike organic and most European wines. Due to health implications, EU law limits the levels of SO2 to 160mg/l for red, 201mg/l for white and rose, and 400mg/l for dessert wine. However organic and biodynamic organisations such as Nature and Progres and Demeter, impose their own restrictions of 70, 90 and 210+mg/l respectively.

Your Health – Gout

Gout is an inflammatory form of arthritis. It is common in men over the age of 40 & at later age in women who often get symptoms in the upper limb extremities.  The usual presentation is acute pain and swelling and redness of the joint of the big toe, but other joints can be affected.  The incidence of Gout has increased over time in the population due to dietary factors, some medication factors & the increase in weight in the population.

 Risk factors of Gout include high purine diet. Purine-containing food include alcohol, anchovies, fish, yeast products, mushrooms, meat extract and offal-type meats. The risk factors are alcohol, obesity, diabetes and kidney disease. If there is a history of a self-limiting episode of joint pain, with swelling and redness or the presence of visual symptoms like atrophy then Gout is a likely diagnosis. The diagnosis can also involve the aspiration of fluid from the joint and testing for crystals.

Your Health – Coughs and colds

Coughs and colds are a common occurrence, especially in winter.
More than 90% are caused by viruses, therefore antibiotics are ineffective. These viruses are not related to Influenza, so a cold is not the flu.

Symptoms may occur in the upper respiratory tract (ears, nose throat) or lower airways (lungs). Lower airway infections are worse. Common symptoms include; malaise, runny nose, sore throat, congestion, cough (dry or productive) and possibly a low grade fever

The Truth about Chocolate!

Many of us have grown up being told that chocolate is an indulgence, leading us to ill-health and obesity, sure enough, if eating a giant sized bar of Cadbury’s Caramel in one sitting is your thing, then yes, this is true.

But there is chocolate and then there is chocolate. Chocolate has been a source of nourishment as a food and beverage through the ages, and in some cultures, has long been prescribed as a medicine.