January 2010:
Make New Years Resolutions for your Pets

Don’t forget your pets when you’re busy making New Year’s resolutions.

Starting this year, resolve to treat your pets to the items listed below and then spend a healthy, happy year with your furry friends.

Check you pet’s vaccination records.  If your dog or cat is overdue for inoculations or examinations call the clinic today.  Protecting our pet against disease is the best way to start the New Year.

If your dog isn’t already on heartworm preventative it absolutely should be.  Heartworm disease is fatal if not treated.  Mosquitoes carry the disease from pet to pet, and you know you prevent mosquitoes are in our area.

Before putting your dog on heartworm preventative a blood test must be taken.  If the results are negative the monthly preventative is begun.  The medication we use also keeps your dog safe from infections like hookworms, whipworms and roundworms as well as heartworms.  No better money can be spent on your best friends heath.

Brush you dog or cat’s coat daily.  A few minutes of grooming each day will prevent the hair from tangling and matting, provide a health coat and alert your quickly to problems with fleas, ticks, injuries, lumps and bumps.  Besides being practical, grooming is a perfect time to bond with your pets.

Start an exercise program with the pets in your life.   This is a win-win situation because as your pet becomes healthier, you are becoming healthier, too.  Dogs love walking with their family more than anything in this world.  A daily walk bonds you to your dog in incredible ways.  Cats can learn to love exercise, too.  There are many interactive toys for cats and cats love to chase the movement of a laser light and “playing fetch’ is as much fun for the cat in your life as it is for dogs.

Learn to speak your pet’s language.  In other words, if you learn how your dog or cat thinks you can learn to communicate with them better – For example, did you know… if your comfort your pet when it’s anxious by saying “it’s okay – it’s okay” it will think your saying “it’s okay to feel anxious; I feel anxious too. “  Instead, demonstrate to your pet that everything is really okay.  The calmer and more relaxed you are, the calmer your pet will feel as well.

Learn the proper way to trim or file your pet’s toenails to avoid clipping the “quick” or the tiny blood vessel that runs down the center of the nail.  Long, uncared-for nails can break or tear causing injury that makes walking or standing uncomfortable.

Feed your dog and cat nutritious foods and treats.  Avoid rich or sugary snakcks that can create gastrointestinal or dental problems.

Check your animal’s ears for moisture, foreign particles, black waxy material or unusual odors.  Bacteria,, yeast or mites can invade an animals ear canal and cause damage.

Play with your pet each day.  Playtime provides exercise, fun and togetherness for you both.

Educate yourself about simple health facts for the pets in your life.  Fore example, you should know that dogs and cats normally have a body temperature of 101.1 to 102.0 and that you can feel the femoral pulse at the area of the inner thigh.  Also you should know that acetaminophen and ibuprofen are poisonous to pets.

Study breed characteristics for your pet.  Don’t expect a golden retriever to be content indoors all the time without exercise, or a Yorkshire terrier to be your jogging partner.  You can only ask things of your pet that are physically possible for them.

Best a best friend to your pet.  Animals give us protection, companionship, affection and joy.  They ask only that we treat them with kindness—and that is not much to ask for such a return.

November-December 2009 Tip:
Help your pets avoid holiday hazards

         With the holidays just around the corner, it’s time to mention a few holiday season pet hazards and how to avoid them.
         Avoid feeding delicious, but fatty, leftovers to your pets.  These rich treats taste wonderful but can cause a painful and dangerous condition called pancreatitis (inflamed pancreas) in some animals.  This condition can produce vomiting, diarrhea, and severe abdominal pain.
         Easier-to-digest treats include hard and soft-boiled eggs, boiled rice, and cooked meats and poultry with the fat trimmed.
         Keep dangerous chicken, turkey, pork and other brittle bones away from your dog.  A chew bone or a new interactive toy made for dogs and cats is safer and cheaper than a trip to the veterinarian to remove splinters.
         Think of your pet as you put out your Christmas decorations.  Anything low to the ground is accessible to their hungry mouths.  Tinsel looks wonderful, but can easily hurt your pet’s intestines.  Small ornaments can be eaten before you notice.  One trick is to place noisy bells on lower Christmas tree branches or on presents around the tree to dissuade inquisitive pets.  I build a little decorative gate around my tree.
         Place potentially poisonous holiday plants (such as poinsettia, mistletoe, Star of Bethlehem, and Christmas rose) where pets can look but not touch, and pick up fallen leaves immediately. 
         Avoid wrapping presents when pets are around.  String or ribbon look like attractive play-things, but a string in the stomach or intestines is very dangerous.
         Be careful. Be observant.  Remember you pets as the holidays unfold.  But, most of all, have a wonderful time with your animal “friends”.

November-December 2009 Tips
Don’t forget- pets like presents, too!

         Your pets wouldn’t forget you on Christmas, would they?  They’d give you that “good morning” wake-up lick on the hand or contented purr in the ear that shows you are the most important person in the world!
         Well, then, you can’t forget them.  When the packages sparkle beneath the tree, and then the paper begins to fly, you wouldn’t want hector, the cat, or Toots, the dog, or even Peepers, the parakeet, sitting idly, dejectedly by.  No, of course not.  Here, then, is a list of presents guaranteed to make any pet perk up its ears.
         For the dog in your life, a new bed with a thick, down pillow would be a real treat, and it would keep Rover out of your covers on cold evenings.  (Remember to fit the bed to your pet’s anticipated adult size).
         A dog door may be just the ticket, depending upon your living arrangements.  The door could be a present to yourself as well, allowing you to catch up on sleep while Pup does his “business”. 
         Chew bones are always a much appreciated gift, but don’t decide to use last night’s left-over chicken bones instead, an expensive rawhide treat is cheaper than a trip to your veterinarian to remove splinters.
         Be careful of lightweight toys with bells inside, or buttons, or removable parts that can be easily swallowed.  I really love the new interactive toys.
         With the cold weather upon us, jackets are a wise purchase for the house dog, and even booties to keep caustic salt from injuring the pads.  And, for the dog with everything, personalized food and water bowls, and an initial rug to wipe his feet, or how about a heated electric bed? …I could go on and on and on…
         Now for the cat in the family.  Any feline would enjoy a lovely, carpeted scratching post or even a carpeted cat perch that hooks to your windowsill for noon-day sunning.  Toys come in many shapes and sizes, and flavoring with catnip brings that much more enjoyment.
         One quick and inexpensive cat delight that you can make yourself is a “garden salad”.  Plant wild bird seed in saucers of potting soil to be sampled, instead of your house plants, at puss’ discretion.
         Collars are a nice gift idea.  But the Velcro or expandable types are best to allow a safe escape route should it get snagged, and a collar made of a reflective material has saved many a dear cat’s life.
         We mustn’t forget other family members either.  A plastic exercise ball is a perfect gift for your hamster or gerbil.  The small pet is placed inside the ball, and his movements propel himself around the house, providing safety with its hard shell exterior, providing freedom for your pet but not allowing escape into dark corners, and providing a lot of laughs to everyone watching the ball fly by.
         A mirror in a parakeet or canary cage gives them a “friend” to chat with when you’re away.  Fashioning perches out of fruit tree branches is inexpensive and handy.  And the way to the heart of any guinea pig or rabbit is through its stomach.  Treats of lettuce or cabbage will be much enjoyed.
         This, by no means, contains a list of all the pets in your life, and certainly not all the gifts you can give them, but it’s a start.  The main thing is don’t forget those who bring you so much enjoyment so often in the year.  They may not be human, but pets have feelings, too.

Chewing Gum Is Not Pet Friendly

            The next time you go to the grocery store to buy a pack of gum, think of your pets.
            One of our favorite little patients, a sweet little girl named Allie almost died recently from sneaking into her mom’s purse and eating a partial package of gum containing Xylitol.
            When Allie came to the clinic a few hours after eating the gum, she was in obvious distress.  She had been vomiting, showing signs of weakness and lethargy.  Her blood sugar was dangerously low and her liver was in trouble.  After stabilizing her condition, Allie was rushed to the University Medical Center Veterinary College where she spent several scary days in their Intensive Care Unit and several more weeks on medications to help her liver function.  Fortunately Allie did great!  She and her liver are doing well, but if it hadn’t been for the quick actions of her owner, the outcome may not have been so positive.
            Xylitol is a sugar substitute used in sugar-free gum.  While it is very safe for people, it is poisonous for pets.  Even two pieces of gum, candy or throat lozenges containing Xylitol can cause a severe and life-threatening hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) in a pet.  With ingestion of more, the liver is in danger. 
            After eating an item containing Xylitol, the pet’s blood sugar falls quickly, causing weakness, lethargy, incoordination, seizures and collapse.  This can occur within 30 minutes of ingestion.  Liver damage takes longer.  Because of the rapid progression of this poison, it is very important to seek help as soon as possible for your pet.  Do not hesitate.  In fact, if you see your pet ingest a product containing Xylitol, immediately inducing vomiting is the most life-saving treatment of all.
            So, if you have sugar-free gums and candies in the house, keep them out of reach of your pet.  And, if your pet has a sweet tooth like Allie, remember even your purse isn’t a safe enough hiding place.

Healthy Teeth Means a Healthy Pet

            Keeping your pets’ teeth healthy can add years to their lifespan.  The mouth is a breeding ground for bacteria.  The bacteria die, harden and adhere to the teeth as a foul-smelling plaque that must be surgically removed.
            If left to multiply, the bacteria enter the animal’s bloodstream and affect the vital kidneys and heart.  Your pat doesn’t die directly from a toothache, but the effects of a damaged or infected tooth can certainly cause serious illness and death.
            To prevent this tooth decay, pet owners can do for their pets as they would do for themselves and their children: brush their teeth.  Start slowly and gently.  A pet needs preparation, patience and time to adjust to having its teeth brushed.
            First, elevate a small dog or cat by putting it on a table or a counter, if possible.  Then, rub your fingers around the inside of the mouth for several minutes.  Even this movement will be rejected by your pet at the beginning.  –Stop, praise your pet, then give him or her a biscuit or a vitamin tablet as a reward.  Let your pet relax.
            When the first phase of brushing has been accepted, you are ready to proceed gently, touching the teeth lightly with a moist washcloth or cotton ball.  Again, be liberal with praise and patience until your pet adjusts.  Finally, switch to a soft child’s toothbrush and lightly brush using toothpaste made especially for dogs and cats.  Even if your pet does best with a soft cotton ball or cotton-tipped applicator, you can use a liquid antiseptic that we keep at the clinic to improve oral health.
            A few minutes of daily teeth care is all that is necessary for healthy, tartar-free teeth.  I would be happy to give you a demonstration of cleaning and to check your progress every few months.
            A good diet also helps prevent tooth decay.  Dogs and cats are basically carnivorous and their teeth are adapted to fighting and to tearing food.  We must respect this need in order to maintain healthy teeth.
            Feed a quality food.  Be sure to feed at least some hard food, biscuits, and durable chew toys to give the teeth a work-out.  Greenies are made for both dogs and cats to help prevent and remove tartar from their teeth, and there is even special diets such as Hills oral cars and “teeth diet” (T/D) made especially for good teeth health.