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veterinarian

National Pet Week Starts May 1st

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National Pet Week began back in 1981. It is celebrated during the first week of May. The American Veterinarian Medical Association (AVMA) helped create this week that celebrates pets and encourages the best possible care of our companion animals. 

The AVMA  themes each day that you can check out by clicking here.

You probably won’t be surprised by many of the recommendations. But it is always good to see if you can make any improvements. Many of the tips can be applied to the human beings in the household, not just the pet.

For example, the AVMA recommends proper nutrition and exercise for your pet. What better way to improve your own life by being active with your best friend? Finding an exercise routine that both your pet and you can share is an essential joy that has long lasting benefits.

Unsurprisingly, they recommend regular checkups and screenings, particularly as your pet reaches the senior years. Just like humans, the preventive measures you take could extend the quality and longevity of your pet’s life. 

You could also review preparation protocols for travel and review the latest procedures for handling an emergency event. 

Whether you are looking to find a pet or already have one, your veterinarian is a great resource for making sure you understand all the facets required for a healthy, happy pet.

Let us know how you plan to celebrate National Pet Week. 

Take Your Cat To The Vet Day

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According to PetMD, a recent study showed that more than half of the cats in the US had not been seen by a veterinarian in the past year for a wellness exam.

While I do not parent a cat, I know many people who do have cats. And they all indicate that getting their cat to the vet’s office is one of their biggest challenges. From the disappearing cat act when the carrier appears, to the fight to get them into the carrier and car, and the subsequent fight to get them out of the carrier at the vet’s office, it goes on and on. 

The woes of transport lead many cat parents to simply avoid the annual visit to the vet for a checkup. Many cite undo stress as the reason they opt to avoid the ordeal. According to PetMD, cats have a unique survival tactic that results in them attempting to hide symptoms of an illness until they simply can no longer do so. 

That means skipping those annual visits may result in a missed opportunity to address a treatable disease until it is too late to head off the worst. 

Symptoms and Signs

Since cats are creatures of habits, some signs that you should signal an immediate trip to the vet might be needed include:

  • Hiding
  • Change in eating or appetite
  • New litter box habits
  • Chang in sleeping location 

Strategies

There are some ways to minimize stress in those trips to the veterinarian with your cat. First, don’t get the carrier out until you are leaving for the vet’s office. Pulling it out too soon can result in a game of hide and seek you probably don’t want to play.

Second, you can build a positive association with the carrier in the months leading up to the visit. Or, consider a mild sedative prescribed by your vet to take the edge off your cat’s anxiety. If all of that fails, see if your vet would make a house call (there are still some that practice on site visits).

Let National Take Your Cat to the Vet Day be a motivator to get your feline seen for a wellness exam.

National Immunization Awareness Month

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Behind the Acronyms of Dog Vaccines

August is National Immunization Awareness Month. Vaccines are given to your pets to prevent them from having a fatal, or near fatal, response to specific diseases that are highly contagious, dangerous, or both, according to Dr. Kate Creevy at Texas A&M University.

Some vaccines, like rabies shots, are required by law and others are recommended. What each pet needs is a conversation best had between your veterinarian and you.

After all, if your pet is never going to spend time at a boarding facility, you might not need to get a bordetella (or kennel cough) vaccination. Or, if your pet goes to a groomer who requires a canine influenza vaccine for all clients, you might need to get that to patronize their facility.

Core Vaccines

According to Fetch by WebMD, there are core vaccines that all pets should receive and non-core vaccines that are situational, depending on your individual circumstances.

Core vaccines include the following for both cats and dogs, except where noted:

  • rabies
  • distemper
  • parvovirus
  • hepatitis (dogs)

Cats additionally require: 

  • herpesvirus
  • calicivirus
  • panleukopenia

Lifestyle Considerations

In my personal experience, I have made specific choices based on the lifestyle my dog leads. Ginger makes trips to the country several times a year. She has a not-so-desired tendency to slurp water from puddles that could contain contaminants from wildlife. Therefore, I opted to protect her by getting a Leptospirosis vaccine. Because she does not attend daycare or congregate with other dogs, we typically pass on canine influenza. However, an outbreak in the city we live in changed our minds a few years back. We now take it periodically based on her anticipated time around other dogs (which is infrequent).

Each situation and pet is different. We encourage you to research and talk to your pet health care provider to determine what works best.

Making Ice Cream As A Summer Treat

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What sounds better on a hot, steamy summer day than a big ole scoop of your favorite ice cream? Not much!
 
But, your pet may not be able to digest the contents of your favorite batch of frozen goodness. So, why not make some ice cream for them?
 
We’ve assembled some ideas for you to whip up some homemade treats that will taste way better than what is in the store. And making it yourself will give you the benefit of knowing exactly what each treat contains.
 
First up, many people are familiar with Frosty Paws in the grocery store. Our friends over at HGTV have concocted a similar treat with fewer ingredients. It contains yogurt, peanut butter and baby food. If your dog doesn’t take well to plain yogurt you can use an alternate. Click this link to get the recipe.
 
Maybe you have fresh fruit and would prefer to mix up something a little less creamy, but still tasty. The AKC has options that extend beyond traditional peanut butter ice cream. Check out the various options they have available at https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/nutrition/diy-frozen-dog-treats/.
 
Remember that too much dairy can cause an upset tummy. Also, some sugar free additives can be toxic to your pet. Be especially cautious with peanut butter as the additive xylitol can be fatal to your pet if ingested. If you have questions about your pets health and nutrition we always recommend consulting your veterinarian.
 
We hope that these ideas help you create a nutritious and delicious treat to share with your pet during the hot summer days ahead of us.

Consider Microchipping Your Pet

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In the chaos of moving from a house in the suburbs to a condo in the city, I missed one very important step. In the hundreds of updates, decisions, and changes that relocating can involve, I had forgotten microchipping. I hadn’t updated the contact information registered to my dog’s microchip.

When adopting from a shelter, microchipping is a given in most instances.  However, if you haven’t microchipped your pet you might want to consider doing so. It is a great way to ensure identification of your pet in the event a collar breaks, your pet panics and runs away during fireworks, or if your pet is lost during a natural disaster. [Read more…] about Consider Microchipping Your Pet