Thanksgiving Day Hazards

The holidays bring so much fun for family and friends. Even our furry family members are often excited with all the commotion and treats. Many pet owner and their friends are unaware of the deadly consequences for animals during the holidays. Some of the hazards include seasonal decoration, ornamental lighting, ingestion of inappropriate or toxic items, excessive consumption of rich or harmful foods, candle flames and many others.

Before you sit down for the feast you should feed your pet to reduce the risk of begging or stealing. You should also use a gate to seperate them from temptation, leaving them nearby, but with a safety barrier. Purchase a special treat that they can be entertained with while you eat. This is a perfect oportunity to fill a kong with peanut butter or give them a new toy you know they will enjoy.

Be sure to warn your guests of the hazards of feeding sad puppy dog eyes. Many friends and family may not understand that the turkey bone will can spinter and cause detremental damage to your pet if ingested.

The Biggest Turkey Day Hazards:

• Rich, fatty foods (Turkey skin, gravy, ect.) can contribute to pancreatitis, inflamation of this digestive gland is very painful and requires emergency veterinary care.


• Cooked bones can splinter and cause tears or obstructions in your pets digestive tract.


• Baking string, if digested.


• Onions can lead to canine anemia.
  
• Sage and other herbs contain essential oils that can cause gastrointestinal upset and central nervous system depression in your pet.


• Raw bread dough, when heated up by a pup's body, often expands, causing vomiting, servere abdominal cramping and bloating which can become a life-threatening emergency.


• Grape and raisin toxicin can cause kidney failure in dogs.


• Chocolate is toxic to your dog.


• Caffine and alcohol are also toxic.
  

Preventive measures are the key to avoid these dangers. After you enjoy your feast of turkey, and delicous pies. And you still can't avoid the temptation of involving your pet...add a little bone free turkey, or some veggies to there meal.

Happy Holidays!

Laser Therapy

Laser therapy applied with the Companion therapy laser system provides a sterile, pain-free, Surgery-free, drug-free treatment which is used to treat a variety of injuries, wounds, fractures, neurological conditions, numerous dermatological problems, and pain. Whether your pet is rehabilitating from trauma or injury, healing from wounds, or simply aging, your companion will benefit from this revolutionary new approach to Veterinary medicine.

Laser therapy is the only course of treatment that actually stimulates the body within. Non-Thermal photons of light are administered to the body and absorbed by the injured cells. The cells are then stimulated and respond with a higher rate of metabolism. This results in increased circulation from the body, an anti-inflammatory reaction, relief from pain and acceleration of the healing process.

The Companion Therapy Laser allows your pet to heal faster after surgery or any traumatic injury.

Everyday disorders such as lick granulomas and chronic ear infections, that cause severe pain and discomfort are instantaneously relieved.

Disorders that respond best to the Companion Laser Therapy:

• Pain Relief
• Wound Healing
• Arthritic Conditions
• Intervertebral Disc Disease
• Pyotraumatic Dermatitis
• Post Surgical Pain Relief
• Degenerative Joint Disease
• Lick Granulomas
• Degloving Injuries
• Dermatological Conditions
• Peridontal Disease
• Gingivitis
• Otitis
• And More....
  

Your Veterinarian is now offering the lastest technology in health care for your pet. This FDA cleared, deep penetrating light allows relief of pain through the release of endorphins and stimulates the injured cells to heal at a faster rate. Call to schedule an appointment for an evaluation.

The Bald and Beautiful!

Sphynx, Als0 know as the Canadian Hairless, is a breed of cat characterized by having little to no hair on their bodies. Sphynx have a genetic mutation in the gene that causes hair growth, thus they have very little to no hair. Typically a Sphynx has a light down-like hair on their nose, back of their ears and tops of their feet. Because they are hairless on their bodies the oil their skin produces accumulates and Sphynx's need to be bathed with a mild cat shampoo weekly. Wax can accumulate in their ears and they also need to be cleaned weekly with a cleaner from your vet.

Sphynx need to be kept warmer than other cats because they don't have a natural coat! They can wear a small dog shirt and love to snuggle under a fleece blanket. Sphynx come in all the same colors as household cats come in.

They have the same lifespan as a domestic cat and require the same diet and veterinary care. They can get a genetic disease know as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or HCM, where the walls of their heart become thickened and can not pump effectively. Yearly checkups at your regular vet as well as an ultrasound of the heart know as an electrocardiogram should be done by the cardiologist. The onset of HCM is usually 4-8 years of age.

Halloween Safety For Your Pets

Halloween is a fun and exciting time of year for both adults and children. Sometimes overwhelming or scary for our pets

• Try to walk your dog earlier in the day. Even friendly dogs may become fearful or aggressive with crowds or children in costumes. Keep your pets inside during trick or treating hours, some children may be agitating towards your pets.




• Keep cats inside.




• make sure pets can't reach candles, jack-o-lanterns, decorations, or ornaments.




• Keep your dogs away from the candy bowl. Dispose of candy wrappers before your pet gets into them, since the wrappers can cause chocking or intestinal obstruction. Make sure your dogs can not get into the trash. note: Chocolate contains theobromine, which can cause nerve damage or even death in dogs. The darker the chocolate the more concentrated it is-- and the smaller the lethal the dose.




• Be sure to inform your family especially children the dangers of leaving treats out where your pets can get into it. Also be sure to caution them about leaving wrappers on the floor.




• When dressing your pet for halloween be sure the costumes is not irritating or stressful for your pet. Make sure your pet can breath, see, and hear while wearing a custom. Also be sure the custom is flame retardant. remove any rubber band which can cut off circulation or become imbedded in your pets skin. Remove small or dangling accessories that could be chewed or swallowed.




• If you think your pet is exhibbiting sign or potential chocolate toxity call your veterinarian immediately.

Catch of the Day

Every now and then, a dog playing near a fishing pond will get stuck with a fish hook left behind by a careless fisherman. As you can imagine, a fish hook can be very painful, particularly if the hook is in the foot and the dog has come running to you or tried to removed it with his/her mouth and got it lodged there instead.

Attempt to calm the dog and prepare to transport to your local Veterinary office. Having your Veterinarian remove the hook is best. There proper restraint and in some cases anesthesia will be helpful in preventing any further injury.

If your dog swallows a fish hook. DO NOT attempt to dislodge the hook by pulling the fishing line. Cut excess fishing line leaving approximately 12inches dangling. Transport your pet to your veterinarian immediately. Be sure to not allow your pet to eat a meal or treat in the meantime.

In Need of a Loving Home

Angel is a very sweet, 3 and 1/2 year old female Rottweiller in need of a good home. She is a gentle girl with a great personality. Angel does have Addison's disease which is a very treatable condition that, as long as it is treated, will not shorten her life span. She gets medication in the form of a pill that she takes morning and evening in her food. Once a month she requires a special injection to keep her disease under control. As longas she gets her medication you would never know she had any problems at all. The total cost per month to treat her Addison's disease is about $100. If you are interested in visiting with Angel, please call our office.

Surprising Dog and Cat Facts

Myth: Warm Nose, Sick Dog
The temperature of a dog's nose changes easily and is not a good sign of illness. It can be hot and dry after lying in the sun or cool and wet from dipping into the water bowl. Better signs of illness are lethargy, loss of appetite, vomiting, coughing, or a fever higher than 102.5°F on a rectal thermometer. The wet snout? It comes from tear ducts that drain toward the nose.

Fact: Dogs Can Smell Diabetes
It sounds like a Lassie TV episode, but it's truth, not fiction. Dogs can sniff out a dangerous drop in blood sugar in a diabetic owner and alert the person to take action by pawing, licking, whining, or barking. A few dogs have even been trained and placed as diabetic service dogs. Their nose for hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) is correct 90% of the time, according to their trainers.

Myth: Cats Steal a Baby's Breath
This superstition goes back to the 1700s. When babies died of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), people were quick to blame a cat seen lying in the crib. Today, soft toys, illnesses, a stomach-lying position have all been linked to SIDS — but not cats. Cats are drawn to cribs because they're warm, cozy, elevated places – perfect for a catnap.

Fact: Dog Kisses Can Make You Sick
Think dogs' mouths are cleaner than humans? Think again. Veterinarians say dogs' chops are teeming with germs like salmonella, campylobacter, and cryptosporidium. These germs get into a dog's mouth from eating spoiled food or when he uses his tongue as toilet paper. Then a kiss moves these germs from pooch to person, along with a nasty course of diarrhea.

Cat Language: Purring Through Pain
The quiet, motor-like sound of a purring cat is not yet well understood. Every cat fancier has seen their pet purring in happiness; yet cats also purr when they are in pain or close to death. It may be a self-soothing behavior. Kittens begin purring within hours of birth as they nurse — and the mother cat purrs during feeding sessions, too.

Fact: Smoking Kills Cats and Dogs
Secondhand smoke causes at least two fatal cancers in cats: lymphoma and oral carcinoma. Housecats get a double dose of toxins by breathing cigarette smoke in the air and by licking the residue off their fur when grooming. Dogs with long noses may develop cancerous nasal tumors from living with a smoker — and short-nosed breeds are more prone to lung cancer.

Myth: Cats Need Milk
The long-standing myth that cats need milk is wrong and giving your pet a saucer of cow's milk could make it vomit or have diarrhea. Kittens drink their mother's milk until they are weaned and older cats may like the taste of cow's milk. But adult cats don't have much lactase, the enzyme needed to break down the lactose sugar in milk. The result is often uncomfortable and messy: diarrhea.