Holiday Safety Tips for Pets

Holly, Jolly and Oh-So-Safe! Of course you want to include your furry companions in the festivities, pet parents, but as you celebrate this holiday season, try to keep your pet’s eating and exercise habits as close to their normal routine as possible. And be sure to steer them clear of the following unhealthy treats, toxic plants and dangerous decorations:

O Christmas Tree 

Securely anchor your Christmas tree so it doesn’t tip and fall, causing possible injury to your pet. This will also prevent the tree water—which may contain fertilizers that can cause stomach upset—from spilling. Stagnant tree water is a breeding ground for bacteria and your pet could end up with nausea or diarrhea should he imbibe.

Tinsel-less Town

Kitties love this sparkly, light-catching “toy” that’s easy to bat around and carry in their mouths. But a nibble can lead to a swallow, which can lead to an obstructed digestive tract, severe vomiting, dehydration and possible surgery. It’s best to brighten your boughs with something other than tinsel.

No Feasting for the Furries

By now you know not to feed your pets chocolate and anything sweetened with xylitol, but do you know the lengths to which an enterprising fur kid will go to chomp on something yummy? Make sure to keep your pets away from the table and unattended plates of food, and be sure to secure the lids on garbage cans.

Toy Joy

Looking to stuff your pet’s stockings? Choose gifts that are safe.

 Dogs have been known to tear their toys apart and swallowing the pieces, which can then become lodged in the esophagus, stomach or intestines. Stick with chew toys that are basically indestructible, Kongs that can be stuffed with healthy foods or chew treats that are designed to be safely digestible.

 Long, stringy things are a feline’s dream, but the most risky toys for cats involve ribbon, yarn and loose little parts that can get stuck in the intestines, often necessitating surgery. Surprise kitty with a new ball that’s too big to swallow, a stuffed catnip toy or the interactive cat dancer—and tons of play sessions together.

Forget the Mistletoe & Holly

Holly, when ingested, can cause pets to suffer nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Mistletoe can cause gastrointestinal upset and cardiovascular problems. And many varieties of lilies, can cause kidney failure in cats if ingested.

Opt for just-as-jolly artificial plants made from silk or plastic, or choose a pet-safe bouquet.

Leave the Leftovers 

Fatty, spicy and no-no human foods, as well as bones, should not be fed to your furry friends. Pets can join the festivities in other fun ways that won’t lead to costly medical bills.

That Holiday Glow

Don’t leave lighted candles unattended. Pets may burn themselves or cause a fire if they knock candles over. Be sure to use appropriate candle holders, placed on a stable surface. And if you leave the room, put the candle out!

Wired Up 

Keep wires, batteries and glass or plastic ornaments out of paws’ reach. A wire can deliver a potentially lethal electrical shock and a punctured battery can cause burns to the mouth and esophagus, while shards of breakable ornaments can damage your pet’s mouth.

House Rules

If your animal-loving guests would like to give your pets a little extra attention and exercise while you’re busy tending to the party, ask them to feel free to start a nice play or petting session.

Put the Meds Away 

Make sure all of your medications are locked behind secure doors, and be sure to tell your guests to keep their meds zipped up and packed away, too.

Careful with Cocktails

If your celebration includes adult holiday beverages, be sure to place your unattended alcoholic drinks where pets cannot get to them. If ingested, your pet could become weak, ill and may even go into a coma, possibly resulting in death from respiratory failure.

A Room of Their Own 

Give your pet his own quiet space to retreat to—complete with fresh water and a place to snuggle. Shy pups and cats might want to hide out under a piece of furniture, in their carrying case or in a separate room away from the hubbub.

New Year’s Noise

As you count down to the new year, please keep in mind that strings of thrown confetti can get lodged in a cat’s intestines, if ingested, perhaps necessitating surgery. Noisy poppers can terrify pets and cause possible damage to sensitive ears.

 

Source: https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/holiday-safety-tips

Labor Day Safety Tips for Pets

1. Do not apply any sunscreen or insect repellent product to your pet that is not labeled specifically for use on animals.

2. Always assign a dog guardian. No matter where you're celebrating, be sure to assign a friend or member of the family to keep an eye on your pooch-especially if you're not in a fenced-in yard or other secure area.

3. Made in the shade. Pets can get dehydrated quickly, so give them plenty of fresh, clean water, and make sure they have a shady place to escape the sun.

4. Always keep matches and lighter fluid out of paws' reach. Certain types of matches contain chlorates, which could potentially damage blood cells and result in difficulty breathing-or even kidney disease in severe cases.

5. Keep your pet on his normal diet. Any change, even for one meal, can give your pet severe indigestion and diarrhea.

6. Keep citronella candles, insect coils and oil products out of reach. Ingesting any of these items can produce stomach irritation and possibly even central nervous system depression in your pets, and if inhaled, the oils could cause aspiration pneumonia.

7. Never leave your dog alone in the car. Traveling with your dog means occasionally you'll make stops in places where he's not permitted. Be sure to rotate dog walking duties between family members, and never leave your animals alone in a parked vehicle.

8. Make a safe splash. Don't leave pets unsupervised around a pool-not all dogs are good swimmers.

Source: http://www.dogster.com/the-scoop/labor-day-pet-safety-tips

Car Sickness In Pets

Does your dog throw up in the car when you go for rides? He may be experiencing typical motion sickness, just like some people do. Motion sickness usually begins very shortly after starting the car ride. The dog will begin to drool and then vomit. It’s not serious, but certainly not something that we like to clean up! To solve the problem, first try acclimating the dog to car rides. Do this by simply putting him in the car for a few minutes each day without going anywhere. Then try just going down the driveway and back, and the next day going around the block. Gradually build up the distance and time the dog rides in the car. 

 Sometimes this will help to decrease the dog’s anxiety over riding in the car and may help to decrease vomiting. If that doesn't work, there are some over-the-counter medications you can try. The medication will need to be given about an hour before the car ride. Ask your veterinarian for a recommendation as to what drug to try and the dosage for your pet.

(Never give any medications to your pet without your veterinarian’s advice!) These drugs are safe, with drowsiness usually the only major side effect. But since your dog isn’t driving the car, that shouldn't be a problem! If over-the-counter drugs don’t work, your veterinarian may be able to suggest another method for curing the car sickness.

Source: http://www.aaha.org/pet_owner/pet_health_library/dog_care/general_health/car_sickness.aspx

Two National Pet Stores Pulling China-Made Treats

 

Two major national pet stores are pulling all dog and cat treats made in China off of their shelves as years of complaints to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration pile up that jerky treats from China were possibly making pets sick.

Vice President of Merchandising for Petco John Sturm said they are voluntarily removing these products after consumers voiced concerns. Another major pet food retailer, PetSmart, is pulling Chinese-made jerky treats from its stores in the U.S. and Canada. The treats have been linked to more than 1,000 dog deaths and nearly 5,000 other pet illnesses.

The FDA said it's still working to determine the exact causes of the illnesses.

While the products won't actually disappear from PetSmart shelves until March of 2015, Petco plans to pull the products by the end of this year.

http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/bestoftv/2014/05/22/newday-petco-pulls-china-made-dog-treats.cnn.html

Source: http://newday.blogs.cnn.com/2014/05/22/two-national-pet-stores-pulling-china-made-treats/

Brushing Your Pet’s Teeth

Equally important to annual dental exams at your veterinarian’s practice is home dental care, including brushing your pet’s teeth every day if possible. AAHA recommends a technique for both younger and older animals, although it’s easier to start brushing when your pet is young.

To introduce a fearful cat or dog to the idea of dental care, start slowly and gradually. Dip a finger into beef bouillon (for dogs) or tuna water (for cats) and gently rub along your pet’s gums and teeth. 

The most important area to focus on is the gum line (the crevice where the gums meet the teeth), where bacteria and food mix to form plaque. Focusing on the gum line, start at the front of the mouth, then move to the back upper and lower teeth and gum areas. Once your pet is okay with a little bit of touching, gradually introduce gauze over your finger and rub the teeth and gums in a circular fashion.

Como Park Animal Hospital and At-Home Pet Dental Care

The team at Como Park Animal Hospital knows how important at home dental care is for your pet, because maintaining oral health is the best way to maintain overall physical health. We found this excellent article that teaches how to properly brush pets' teeth and we wanted to share this with you. Please contact us or visit us on our website if you have any questions. 

Brushing Your Pet's Teeth 

When your four-legged friend can handle the gauze, try brushing with a toothbrush specially designed for pets or a very soft, ultra-sensitive toothbrush designed for people. The bristles should be held at a 45-degree angle to the tooth surface and be moved in an oval motion. Scrub in the gum line, as this is where odor and infection begin. Gradually add special dog/cat toothpaste (flavored with meat or fish), but never use people toothpaste or baking soda, as both will upset your pet’s stomach.

Use the following process to clean the inside surfaces of your pet’s teeth:

1. Place your hand over your pet’s muzzle from the top
2. Gently squeeze and push his lips on one side between the back teeth (to keep his mouth open)
3. Pull his head back gently so his mouth opens
4. Brush his teeth on the opposite side
5. Repeat this process for the other side

The entire process should only take a minute or two. If your dog or cat continues to resist, try gently wrapping him in a large bath towel with only his head sticking out. Above all, avoid overstraining and keep sessions short and positive. With plenty of praise and reassurance, your dental sessions can bring the two of you closer---a closeness that won’t be marred by the perils of dog breath.

Home care can be improved by feeding your pet an unmoistened dry pet food and offering him hard biscuits after each meal. Both dry food and hard biscuits produce abrasion to help keep plaque to a minimum on the crown of each tooth.

Dental care of dogs and cats is one of the most commonly overlooked areas of pet health care; however, it is necessary to provide optimum health and quality of life. Diseases of the oral cavity, if left untreated, are often painful and can lead to more serious health problems including heart, lung and kidney disease.

AAHA encourages pet owners to regularly examine their pet’s teeth for signs of periodontal disease, such as brownish colored teeth; swollen, red, or bleeding gums; persistent bad breath; loose teeth or loss of teeth; pus between the gums and teeth; broken teeth and any unusual growth in the mouth. 

Reluctance to eat, play with chew toys, or drink cold water are warning signs of periodontal or gum disease. Consult your veterinarian if you notice any of these signs in your pet to schedule a dental exam.

There are two critical components of your pet’s veterinary dental care: oral examinations and dental cleanings. Veterinary dental care begins at the puppy and kitten life stage. As your pet ages, your veterinarian will look for developmental anomalies, the accumulation of plaque and tartar, periodontal disease and oral tumors. Veterinarians can perform a basic oral examination on patients that are awake. However, when a cleaning is required, your pet will need to be induced under general anesthesia wherein a thorough examination will be done prior to the cleaning. Dental cleanings performed while your pet is awake is not only dangerous for the team member performing the cleaning but dangerous to your pet as well.

Since there is an element of risk associated with any medical procedure, it is important that safety precautions are used. Among the many standards in the dentistry section, AAHA accreditation requires that veterinarians perform thorough examinations of the teeth and structures of the oral cavity in patients presented for dental procedures and only properly trained practice team members perform dental procedures. Additionally, AAHA Standards recommend that dental procedures are accompanied by pain assessment and appropriate pain treatment.

For more information on pet dental care, read our AAHA Dental Care Guidelines article.

Click here for an instructive video by the Cornell Feline Health Center on brushing your cat’s teeth.

Originally published on Healthy Pet.

Want to create a special holiday treat that your cat can eat? Here's a fun cat-friendly recipe for your cat this holiday season:

Holiday Cat-Friendly Recipe

Ingredients:

½ cup of raw hamburger

½ teaspoon shrimp paste (see Asian food section of your local grocery store)

¼ cup shelled shrimp, washed in hot water, and minced

½ teaspoon catnip

Directions:

Mix shrimp paste with the catnip and then hand work it into the hamburger.

Add minced shrimp to the hamburger mix and make into little meatballs.

These can be fed raw immediately, or baked at 425° F for 10 minutes.

            Recipe from Dr. Basko, Holistic Vet

Over-the-Counter Medications & Pets

Pets are often curious creatures, wanting to check out things around the house. Because of this characteristic, it’s important to always store dangerous substances like medicine far from their reach. Pets have been known to accidentally ingest whole packages of pills and the results are often serious, sometimes fatal. Keep your pet’s safe at home by storing your medicine safely out of their reach.

Did you Know?

Did you know…dogs can smell 44 times better than humans! Can you even imagine how amazing a steak must smell to a dog?

Pets & Swimming

Swimming is one of the most fun activities for a hot summer day, for people and pets! Just keep in mind that your pets need supervision just like your children. When you can’t be outside with them, keep your pool gates closed and locked to prevent unwanted swimmers from entering the area. Help keep your children and pets, and those who live in your neighborhood, safe!

May Pet of the Month: Blanche

Blanche is our Pet of the Month! Blanche has cardiac and pulmonary issue and is under the close care of our Dr. Guzik. But with her parents' love and care and our work with her, she lives a happy life!

Kristina, Blanche's Mom, woke one night after dreaming there was a girl kitty needing a home who was waiting for her.

Kristina's 16 year old cat was then diagnosed with a cancerous tumor in her mouth and had to be put down.

A day later, Kristina and Harland, Blanche's Dad, stopped into a pet store just to get some comfort and there was Blanche! Blanche immediately fell in love with Harland. After a night of talking it over, Kristina and Harland went back for her the next morning, even though it hardly seemed a suitable mourning period for Betty. But Kristina couldn't forget her dream.

Blanche came home with Kristina and Harland and found lots of love! Blanche has hypertensive lungs and a hole in her heart. She takes her kitty inhaler without a fuss every morning, and gets a Viagra compounded just for her into some wet food every morning and night. Recently, she gets a diuretic added to the morning food because she's beginning to build up fluid in her lungs. She is the dearest cat, and she loves every visitor that comes to her house, as well as everyone at Como Park Animal Hospital.

Mobilize the Earth for Earth Day 2012

The first Earth Day, on April 22, 1970, activated 20 million Americans from all walks of life to speak out against the deterioration of the environment and demand change. As a result, the Environmental Protection Agency was created, the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts were passed,and the modern environmental movement was born.

Today, more than 1 billion people in 192 countries participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world. This year, in the face of global inaction on pressing environmental problems, we must harness that power.

Earth Day Network is calling upon individuals, organizations, businesses and governments to Mobilize the Earth™ and demand that environmental issues become a top priority.

Pets & Cookouts

The weather is getting warmer and many people are firing up their grills for burgers, hotdogs, steaks and ribs. Dogs love the smell of meat, and some dogs will do anything to get some for themselves. Knowing this, it's important to use extra caution around the grill during cooking. Remember, your dog won't use caution about which part of the meat he eats if he grabs a piece, and swallowed bones could mean injury, or even death. It's just not worth it! Keep Fido inside during the grilling festivities.

Pets & Easter Egg Hunts

Easter egg hunts are so much fun for kids, and sometimes even for adults! Finding that brightly colored egg stuffed with a surprise is exciting! But don't forget the dangers of failing to find an egg that's been stuffed with candy. Your dog leads with their nose, and if you don't find it, your pet might! Consider stuffing your eggs with something safe for pets this year. If Fido finds them, he'll be less likely to break them open and eat what's inside.

Tomorrow is 'If Pets Have Thumbs Day'

Cat Steals Dogs Bed

2011 Most Popular Pet Names

Most popular feline names for females
1. Bella
2. Chloe
3. Lucy
4. Sophie
5. Lily
6. Molly
7. Gracie
8. Princess
9. Sasha
10. Cleo
Most popular feline names for males
1. Max
2. Oliver
3.Tiger
4. Charlie
5. Simba
6. Buddy
7. Smokey
8. Tigger
9. Jack
10. Sammy
Most popular canine names for females
1. Bella
2. Lucy
3. Molly
4. Daisy
5. Maggie
6. Sophie
7. Chloe
8. Sadie
9. Lola
10. Bailey
Most Popular canine names for males
1. Max
2. Buddy
3. Charlie
4. Rocky
5. Bailey
6. Jake
7. Cooper
8. Jack
9. Toby
10. Cody
VPI's compete list of popular pet names for 2011 will be released in early January, 2012.