The Animal House

08/22/2024

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12/01/2023

Great Webinar on the pros and cons of the current Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease (CIRD) issue

07/17/2023

Elanco Animal Health Incorporated (NYSE: ELAN) and the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced that EPA, with support from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has completed its comprehensive, multi-year review of the Seresto® flea and tick collar. EPA confirms continued regi...

05/23/2023

Pssst... we want to save you the cost of an office visit... and hold time on the phone. See these red marks? It’s not Lyme, it’s not ringworm. These are fly bite marks on a dog, and they are not concerning at all. They’re just a sign a dog was outside on a nice day in the spring, and a fly found him. So, get on out there, and don’t worry!! (We hope you’ll share this too.)

05/20/2023

TICKS !!! Be sure to CHECK your dogs paws/pads ears etc

05/11/2023

Dog parks 👎🏽

Replacing dog park experiences with games, scent spots, hunting and foraging experiences, chase, and exploration of new areas 👍🏽

02/03/2023

09/06/2022

07/22/2022

Tanya McDonald

07/02/2022

Just a reminder with the hot weather this weekend!! Pay attention to your pal

05/04/2022

Resource guarding is what happens when pets act to keep other animals or people away from items they value: food, toys, even their humans.

02/02/2022

01/25/2022

12 week old Wilson had his first professional grooming! A bath, brush, & nail trim with a face, feet and sanitary trim. He was in and out in 45 minutes and had a super positive experience with lots of snuggles, ‘good boy’s, & cookies. Wilson will be back in 4 weeks for another puppy groom. By the time he is 6-8 months old and truly needs his first haircut, he will be a seasoned pro and totally desensitized to the grooming process.
Starting them this young might seem unnecessary because, let’s be honest, he could probably be bathed at home in the kitchen sink… but exposing him to the machines, noises and tools of the grooming salon at such a young age will set Wilson up for a lifetime of stress free grooming.

01/25/2022

Interesting new study about our new pets!!

https://www.aaha.org/publications/newstat/articles/2022-01/most-pet-owners-underestimate-the-lifetime-cost-of-owning-a-petsometimes-by-a-lot/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=rasa_io

More than 23 million American households adopted a new pet during the pandemic. And many weren't budgeting ahead.

01/14/2022

Truth! Please be aware and respectful

Just a thought of the day I felt compelled to share..

Working in veterinary medicine is where I single handedly see the most dog to dog mishaps with the general public due to simply lacking knowledge on dog behavior, and lack of respect for both their own dog and other dog’s space. Let me play it out for you, of what I see, all too often. Owner has their dog in the waiting room on a loose, long leash. The Dog is free to roam within a 6 ft radius. Another dog and its owner attempt to come in the doors, only to be blocked and greeted nose to nose by the uncontrolled dog, now tense on his leash, pulling and eager to meet. Its owner speaks out, “oh it’s okay! I’ve got him, and he’s friendly☺️” Here is where I step in to politely ask the owner to keep her dog close to her, only to get a response of “he’s fine, he’s wagging his tail!” 🤦🏼‍♀️ Little do they know, I see something else, way more complex, far beyond their assumptions.

Education and knowledge is power. Especially when you are dealing with an animal that you are supposed to mentor and guide for its lifetime, to ensure stability, confidence, and respect. In my professional and outright personal opinion, never is it okay to:
1) Allow your dog to greet another dog nose to nose on a tense leash
*A dog greeted head on is generally very rude, intrusive, and unnatural in the dog world, and can create conflict right from the get go. Any dog can take this posture as threatening, and begin defensive aggressive behavior. To make matters worse, a tense leash can build the energy in a dog to produce reactive behavior due to space constraints. If you must introduce dogs on leash, it is better to allow them to greet side by side on a LOOSE leash, and relax!

2) Assume that a wagging tail is a happy dog wanting to interact
* A dog will wag its tail for a multitude of emotions. It is VITAL to understand what your dog is saying by it’s tail wag. Based on tail position and speed will indicate how the dog is feeling. For example, A low, fast wag can generally indicate nervous energy, or insecurity, which has potential to cause a fear aggressive response. A high, stiff wag can mean over-arousal/over-stimulation or intent of ready to spring into action. The dog will make lousy choices in this state of mind and make it more difficult to control should they “rev-up” more. A medial, soft & loose wag is generally universal for a happy dog. Get to know your wags!

3) Assume the other dog is just as “friendly” as yours
* Not all dogs are dog friendly. This should be obvious knowledge. Just because your dog is friendly does not mean the other is, too. They could be undersocialized, have social insecurities, or just be dog aggressive. Give other dogs space, please.

4) Allow your dog to interact with other dogs in a veterinary office waiting room
* Dogs often come into the vet office already stressed. It is generally not a place of pleasure as the dog is usually being shuffled into a tight room, being held by strangers only to be poked and prodded at. The smell of other ill dogs or even death is in the air which makes a dog uneasy. Most owners are often nervous FOR their dog during a vet visit so their energy does not help the dog, either. There may be the the smell of cats in the room, stress pheremones, and urine markings from other dogs. Dogs come in not feeling well, or maybe have arthritis, or painful from an injury. They may be recovering from a surgery. Or coming in to be put down due to old age or chronic illness. Now tell me why this sounds like a good spot to “play”?!

We all go to the vet with our dogs. Please make your next visit pleasurable for everyone!

12/01/2021

A new study of burnout in the veterinary profession indicates that our suspicions were correct: The pandemic has taken it’s toll on the veterinary profession.

10/03/2021

All dogs should be crate trained!

09/12/2021

Acetaminophen is a popular over-the-counter analgesic and antipyretic medication and is also present in some prescription pain medications. Pet owners should be on the lookout for acetaminophen in products labeled for “cold and flu symptoms”, “allergies”, and “fever.” While this drug is safe for human use, it has a narrower margin of safety in dogs and especially cats. Cats have a decreased ability to metabolize acetaminophen in their liver, making them much more susceptible to poisoning than most other species. Symptoms we can see with acetaminophen toxicity are lethargy, swelling of the face and/or paws, difficulty breathing, brown or blue gums, vomiting, diarrhea, decreased appetite, jaundice. If your pet has ingested acetaminophen, call your veterinarian or Pet Poison Helpline immediately.

09/05/2021

Letting Go

I've always believed that one of the greatest gifts we can give our pets is a dignified exit from this earth when it's their time. I can't imagine the pain one must endure, watching a loved one wither away, without quality of life or the choice of a dignified and peaceful end. With our pets, we have that choice. And we have the responsibility to ensure that they don't suffer. At the very least, we owe them that much.

When we make the decision to bring an animal into our lives, we take on a massive responsibility to care for the needs of a living, breathing creature who doesn't have the ability to tell us when or where it hurts. From day one until, hopefully, a ripe old age, we owe them a happy life, fulfilled mentally and physically. It really takes so little effort in exchange for the unconditional love we receive.

The thing about our animals is, that time always comes way too soon. It's so unfair that an animal who can bring so much uncompromising, unselfish, uncomplicated love and joy into our lives has to leave us too soon. 10 years, 20 years. It's just not enough. So when we make that commitment to them, we do so knowing that they will one day leave us with a huge, gaping void.

And the special ones, the really special ones make it so much harder. We've all had animals in our lives, but every so often, a heart dog or even more rare, a soul dog (or fill in soul partner species) comes along. And that connection is so special, it's impossible to explain to someone. It's a connection that doesn't need explanation. It just is. And our lives are so much better for it. And then so much harder.

How do we know when it's time? Over the years, what I've learned from personal experience and in my profession, it is better to have this discussion with yourself and your family well in advance. Because waiting too long is not good for anyone. Waiting too long means that we are not fulfilling our ultimate responsibility.

The decision about the 'right' time is a personal one. To a point. We need to always have, as a priority in our selfish human existence, the capacity to ensure the quality of life of this beautiful soul in our care.

We need to un-selfishly consider whether this important part of our family is still able to do the things that he or she is meant to do. Still eating, still drinking, still able to express the behaviours that make them unique, and still able to get up and go outside and run round without pain (discomfort and pain are different). When we can no longer manage pain, when we can no longer reduce it to discomfort, hard decisions need to be made. Have to be made. There are worse things in this life than a good death. Believe me, I have seen them.

The decision of "when is the right time" is not easy. Often illness and pain can be insidious. Creeping slowly, quietly in. This is the time to be brave and to depend on the guidance of a trusted and caring professional. Your veterinarian is able to help, by giving you a thorough and thoughtful assessment of your animal's health. It is done with kindness and an interest in always putting the patient's well-being above that of the owner/guardian's needs. It is sometimes hard to hear. But let's remember to put our selfish human instincts aside for the more important responsibility of not allowing our animals to suffer.

The voice of a caring professional can ease the questioning and the guilt you may feel about this difficult decision. They are able to help you come to a place of comfort. So when it's the time to let your beloved animal go, there is no bargaining, no second guessing, only the peace of knowing that we are doing the right thing, at the right time for our most special partner.

The path left behind by the departure of our loved ones should be a tribute to a life well lived with no regrets.

09/04/2021

If your dog has been diagnosed with urinary tract infections, he or she could help other pets!

Foundation-funded researchers in Massachusetts are looking for dogs to participate in a clinical trial on UTIs. Find out if your pet qualifies: https://maf.link/UTItrial

09/04/2021

08/27/2021

Today’s puppy of the day!! With Beth