Pet Care Clinic-Kuna

08/07/2022

It was so great to see our community yesterday in the parade. We love being a part of it. Hope you all had an amazing Kuna Days!

06/24/2022

Due to a staff outbreak with Covid, We are so sorry to say that the office will be closed today, Friday, June 24, 2022 and tomorrow, Saturday, June 25th. We will re-open next week and we apologize for any inconvenience.

06/20/2022

Its Drawing Time... We appreciate all those that joined us at our Open House on Saturday. We had lots of fun and had some great prizes to be won!! So, without further ado these are our winners:
Ory Harper
Heather Blythe
Rhonda Jones
Tiffany Black
Lori Hill
AND.....Kim Owens
I will reach out to you all individually to announce what you've won so you can come pick up your prizes.
CONGRATULATIONS!!

06/19/2022

Thank you 🙏 so very much to all that came out to our Open House today!! We enjoyed seeing everyone and showing off our lovely new facility! We will be announcing the winners of our raffle drawing on Monday- and there was some great prizes to be won!! We appreciate you all and love our Kuna community!!!

06/18/2022

10 minutes and counting… Don’t miss todays open house! so much good stuff- come say Hi.

06/18/2022

REMINDER: Tomorrow is the day for our Open House. We will have our regular Clinic hours from 9-1, but our Open House full of fun Kicks off at 2pm. Lots of activities, goodies and education for the whole family. Curious about the new clinic, come on over for a tour of the facility! We hope to see you all there!!

06/16/2022

We can’t wait to welcome our clients and the community to our OPEN HOUSE! Yes, FREE event for the whole family! Please come join us between 2-5pm this Saturday June 18th. Come tour the new facility and meet our friendly staff.

06/14/2022

We are in the final countdown!! We would love to invite you to attend our OPEN HOUSE, this Saturday, June 18th between 2-5pm!
**FREE EVENT** Offering Tours or our New Facility, fun and learning experiences for everyone, prizes, activities, and live demonstrations.

06/10/2022

Congratulations Erin for 8 years at Pet Care Clinic-Kuna! You make our clients and patients smile and are such an incredible team member. Cheers to your years of service!

05/25/2022

Mark your calendars 📆 and stay tuned for more information to come!!

05/23/2022

Beautiful dog found running around all morning- *Male* - *non chipped* - please call clinic 208-922-1500, and spread the word.

05/20/2022

Found Dog/ just brought into Clinic. Please call if anyone knows the owner. 208-922-1500

05/10/2022

In all my life, I have never seen a person as dedicated and hardworking as you. You are really a wonderful Boss and Mentor. We all wish you a fantastic birthday celebration today. We hope this next year for you is full of joy, success, and plenty of good memories with friends and family.
Whatever you do on your birthday, I hope it brings you even greater joy than you bring to your patients! Happy birthday Dr. Konzek!!!

05/06/2022

Happy Mothers Day to all the Mom's out there, 2 or 4 legged, because Pets are Family too! Hope your weekend is filled with slobber, hair balls, wet kisses and lots of hugs and licks!

04/05/2022

April is National Heartworm Awareness Month. Please be ready and educated on what the signs of heartworm can look like. Read through the link attached to be ready.

https://www.zoetispetcare.com/.../symptoms-heartworm-disease

03/31/2022

Who Would like to work locally in our brand new Veterinary Clinic here in Kuna? Looking for CSR with friendly, outgoing and positive presence to add to our team. Please send your resume to [email protected]. Position is Full time, offers full benefits and starts at $15/hr. You can also find our listing with more details on Indeed.com

03/28/2022

Spring has sprung!! Make sure you and your fur babies are prepared and ready to fight back the unwanted pests. Call us today to schedule (208) 922-1500.

AAHA Accredited!

We offer comprehensive wellness programs, lifestyle vaccination programs, pre-anes

03/14/2022

A Whole Year since then??? Wow, so great to be inside and operating out of our new building! Do you guys want to see new pictures??

01/03/2022

We hope you al had a wonderful holiday season! We are thrilled to welcome in the new year in our new building. Please be patient as we all get acquainted to the new set up. We hope to be able to serve you and your pets even better. Thank you for supporting us in our new adventure!

12/25/2021

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas.

12/23/2021

After 8 years as our customer service specialist , we are sad to say today is Aaron’s last day. Aaron has has been there for so many of you and our team, answering questions, scheduling, being there for the happiest of puppy and kitten visits as well as the saddest end of life visits. He has been such a fun colleague as part of the Aaron/Erin duo. He is helpful, kind, compassionate and brought humor when appropriate. We will miss you greatly Aaron and are excited for you in your next adventure.

12/17/2021

Our apologies we have been having phone issues in connecting with our new building. Please email [email protected] for us to call you back.

11/24/2021

Happy Thanksgiving! We are so thankful for our clients, staff and our brand-new clinic that we get to move into very soon. Our clinic will be closed tomorrow, November 25th but we will resume our normal business hours on Friday. Sharing some pet safety tips so your pets can enjoy this holiday season with you.

11/11/2021

Happy Veterans Day to the Men, Women and service animals who sacrifice so much for our freedom. Thank you for your service to our country.🇺🇸

11/07/2021

As we remember to set our clocks back today we can't help but look forward to moving into our new clinic very soon. Here is a sneak peek at the progress made over the last couple of months.☺

10/22/2021

This week is national vet tech appreciation week. At Pet Care Clinic Kuna we use this week to celebrate our entire team who works incredible hard to serve our clients and their beloved pets. We couldn’t do this without you! Huge shout out to our team- Anthony, Erin, Aaron, Kylie, Shawnna, CJ, Andie, Kellie, Megan and Kaitlin!

10/13/2021

Pet Obesity Awareness Day is Oct. 13th!

According to the 2020 Association for Pet Obesity Prevention survey, more than half the cats and dogs in the United States are tipping the scales as overweight or obese, with 59% of cats and 55.8% of dogs falling into these categories. Many owners don't realize, or even avoid finding out if their pooch is too pudgy or their feline is too flabby.

Body-condition scoring

Ever-expanding waistlines plague both the two- and four-legged members of the US population.
Many people do not recognize that a pet’s weight is ideal, because they believe the perfect body condition is too thin. Veterinary practices across the country hear a wide range of excuses for a pet’s extra weight. Obesity often is a sensitive subject, but your veterinarian wants the healthiest, happiest life possible for your pet and is well-equipped to help her shed those extra pounds.

First, know where your pet falls on the body-condition scale:

Too thin

Ribs, lumbar vertebrae, pelvic bones, and all bony prominences are visible from a distance; no discernible body fat; obvious loss of muscle mass
Ribs, lumbar vertebrae, and pelvic bones are easily visible; no palpable fat; minimal loss of muscle mass
Ribs are easily palpated and may be visible with no palpable fat; tops of the lumbar vertebrae are visible; pelvic bones are becoming prominent; obvious waist and abdominal tuck

Ideal

Ribs are easily palpable, with minimal fat; waist is easily noted when viewed from above; abdominal tuck is present
Ribs are palpable without excess fat; waist is observed behind the ribs when viewed from above; abdominal tuck can be seen from the side

Too heavy

Ribs are palpable with slight excess fat; waist is discernible, but not prominent; abdominal tuck is present
Ribs are difficult to palpate due to heavy fat cover; fat deposits are noticeable over the lumbar area and tail base; waist is absent or barely visible; abdominal tuck may be present
Ribs are not palpable under heavy fat cover, or palpable only with significant pressure; heavy fat deposits are seen over the lumbar area and tail base; waist is absent; no abdominal tuck; obvious abdominal distension may be present
Massive fat deposits are noticeable over the thorax, spine, and tail base; waist and abdominal tuck are absent; fat deposits are seen on neck and limbs; obvious abdominal distension is noted

You can get a rough idea of where your pet scores on the body-condition chart at home. Look at your pet from above. Does she have an hourglass figure with an indentation behind her ribs, or is she more rectangular or oval in form? Next, look at your pet from the side. Does her belly tuck up as it heads toward the hind legs, or does it seem to droop and drag close to the ground? Don’t skip the rib test. Can you feel your pet’s ribs as you lightly run your hand across her side, or do you have to push hard to feel any bone under a thick layer of fat?
Obtaining your pet’s accurate body-condition score is the most helpful tool to determine her ideal weight. While it’s nice to know a specific breed should weigh a certain amount or be fed according to the guidelines on a bag of food, each pet is an individual and requires a personalized diet and nutrition plan.

Obesity-related health problems in pets

Chubby puppies and kittens are adorable, but at what cost to their health? Overweight pets are at increased risk of developing:

Diabetes
Joint problems
Skin infections
High blood pressure
Chronic inflammation
Kidney dysfunction
Respiratory disorders
Metabolic and endocrine diseases
Various cancers

Stave off potential excess weight-related diseases by battling your pet’s bulge. Aim for a slow, steady decrease in your pet’s weight. A dog can safely lose 1% to 3% of her body weight per month, while a cat can lose 0.5% to 2% per month. Make your pet work for every calorie she consumes, and burn off those extra treats. A shocking number of pets participate in little to no physical activity each day, so formulate an exercise plan in addition to a diet change. Your goal should be 30 minutes of activity per day for a dog, and three intense 5-minute play periods per day for a cat.

Calculating your pet’s caloric requirements

Weight loss is simple, right? Reduce calories and increase exercise, and the pounds should melt away. But how many calories should your pet eat per day? Should you feed what’s recommended on the food bag? While those guidelines are a great place to start, they are just that—guidelines. Instead, use this handy formula to calculate your pet’s resting energy requirement, and then adjust it based on her lifestyle. If math isn’t your thing, there’s also a chart. Don’t forget to discuss caloric needs with your veterinarian, especially if your pet has any medical conditions.

Battle your pet’s bulge

You can show your pet how much you care in many ways other than treats. Take your dog for a sniff-friendly stroll, allowing her to smell every object along the way. Instigate a stimulating prey-and-predator game for your cat by urging her to chase a feather wand or a robotic mouse. If your pet is begging for a bite of forbidden people food, toss her a piece of lean meat or a fresh veggie instead of pizza crust or a potato chip. Pets want our attention most of all, so search for rousing physical activities you can do together and prevent the obesity that threatens your pet’s health.

Article courtesy of AAHA.

09/20/2021

09/20/2021

It's National Deaf Dog Awareness Week!

The thought of living with or adopting a deaf dog can seem a bit daunting, but the truth is, living with a dog that is deaf is not all that different from living with any other dog. Of course, there are changes that you will need to make in your daily interactions, but once you and your dog know how to communicate with one another, you can lead a normal, happy life together!

Congenital deafness, or deafness due to genetic defects, has been found in about 80 breeds of dogs (but may be found in any breed). The breeds more susceptible to congenital deafness include Australian Shepherds, Dalmatians, Great Danes, and Welsh Corgis. Deafness and hearing impairment is most commonly due to injury to the ear from infections or trauma and the changes that accompany aging. Temporary or partial hearing loss can occur if there is wax build-up in the ear canals.

Puppies that are born deaf may be slow to learn their names or commands. Dogs that become deaf usually gradually become less responsive – this is the first clue! Maybe he doesn’t come running when you arrive home or doesn’t come when you pull out the leash and call him for his walk. To determine if your dog may be losing his hearing, simply test your dog’s hearing by squeaking a toy, rattling keys, or whistling when your dog cannot see the source of the noise. If your dog does not respond, chances are he has some degree of hearing loss.

Dogs are smart and old dogs can learn new tricks! To train a deaf or hearing-impaired dog, it’s helpful to replace verbal (or spoken) cues with visual cues.

Start with American Sign Language (ASL), or some modification of ASL for hand signals.
Be consistent with the signals that you choose and make sure everyone in the family knows the signals for each command.
Use positive reinforcement to reward desired behaviors – use treats, affection, and toys.
Be patient! Whether your dog is a hearing-intact or hearing-impaired, training takes time.
It is important to remember that your dog can’t hear! While this may seem obvious, it is easy to forget in the heat of the moment when your dog is riffling through the garbage!

Never let your dog off leash unless the area is fenced. Your dog won’t hear your calls as he heads towards traffic or catches the scent of a squirrel, rabbit, or cat.
Don’t sneak up on him. He won’t hear you coming, and repeated startling could lead to stress and anxiety problems. Warn him that you are entering the room by turning the lights on and off or stamping your foot to create vibrations when he’s asleep on the floor.
Attach an alert to your dog’s collar to indicate that he is deaf.
Life with a deaf or hearing-impaired dog needs only a few adjustments to help him (and you!) live a more comfortable, stress-free life, and the rewards of your efforts will be long-lasting!

LifeLearn News
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As a side note, I (Page Editor) am the owner of three congenitally deaf dogs. I wouldn't trade them for the world. They have learned to communicate by sign language and non-verbal body cues, including hand movements, facial expression and focusing on eye contact. Their love is unconditional and they have captured my heart.