Owensville Animal Hospital

07/04/2025

H A P P Y F O U R T H O F J U L Y

We are closed today in observance of the holiday. We hope everyone has a safe and fun holiday weekend! As a reminder please make sure you keep your pets contained properly. We recommend leash walks only over the next few days and to also make sure their collars are tight and properly fitted - you should only be able to fit two fingers snug under the collar.

‼️NO VACCINE CLINIC TODAY‼️

We will be back in office Monday, July 7th ☀️

06/30/2025

🧨PROTECT YOUR PETS THIS FOURTH OF JULY🧨

We recommend you secure a safe place for your pets to be inside and make sure they are leashed with a properly tightened collar, only two fingers should be able to be slipped under collar, or harness so that they can not slip out if spooked.
You can use ambient noise like a tv in the background or a fan going to help block out the firework noise.

Give them new toys during this time to keep them busy and occupied. Lots of play time with them to also help get their ears off what's happening outside. If you have outside cats or dogs we recommend you bring them inside during this time.

If your pet(s) is current on their annual physical examination we can dispense anxiety medications that you can give to also take the edge off - just give us a call. We can also call in some types of anxiety medications to a local pharmacy for you as well if that is easier for you.

We offer microchipping for $45 that includes lifetime registration through HomeAgain. You can have it done as a technician appointment this week if your pet is current on their annual exam.

If your pet is already microchipped please make sure it is registered AND has updated information now! An unregistered and not updated microchip has no purpose.

Every year 1 in 5 pets go missing because of fireworks.

‼️ DO NOT BECOME A STATISTIC ‼️

***WE WILL BE CLOSED FOR THE FOURTH OF JULY***

06/23/2025

Summer is the perfect time to enjoy the outdoors with our pets 🔆

While many of us love soaking up the sun, we need to be mindful of making sure our furry friends do not overheat. Overheating can result in a life-threatening emergency called heatstroke, caused by prolonged exposure to hot or humid environments, and it occurs more often during the summer months.

What is heatstroke?

Heatstroke is a life-threatening medical emergency that is caused by a marked elevation in body temperature after prolonged exposure to hot or humid temperatures, or strenuous exercise.

Our pets most commonly get heatstroke when they are left alone in a hot car, left outside in hot and humid weather without shade, and when exercising in hot and humid conditions.
Who is most at risk for heatstroke?

While some pets are at higher risk, it's important to note that all pets are susceptible to heat stroke. Dogs and cats only have sweat glands on their paws so their primary method of dissipating heat to cool themselves is through panting.

Brachycephalic breeds (short-muzzle breeds such as Pugs, Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, Boxers, Frenchies etc.) cannot pant as efficiently and have a harder time keeping themselves cool, putting them at a higher risk in hot or humid weather.

Extra precaution should also be taken with overweight, elderly pets, those with underlying heart or breathing conditions, and those with thick or dark colored coats since they are at a higher risk for heatstroke.

What are the signs of heatstroke?

Heavy panting, seeking shade, whining, reluctance to play and drooling may be early signs that your pet is overheating.

Bring them into cool air conditioning with access to water immediately. You can also wet them with cool water and place them in front of a fan. Be sure that double-coated breeds (e.g. Siberian Huskies, Pomeranians, Great Pyrenees, etc.) are wet down to the skin.

If your pet continues to excessively pant and drool, or they begin to have difficulty breathing, bloody diarrhea, vomiting, weakness, confusion, seizures or collapse, then they should be taken to a veterinary hospital immediately — these are signs of heatstroke which is a life-threatening medical emergency.

In that event we recommend MedVet Cincinnati or Care Center Vets - Cincinnati 🏥

06/15/2025

🍦SUMMER BREAK FOR THE OFFICE🍦

We will be closed the entire week of June 23rd through June 27th. We will resume with normal business hours Monday, June 30th.

We will also be closed Monday, May 26th & Friday, July 4th

That means no refills for medication nor prevention will be able to be approved and/or picked up. No phone calls, emails, faxes or voicemails will be checked and of course no appointments will be seen.

Please plan accordingly 🌴

06/13/2025

It's skunk season which also means stinky season for some 🐶

Skunks are notorious for their defense mechanism — a spray with an unmistakably pungent odor. Pet owners seldom witness their pets being sprayed by a skunk, but the smell is uniquely unpleasant.

Skunks are most active during dawn and dusk in the warm weather months. While skunks are relatively docile creatures, if they feel threatened, they will defend themselves by spraying their musk — a thick, oily and stinky secretion expelled from the a**l glands — as far as 7 to 15 feet toward their target.

If skunk spray gets in the eyes, it can cause swelling and redness to the eye, damage the cornea (outer surface of the eye) and even cause temporary blindness. If sprayed in the face, the dog can inhale the spray and experience respiratory irritation. Or if they get it in their mouth, it can cause nausea, drooling and vomiting.

In rare cases, severe anemia can develop a few hours to 24 hours after exposure. Anemia occurs from the skunk spray’s chemicals damaging red blood cells. Anemia may be more likely after a heavy spray, multiple exposures or ingestion of the spray. The dog may become weak, turning their mucous membranes into a chocolate color.

Dogs should be closely monitored for 1-3 days after exposure and taken to a veterinarian immediately if these signs occur. They may require IV fluids or other supportive measures, including a blood transfusion. Veterinarians may recommend blood work to monitor their health if a heavy spray or multiple skunk spray exposures have occurred.

🦨 Avoid going off-trails in densely wooded areas with your dog.
🦨 Use caution when your dog goes out in the yard at dawn and dusk.
🦨 Eliminate readily available food sources in the yard (e.g. pet food, access to garbage or compost heaps).
🦨 Eliminate sources for shelter by blocking access to sheds and areas beneath your deck or porch, as well as removing piles of brush or wood.

If the spray is not causing serious distress to your dog, you can decontaminate the oils and odor by bathing them in a specific formula. This can be a homemade remedy, or if your dog is likely to be a repeat offender, consider keeping store-bought supplies on hand like Skunk-Off.

Keep your pet outside while washing them because the oils from the skunk’s spray can be difficult to remove from fabric.

Seek immediate veterinary care if your dog gets sprayed directly in the eyes or mouth. Severely skunked dogs should be monitored for signs such as lethargy, weakness and lack of appetite.

https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/riney-canine-health-center/canine-health-information/what-do-when-your-dog-gets-skunked

06/10/2025

Get those kitties fixed ✂️

Update: As of 6/30/25 we have added 49 spots for male cats on August 7th ONLY (Castration Celebration event).

🐾 Clermont County Spay & Neuter Program 🐾

Thanks to an incredibly generous donor, who believes in spay neuter just as much as we do, we are able to add 50 spay neuter slots to our program - we are so grateful!!

The cost is only $30 per feline. This works for feral cats brought in feral traps (ear tip mandatory for all cats brought in traps), stray cats, friendly cats, family cats. We don’t care what their living arrangements are as that has never stopped cats from reproducing before…

We can’t intake every cat, or even half the cats we are reached out about, so we are going to try at the very least to keep those cats from reproducing. Our pet population is because of owners not being responsible with their intact animals - cats being the biggest issue. 1.5 MILLION cats are euthanized in shelters in the United States every single year. So let’s all fix that!!

It is recommended across this country to spay/neuter cats by 5 months old and younger (8wks/2lbs). Waiting to spay or neuter your cat serves no benefit - they are not like dogs. They can be done as early as 8wks and 2lbs.

They will go home same day and females go home with 3 days of post-op pain medication at no additional cost to you. Vaccines, exams, FeLV/FIV testing, deworming, microchips and flea prevention at an extra cost to you.

NEED TO SCHEDULE?!

Give Owensville Animal Hospital a call Monday through Friday 7:30am-5pm (Wednesdays 7:30-Noon) to get on the schedule. Make sure to tell them it’s for Fostering Feline’s low cost spay/neuter program or you will not be scheduled under our discounted program and will be responsible for full cost ($80)! We are unable to adjust the billing after you schedule.

There are a limited amount of spots and the $30 is required at the time of making the appointment; No exceptions as this is the agreement between us and our veterinary partner to help stop people from "no showing" their appointment.

This program is ONLY for individuals that live in Clermont County, OH - no organizations, breeders or independent rescuers.

PLEASE SHARE THIS TO ALL YOUR CLERMONT COUNTY OHIO COMMUNITY GROUP

06/06/2025

UPDATE: Our server is back up

‼️ OUR SERVER IS DOWN ‼️

Our server has been down all morning due to a power outage. We have a request in to our IT support but we are at their mercy and are hopeful it can be fixed.

We are only seeing the appointments we have already scheduled at this time. We are unable to accommodate any other appointments due to not being able to access additional records.

We will update this status when it is back up 🤞🏻

06/04/2025

🪲 C I C A D A S 🪲

You love them or you hate them… Our pets all seem to love them! While it is not harmful for them to play with them we are seeing digestive issues in the pets that are eating them.

The cicadas have an exoskeleton and stiff wings that are hard for our pets to properly digest. This poses a risk of gastrointestinal issues like abdominal pain, upset, stomach, diarrhea, and vomiting. If they ingest large amounts of cicadas, it can cause an obstruction in their gastrointestinal track. An emergency situation!

It’s also worth noting that if the cicadas were sprayed with any type of pesticide or chemical your pet is now at risk of being poisoned themselves. So we don’t recommend spraying cicadas with anything (that’s actually cruel in itself) as they are not harmful.

Teaching your pet a “leave it” command is extremely important in general but very important to keep them from ingesting things, such as cicadas, that they should not.

If you have any questions or concerns please give us a call 🐾

05/23/2025

🇺🇸 WE ARE CLOSED FOR MEMORIAL DAY 🇺🇸

That means no refills for medication nor prevention will be able to be approved and/or picked up. No phone calls, emails, faxes or voicemails will be checked and of course no appointments will be seen.

Please plan accordingly 💙

05/15/2025

Performing a Body Condition Check for Cats & Dogs

1. Rib Check

You should be able to easily feel your dog or cat’s ribs when you gently run your fingers along their side. A healthy-weight pet will have a thin layer of fat over the ribs and spine that you can feel but not see. If you feel a thick layer of fat, your pet may be overweight.

2. Waist Check

Looking at your pet from above, your dog or cat should have a visible waist behind the ribs that tapers slightly towards the hips with a slight indentation near the midsection. If your pet does not have a visible waist or has a bulging waist, they may be overweight.

3. Tummy Test

Standing next to your pet, look at them from the side. You should see a slight tuck or upward slope in the tummy area. If the abdomen hangs low and appears bulging or sagging, it could indicate excess abdominal or "belly" fat, the most biologically active form of fat associated with systemic inflammation and disease.

Pets with obesity are at increased risk for developing serious weight-related disorders such as diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure, kidney disease, cancer, and many other health issues (just like humans)!

05/13/2025

🍦SUMMER BREAK FOR THE OFFICE🍦

We will be closed the entire week of June 23rd through June 27th. We will resume with normal business hours Monday, June 30th.

We will also be closed Monday, May 26th & Friday, July 4th 🇺🇸

That means no refills for medication nor prevention will be able to be approved and/or picked up. No phone calls, emails, faxes or voicemails will be checked and of course no appointments will be seen.

Please plan accordingly 🌴

05/10/2025

COMMON SUFFOCATION RISKS FOR OUR PETS:

🚨All Food Bags: Chip bags and Snack Bags are the biggest culprit for pet suffocation. When a pet puts their head inside of a food bag, especially one with mylar, it creates a vacuum-like seal around their neck, cutting off the oxygen. It only takes minutes!

🚨Plastic Toys: Small parts or loose pieces from the toy can can get stuck in their throats or intestines.

🚨Rubber Bands and Hair Ties: These can cause a choking hazard if a pet swallows them.

🚨Plastic Candy/Treat Wrappers: Pets may chew on or swallow these wrappers which can cause choking or airway blockage. If the wrapper is like a bag, it can cause a suffocation risk.

🚨Tennis/Rubber Balls: If a dog tears the ball apart and eats the rubber, the pieces could become lodged in its throat, blocking airflow. Depending on the size of the ball and dog, the whole ball can become lodged in the throat, leading to suffocation.

STEPS TO PREVENT PET SUFFOCATION:

🚨Keep all food bags, containers, and wrappers safely out of reach.

🚨Supervise your pet with toys and objects that could be chewed or swallowed.

🚨Regularly check play areas for small items that might pose a risk.

🚨Keep trash cans lids tightly closed or behind a counter to keep pets out.

🚨Invest in pet-safe toys designed to minimize choking hazards.

Pet suffocation happens daily and within minutes. Let's stay vigilant in protecting pets from suffocation risks! 🐶🐱

www.preventpetsuffocation.com