DCVS is a veterinary facility in Peosta, IA that offers affordable primary care for your dog or cat.
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Oh goodness, the pollen count is high right now. If your dog is one of our allergy patients and suddenly, their meds aren't enough to control their symptoms, shoot us a message, and we can make adjustments!
Get Current Allergy Report for Dubuque, IA (52001). See important allergy and weather information to help you plan ahead.
Are your dog's environmental allergies driving you bonkers now that the grass and weeds are seeding out and leaving pollen everywhere? Licking, scratching, scooting. Do you forget to give the oral allergy meds prescribed? Dr. Mundt has been using Cytopoint injections for her Labrador, Coley, for the last 2 years to treat her environmental allergies (atopy). Coley started showing symptoms of environmental allergies for the first time last year at the age of 2.5 years. She had licked lots of hair from her front legs and developed a rash in her armpits. Dr. Mundt fully admits she struggles to remember to give Coley oral medications properly. Cytopoint is a monoclonal antibody used to treat atopic dermatitis in dogs. It acts against interleukin 31 (IL-31), which is a cytokine (inflammatory chemical) involved in causing itchiness (pruritus). Cytopoint is administered in our office. Each dose is effective for four to eight weeks. Dr.Mundt's dog, Coley, has been getting relief for about 10 weeks, but that result can be variable between dogs. We have many options to help deal with environmental allergies before they turn into severe secondary infections.
As I start picking the first of the eating grapes this year, I wanted to send out my yearly reminder. DO NOT GIVE YOUR DOG GRAPES. IT CAN CAUSE ACUTE FATAL KIDNEY FAILURE.
PLEASE SHARE so we can spread awareness. This toxicity is often unknown or forgotten about.
Grapes were always a tricky "toxicity." Some dogs would eat lots and be fine, and others succumb to acute kidney failure after a single grape. Only in the last couple of years does the veterinary community think we have narrowed it down to the tartaric acid content in the grape being the culprit. This was discovered after many dogs developed kidney failure after ingesting a homemade play dough recipe that contained "cream of tartar," which is concentrated tartaric acid. How much tartaric acid is in a grape can vary by the type, weather, and soil conditions as it grows and the grape's age when picked. For example, grapes picked in a dry year have more acidity. Wine grapes traditionally have higher levels. Red grapes have more than green grapes.
Other working theories are that some grapes may have a microscopic mold on the skin, producing a mycotoxin to which dogs are very sensitive. This could also easily explain why there is such high variability in the "toxicity" level of grapes.
Regardless of the cause, all grapes, raisins, grape jellies, and jams should be considered potentially toxic. Dogs who eat grapes should be made to throw up as soon as possible. DCVS clients, we always recommend that our dog owners have a bottle of fresh, unopened hydrogen peroxide on hand. Fresh hydrogen peroxide dosed at 1 ml per pound of body weight (capping at 25 mls for larger dogs) should be given. If no vomit happens, the dose can be repeated 15 minutes later.
We've added it up, and so far, our farm cat program has helped spay and neuter over 90 farm cats in our area. That translates into the prevention of thousands of more strays. A female cat can start having kittens at 6-7 months old and have 3-4 litters per year, averaging 3-6 kittens per litter. It's easy to see how 1-2 stray cats wandering onto a farm and calling it home can quickly escalate into hundreds of cats.
Our farm cat program is available for farms with 3 or more cats needing to be spayed or neutered at one time and offers a discounted price. Private message for information.
If you are interested in helping the cause, PLEASE consider donating/sponsoring a cat in our program. Even with the hefty discounts offered by our program, some farms have twenty or more cats, making it financially challenging to get ahead of the vicious breeding cycle. If you can't contribute the entire amount, do what you can, and we will combine the sponsorships.
Dear DCVS Clients,
Please Share. You might save someone from an unexpected heartache this summer.
As we come into the later parts of summer, I’m reminding everyone about the dangers of blue-green algae in natural bodies of water in Iowa. This includes creeks, ponds, puddles, lakes, rivers, and even bowls and containers of water left outside. Blue-green algae, more appropriately called cyanobacteria, is a bacterium versus an algae species. The bacteria produce two deadly toxins. One causes liver failure, and the other affects the body's nerves. Symptoms can occur as soon as 5 minutes (neurotoxin) and as late as a few days (liver toxin). No antidote for cyanobacteria toxicosis exists, so prevention is our best defense.
Symptoms of the neurotoxin include disorientation, seizures, excessive drooling, inability to walk, difficulty breathing, paralysis, and coma. Dogs affected with the neurotoxin develop fatal symptoms within minutes to hours, often passing away very quickly.
Symptoms of the liver toxin are more non-specific and include gastrointestinal symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite. As the liver becomes more affected, the skin and eyes turn yellow.
There is no easy test for cyanobacteria, and a diagnosis is often made from symptoms and a history of swimming in dirty water.
Dogs who ingest potentially contaminated water should be made to vomit as soon as possible. Fresh hydrogen peroxide dosed at 1ml per pound of body weight (capping at 25mls for larger dogs) should be given. This should be included in all hiking packs or car first aid kits. The dog can be treated supportively at the veterinarian with IV fluids and medications to help the liver, but the prognosis is often poor. PREVENTION IS THE KEY.
PLEASE do not take your dog swimming or allow them to drink from bodies of water with obvious algae-looking growth. Blue-green algae, despite its name, can also cause growth that looks red or brown. It can often resemble paint on the surface of the water. Blue-green algae blooms when water becomes stagnant and the temperature rises, so we tend to see it more in late summer, but this can be earlier in a drought year.
Buckets, Barrels, tarps, bird baths, and other items in the yard that can hold rainwater and sit stagnant can also be a source of issues.
https://programs.iowadnr.gov/aquia/Programs/Beaches?_gl=1*sk2qqh*_gcl_au*MTE5NzE1Mzk4My4xNjg5MjcyMjMw
https://hhs.iowa.gov/.../Reportable.../Harmful-Algal-Blooms
Photo Dump!!!!! Tag your pet if you see them!
Follow us on Instagram for more cute photos from our work days.
We will be closing early tonight so staff can get home safely.
Happy Birthday to our youngest assistant, Mason.
Update: Since lots of you have asked. It was a rep meet ( endurance versus maximum lift). Dr. Mundt did 85lbs for 43 consecutive reps for a personal best. It's never too late to try new things and challenge yourself. If you're interested in lifting weights but need help getting started contact Paul Harris
Dear DCVS clients,
Dr. Mundt will be unavailable for emergencies for a portion of the day. She is participating in a powerlifting Bench meet at the Dubuque YMCA today 💪💪
Dear DCVS clients,
We decided to continue discussing the problems we see with this wet, rainy, flooding season by talking about Giardia. We are seeing a record number of giardia cases right now, and they are directly related to all this wetness.
Giardia is a microscopic protozoan (swimming organism) that lives in creeks, ponds, lakes, rivers, and standing water sources. It is often a contaminant in even municipal water sources, cisterns, wells, and pools when there is agricultural runoff, flooding, and human or animal f***s contamination of the water source. If you have ever heard the term "Montezuma's revenge" or been told don't drink the water while traveling in foreign places...this is one of the organisms that can be responsible for traveler's diarrhea.
Giardia can infect people, pets, wildlife, and birds (a source of contamination for sitting water sources)
,
Symptoms include one or all of the following symptoms:
any variation of diarrhea but severe watery diarrhea can be a hallmark
vomiting
weight loss and an unthrifty appearance.
It is most commonly a problem in young puppies and kitties, particularly those who come from commercial kennels and puppy mills. Some older animals can contract it and clear it independently without problems.
We test all patients with diarrhea for giardia because of its implications for the human family members (particularly children, who often have less-than-optimal handwashing). In the last few weeks, nearly every patient has been positive.
If your pet ever develops diarrhea, there are important things to remember....
Please clean up messes as soon as possible. Diarrhea can be challenging to clean up outside so slipping a potty pad, piece of cardboard, or newspaper under them when they go and then disposing of that can limit environmental contamination.
Household surfaces, bowls, and toys should be cleaned with a bleach solution (1-2 cups of household bleach into a gallon of water) and then rinsed and dried thoroughly.
The bedding should be washed in hot water and dried on high heat.
Pets with diarrhea should be bathed frequently to remove f***s from their coats, which can be a source of spread to other pets or family members when they inadvertently get hidden f***l material on their hands while petting.
Drying out (desiccation) and heat are needed to help kill giardia cysts in the environment.
Giardia treatment requires particular intestinal antibiotics, correction of dehydration, anti-nausea medications, and sometimes special diets while the intestine heals.
Dear DCVS Clients,
With all the rain and flooding, I wanted to discuss leptospirosis and the increased cases reported in this area.
Leptospirosis is a nasty bacterial disease that causes liver and kidney failure. Humans and dogs can both get leptospirosis. Dogs can contract leptospirosis from their own backyard, but those that hunt, hike, camp, or go to places with many other dogs, like boarding and daycare facilities, are at even greater risk. If we want to use keywords to remember leptospirosis, we say WATER and WILDLIFE. Dogs become infected when urine from infected animals or urine-contaminated water gets into the dog’s eyes, nose, mouth, or broken skin (such as a cut or scratch). Wildlife urine can contaminate water sources, like creeks, lakes, and even puddles in your yard. Common carriers include deer, raccoons, opossums, skunks, and other rodents that we may see in our neighborhoods. It has also been transmitted in dog parks, boarding facilities, and other social dog areas. Leptospirosis can also be transmitted to humans if urine gets in our mouth, eyes, cuts, etc as well.
At DCVS, we use a vaccine that offers protection from 4 serovars (strains) of leptospirosis bacteria. This vaccine is given annually. Dogs who have never received the vaccine before should receive a booster 4 weeks after the initial dose. There is thought that while the vaccine isn't specifically made with all serovars (strains) of the bacteria, it may offer some cross-protection and lessen the symptoms and severity if infected with others.
Please don't allow your dogs to drink from rainwater puddles, swim, or walk in flooded areas.
This year, please consider Leptospirosis vaccinations for your dog if you live in flooding areas or have a lot of wildlife in your yard, camp, hike, or hunt your dogs. Or they attend daycares or boarding facilities. Current clients, please PM us if you would like to set something up. If they've had their yearly exam, it's a quick in and out.
With the 4th of July sneaking up on us fast, it's time to start thinking and planning for the fireworks and your pets. Most pets don't love the noise and may act shy or scared, but some can have such a phobia that they can potentially harm themselves by trying to go through windows.
Please leave your pets in the house during fireworks, and don't take them to the 4th of July events. Many pets are lost over this weekend when they freak out. Take them outside on a leash during this time versus relying on the fact they usually stick around. Make sure your dogs are wearing collars and tags with current information. Make sure your collars are TIGHT enough. You should just be able to get to fingers under the collar with no gap.
Non-medicated Tips for dealing are sufficient for most pets and include:
Kenneling in a safe space while playing background noise/ music.
Keeping Curtains drawn
Providing fun distractions like kongs filled with frozen vegetables, knuckle bones, etc
THUNDERSHIRTS are a great non-medicated way to deal with fear and are applied snuggly like a reassuring hug.
We also have an a natural supplement treat that can be nice for those who just need a little something . Message us to reserve a bag
Prescription Medications:
For those dogs with severe phobias, the time to fill your anxiety medications is now.
** points to remember is dogs needing prescription anxiety meds for phobias should be kept in kennels or small safe spaces during the fireworks ...anxiety medications are mood-altering drugs....and just like how humans consuming alcohol or drugs can be "happy," they can also get mean. Anxiety drugs can lower bite inhibition for some pets like a "mean drunk," and, therefore, it's often best to keep them away from children and strangers during stressful events while medicated.
Dear DCVS Clients,
As we approach firework season, please update your microchip information. A properly fitted collar with readable, updated tags will always be the quickest way to have your dog returned to you. GPS tags are also becoming more popular and certainly have lots of value. However, microchips are the best form of permanent identification. Collars often slip off and are frequently the reason a dog gets away in the first place. Microchips are only as good as the information on file for them. We have found many dogs over the years with microchips that don't track to updated information.
We use Petlink Datamars Chips. If we did your pet's microchip for you, we would have given you information and talked to you about creating a username and password to easily update your personal information. So, please take a few minutes to check to see if your pet's microchip information is correct. It's not something we think of after a move, a phone number change, the dog is adopted or rehomed, or a family breakup.
Here is the lookup for our microchips.
https://www.petlink.net/
How to look up other chips. There is no single database for chips. Often you can find who produced the chip and holds the registry by going to the AAHA site.
https://www.aaha.org/for-veterinary-professionals/microchip-search/
Animal hospitals around the world earn AAHA accreditation to strengthen their business, advance their team, and provide the best possible care to companion animals.
Dear DCVS Clients,
Friendly Reminder that dogs, especially overweight, hairy breeds, geriatric, or smoosh faces, do not handle the heat well. Pet dogs in the last several decades have not been bred to withstand outdoor conditions and can overheat very easily. Panting is their main method of dissipating heat. Today and tomorrow, just have a home day in the air condition. A light walk before the sun comes up or after it goes down in the evening should be the extent of exercise during any heat advisories. Dogs often eat less, pant a little extra, and lie around more on days like today, just like us in this heat.
With the summer heat in the forecast, I wanted to send out my yearly reminders.
1. Don't leave your dog in the car for even a few minutes while you quickly run into the store. If you leave the air running, you need to open a window enough to reach in and unlock it. Dogs often step on the lock button.
2. Concrete, Asphalt, Sand, and Grass can get very, very hot and burn paw pads easily.
3. Walks and ball playing should be done in the early or late hours of the day. Even then, take lots of breaks. Many ball-motivated dogs will heat-stroke themselves before they will stop playing fetch.
4. GERIATRIC, LONG-HAIRED, AND SMOOSH-FACE DOGS ARE EXTRA SENSITIVE TO THE HEAT!!!
Training Tip
Does your dog hate fireworks?? Here is a little tip to help desensitize them to the sounds!
Play firework sounds on volume 1 on Alexa (say "Alexa play firework sounds on repeat)"....you play this low key in the background for several days to a week for long stretches, barely audible. Once they stop caring or reacting to level 1, bump that up to level 2...this continues until you are at a level 8-10 with no reactions. Give it a go! The hardest part for dogs is that the firework noises happen loudly and with no regularity, and they have no chance to learn that it won't hurt them. Make sure you act completely normal while it's playing and go about your day as usual. Dogs take cues from you.. if you over coddle they will think there is something to be worried about.
We are getting quite the collection of styrofoam coolers and ice packs. Free !
Dear DCVS Clients,
Walking in my yard today, I noticed mushrooms popping up after the recent rains and heat. Many species of mushrooms are toxic to dogs and can cause irreversible liver failure. Dogs will eat anything and everything. So today, peruse your yard, remove any mushrooms you find, and dispose of them in a trashcan your pet cannot access. This is also a great time to remind our DCVS dog owners that everyone should always keep fresh, unopened hydrogen peroxide in the house. You can get small bottles at the Dollar Tree. Keep a couple on hand. Once it's been opened it goes stale pretty quickly for inducing vomiting. ,
If your dog eats a mushroom from your yard, I want you to induce vomiting immediately. Give fresh hydrogen peroxide (3%) orally at 1ml/ lb of body weight (I usually cap this out at 20-25cc in big dogs). After giving the hydrogen peroxide, take them for a walk. If they haven't vomited within 10 minutes, repeat the hydrogen peroxide. Inspect the vomit for mushroom pieces and ensure it looks like all the pieces are there. Preferably we see vomiting until it's clear liquid or bile to ensure we've emptied the stomach completely.
If they still haven't vomited after two doses of hydrogen peroxide, current clients should call us and use the emergency extension.
Non-clients should contact their regular veterinarian for advice.
DCVS is closed today and tomorrow in recognition of Memorial Day.
PSA: Cigarette Butts can Be Highly Toxic to Dogs.
Please share this post to spread awareness.
If you are a smoker, please do your part and dispose of your butts in a proper waste receptacle and not onto the ground or out your car window. Don't empty ash trays into a garbage can that your dog can access. Your best bet is to put them into an empty container like an old peanut butter jar or other container that can be taped up or the lid screwed on and taken to an outdoor dumpster.
If you aren't a smoker and see a butt on the ground, PLEASE PICK IT UP. You might just save a dog's life.
Ni****ne is concentrated in the butt end of the cigarette and can contain anywhere from 9-30mg of ni****ne. Small dogs are at more of a risk.
Ni****ne in dogs causes :
Clumsiness or walking like drunk
Rapid or irregular heartbeat
Vomiting or diarrhea
Lethargy
Shaking body
Drooling
Seizures
DCVS clients: If you see your dog consume a cigarette butt, give fresh 3 % hydrogen peroxide at a rate of 1ml per lb in dogs up to a max of 25mls. If they haven't eaten in 2 hours prior, giving a very small amount of food like crackers, instant mashed potatoes, yogurt, ice cream (things you might find in a gas station away from home) often makes it easier for them to vomit. Walk the dog around for 10 minutes after giving it to help stir it up. If they haven't vomited in 10-15 minutes, repeat the dosage. Call the ER line if this doesn't work.
Vomiting should not be induced in dogs having seizures or not fully conscious.
DCVS is closed today so we can spend time with our families for Mother's day. ❤️
My daughter, Calysta, has been making pendants from ashes for many years now. They are an affordable and beautiful way to keep a lost one close to you. She works with both human and pet cremains. She can also incorporate hair instead of ashes. I wish the photos ever did the necklaces and keychains justice. She has both sparkling, marble, and metallic styles available.
You can find more information at her page below.
Memorial Ash Pendants by Calysta
https://www.facebook.com/MemorialAshPendantsbyCalysta
One of the things we love about being a smaller clinic versus a large animal hospital is getting to know not only your pets but the whole family.
*Don't forget to follow us on Instagram for cute pictures we grab during the work day when we can
Dear DCVS Clients,
If you have been happy with our services and have a free moment would you mind leaving us a review on Facebook and google? We appreciate your time and business. Thank you so much.
Help us wish Dr. Mundt a happy birthday!
Happy birthday Robin!!!
COCOA MULCH IS TOXIC TO DOGS. As you start your spring yard work, do not use it if you have dogs.
All parts of the cocoa bean are toxic to dogs. Cocoa mulch contains 2 toxic substances - caffeine and theobromine. Humans can absorb and excrete these substances efficiently within a few hours. However, dogs absorb it much slower and take a very long time to urinate it out, sometimes days. Theobromine and caffeine are stimulants to the brain, heart, and respiratory system. Symptoms can start appearing as soon as 2 hours, but might not be evident for up to 12 hours later.
Symptoms including
*Vomiting/ Diarrhea
* Fast Heart Beat
*Hyperexcitability
*Panting
These can progress to tremors, seizures, and cardiac arrest leading to death.
Please share for awareness.
Admit it.
You try to show your dogs love with food. Eggs for breakfast, a bit of fat off your steak, a Kong filled daily with peanut butter, a chunk of cheese, a heaping bowl of dog food left out all day, and every soft, chewy, delectable treat you find in the store. Then you get to your pet's yearly appointment, and the vet says your dog is overweight- straight up or politely with words like "chunky monkey". Your veterinarian is not looking at your dog's actual weight and deciding that. Your vet is looking at your dog's body shape, feeling the amount of fat over the ribs and spine, and assigning your dog a body condition score value. They take that value and compare it to the body weight to determine how many pounds overweight they are.
Vets hate telling you your dog is overweight because people become very defensive. The response we always hear is, "But doc, they don't eat that much."
Where are the extra calories coming from? Doing a little self-reflection and math makes it easy to see why it's happening.
Let's use a 20lb dog as an example.
The average 20lb dog (healthy body condition score of 4-5/9) needs 500 calories per day with moderate exercise.
The average regular dry dog food contains anywhere from 360-420 calories per cup. You fill your dog's bowl without measuring, which is closer to 2-3 cups per day because an actual cup of food is relatively small.We will be conservative and say you put 1.5 cups of lower-calorie food in the bowl per day = 540 calories.
Now. Let's add in the extras.
1 TABLESPOON of peanut butter is 100 calories (fill a kong and can easily be 400-500 cals)
1 oz of cheese is 100 calories
1 Medium Milkbone is 125 calories
1 Egg is 79 calories
1 Large Greenie Chew is 145 calories
1 Medium Dentabone 188 calories
½ ounce of beef fat is 100 calories (and going to give pancreatitis someday)
So let's again be conservative and say your dog eats 540 calories of dog food and 1 milk bone per day for a total of 665 calories per day. However, that 500-calorie per day requirement is for a moderately active dog. Your dog lays on the couch most of the day and only takes a slow leash walk around a few blocks or is a breed prone to obesity issues like pugs, beagles, Yorkies, bulldogs, Frenchies, Bichons, etc, and only really needs 400 calories per day. So now your dog is getting an extra 225 calories per day, 1575 calories per week, 47,250 per month, and 567,000 per year.
And that's why 70% of the dogs we see are obese.
So, your dog's overweight. What should you do?
FIRST. Admit there's a problem and that many health issues can develop, such as mobility issues, pancreatitis, breathing difficulties, hormonal issues, grooming and hygiene issues, etc. Be committed and receptive to fixing the situation. Go back for suggested weight rechecks.
SECOND. Use an actual measuring cup to measure your dog's portion of food. Like us, we often grossly overestimate how much they are eating by eyeballing the amount of food we put in the bowl. Most people fill a bowl all day and let the dog graze. Dogs should be fed a measured amount of food 2-3 times per day. This is also helpful for monitoring for illness as changes in eating habits are noticed much quicker. Also, remember to feed your dog the amount of food for the size dog it should be, NOT it's current weight if its overweight. Your veterinarian can help guide you on an ideal body weight goal after assigning a body condition score number and comparing that to the dog's current weight.
THIRD. Stop buying commercial treats and replace them with frozen vegetables and occasional fruits like blueberries or apple pieces. Dogs tend to love ice cubes, so even those who don't love a fresh green bean tend to like the frozen texture. I personally believe dogs should be eating some fresh/frozen vegetables regularly. There are just some micronutrients that need to come from fresh. As always with any new food, introduce vegetables and fruits slowly. Fill the kong with frozen green beans and a few frozen blueberries and then freeze that with water to make a healthy snack instead of high fat peanut butter or cheese.
1 cup of Green Beans is 43 calories
1 cup of Blueberries is 76 calories
1 cup of Broccoli is 49 calories
1 cup of Frozen peas is 55 calories.
Fourth – STOP GIVING TABLESCRAPS.
Human food is very high in fat, calories, and sodium!!!! The quickest way to a fat dog is to feed them off your plate. The only advice I have here is don't do it. Not only calories, but fatty, rich foods are a major cause of pancreatitis. Pancreatitis can cause lifelong issues and even death. This becomes particularly problematic as the dog ages. It's no different than your own digestion....that fatty junk food you ate in your twenties now gives you heartburn and gallbladder attacks in your forties and fifties.
April is a busy birthday month for us. Help us in wishing a Happy Birthday to Carmen and Mandy!
It's that time of year again. The pollen count is very high, so our spring allergy dogs will be licking, itching, coughing, sneezing, and have runny eyes. Environmental allergies (called atopy in dogs) make the tissues that the pollen contacts inflamed and irritated. This includes their skin (feet where they contact the grass, abdomen when they lay in the grass, their bum when they sit in the grass, the eyes, and the lining of the nose and respiratory tract. Inflammation and irritation of any or all of these tissues if severe enough can lead to secondary infections.
Many dogs need medications to help control the inflammation. We have many tools to help make them comfortable, including an injection that can give relief for 4-8 weeks, but a quick tip to help reduce their symptoms is to wipe their paws each time they come in from outside with a damp hand towel/ cloth. This makes sense if you think about it. Ever come in from working outside in the lawn and grass and feel itchy on your face and arms where the pollen and grass pieces have touched your skin?? What is the first thing you do? SHOWER! Wiping the paws and face removes a great deal of the pollen and grass particles that make them feel itchy. Giving a full bath once weekly can also help remove additional pollen that collects everywhere else. Use cool water (think ice on a rash). Dogs who suffer from allergies also do better with short haircuts in the summer to help keep the pollen from hiding in their coats.
Here's a site we follow to keep tabs on the pollen.
Get 5 Day Allergy Forecast for Dubuque, IA (52001). See important allergy and weather information to help you plan ahead.
Declawing Cats
We get asked about this often, and it's not a service we offer. Let us tell you why we don't.
Declawing cats is HIGHLY associated with urinating outside of the litterbox. Urinating outside of the litterbox is one of the number one reasons cats are surrendered to shelters or euthanized for non-fatal medical reasons.
The toes are surgically removed at the first knuckle when a cat is declawed. Just like when a person loses a limb, they can experience phantom "nerve" pain. The long digital extensor tendon is also severed in this process, allowing for rotation of the second bone downwards and forcing the cat to walk on the stumps of the bones, creating arthritis.
Cats are simple creatures, and they make simple associations. If when they use the litter box and try to cover their waste their feet hurt, they think the litter box is the source of the pain. They often try to use softer materials like rugs, towels, clothes, and bedding to escape the pain.
What's the alternative?
Compared to dog nails, cat nails are easy to clip.
Offer your cat lots of places they can scratch! Cat towers with carpet, cardboard scratch pads that hang from door k***s, and cardboard scratch pads that they lay on are all the most favored. Sprinkle them with cat nip for an extra enticement. They even make special scents that attract cats to those places.
8554 Kapp Drive Suite B
Peosta, IA
52068
| Monday | 1pm - 7pm |
| Tuesday | 8am - 4pm |
| Wednesday | 8am - 1pm |
| Thursday | 1pm - 7pm |
| Sunday | 11am - 1pm |
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Joe can't get enough of this bubble wrap today 🥰🤣🤣
We have another stray for adoption. 6- 7 month old female. Was found emaciated but has quickly put on weight and is super sweet. Will be spayed and vaccinated.
Happy birthday to our vet tech Mandy!!! We hope you had a great weekend 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈
Here is a video on how to trim cat nails. We hope you find this helpful, if you are unable to trim your cats nails we do offer this service for $15. Disclaimer- no actors or videographers were used in the making of this video 😆
Our cats got a new toy.! A little apprehensive at first, but now they love it. Remember that pets, especially caged or indoor only pets like cats, get bored and depressed easily. It's important to actively find enrichment activities for them to help prevent stress behaviors like inappropriate urinating and excessive grooming, as well as prevent obesity by promoting physical activity. Interactive toys and food puzzles are great for this.
Here's a little video we made on how to give a cat a pill. Hope it's helpful. Disclaimer: no cornsyrup if your cat has diabetes, pre-diabetes, or is on a weightloss plan. Then we recommend using the makeshift pilling gun empty or with just a touch of gravy from canned cat food and a syringe of water to wash it down.
DogWatch Hidden Fences of Northeast Iowa
Parrot Drive
