Sheltering your new puppy from the world may do more harm than good! 🐶 As tempting as it is to want to cuddle your new fluff non-stop and carry them everywhere, dogs who aren't properly socialized as puppies can end up being fearful and reluctant to be around new people, navigate various environments, or play with other dogs.
💡 Socialization Tips to Remember💡 :
- Introduce your puppy to as many different people as possible
- Once your puppy is fully vaccinated and protected, take them to the pet store and to friend's houses if possible for puppy playdates.
- Expose your pup to a variety of noises (appliances, noisy children, cars, etc)
- Walk your puppy on a variety of textures and ground coverings and other terrains
How do you regularly socialize your dog with other people, animals, noises, and environments?
16% of dogs are SERIOUS 💩 eaters. What constitutes "serious"? They've been caught 5+ times in the act!
Have you ever caught your dog eating 💩?
There’s a scientific name for this habit— coprophagia (kop-ruh-fey-jee-uh)—and also both behavioral and physiological reasons why some dogs view 💩 as a delicacy.
Consult with your vet to rule out:
-Parasites
-Diets deficient in nutrients and calories
-Malabsorption syndromes
-Diabetes
-Cushing’s
-Thyroid disease
-& other conditions that might cause an increase in appetite
In many cases, dogs start to eat their own 💩 because of some kind of environmental stress or behavioral triggers, including:
-Isolation
-Restrictive Confinement
-Anxiety
-Attention-Seeking
-Inappropriate association with real food (fed near 💩)
-Scenting it on their mothers
-Living with a sick or elderly dog
Leave a 💩 emoji in the comments below if you've ever caught your dog eating 💩 😳
How often do you think you *should* bathe your dog vs. how often are you *actually* bathing your dog?
The answer to this question is not as straightforward as you'd think!
Here are some things to consider:
1. 🧼 Coat Type: Believe it or not, hairless dog breeds are quite care-intensive and may require weekly baths! On the other side, long-coated breeds may need bathing weekly to every 4-6 weeks depending on how well their coat is cared for in between bathing. Be careful not to over bathe, however. Overbathing can strip natural oils from the skin.
2. 🧼 Health: If your pup suffers from certain health conditions, your groomer or veterinarian may recommend medicated shampoo for your dog. For healthy pets, a grooming regimen is still important to maintain healthy skin and a healthy coat! Thorough coat brushing and combing and conditioning are integral to your dog's health, as well!
3. 🧼 Lifestyle: If your pup has an active lifestyle playing in oceans, lakes, hunting in muddy waters, etc, more baths may be required--regardless of breed.
An estimated 1 in 300 adult dogs and 1 in 230 cats in the US have diabetes 😩.
Pets with diabetes cannot produce or utilize insulin properly, preventing the conversion of food to energy.
Sadly, diabetes cannot be cured, but with proper treatment and monitoring your pet can live a long, happy life 👏.
✴️✴️ Help spread awareness by sharing this post with the #petdiabetesmonth hashtag ✴️✴️
Vet Techs are the 💙heart💙 of any Veterinary Practice! If you didn't know how priceless Vet Techs are to the Veterinary world, you should! Please make sure to thank your Vet Tech the next time you come in for an appointment!
From the initial check-up in the exam room, preparing prescriptions, helping in treatment areas, lab diagnostics, x-rays in the radiology rooms, assisting in surgery suites, and caring for your sweet pets in the medical ward...Veterinary Technicians are absolutely invaluable in every way!
Bad breath (halitosis) in dogs is NOT normal!
Halitosis is caused as plaque accumulates and gingivitis progresses to periodontitis, the bacterial flora in the mouth change from good bacteria to destructive bacteria. Bad bacteria cause decay. Decay creates sulfur compounds! And the sulfur compounds? ...Well, they're the culprit behind halitosis!
Obviously, bad breath is undesirable. Poor dental health for your pet is also undesirable. Keep your pet's teeth healthy and reduce periodontal disease with:
- Dental treats
- Dental chews
- Prescription diets
- Water additives
- Doggy toothpaste
- Oral wipes
- Food additives
- Oral gels or sealants
- 🩺 Regular wellness checkups 🩺
One of the most commonly googled questions about dogs: 🔍 "Do dogs experience menopause?" 🔍
We can answer that for you! 😄
In short--no! Their reproductive cycles are different from humans and they can continue to go into heat (and become pregnant) throughout their lives.
You may, however, start to notice that her heat cycle may occur less often. This is normal as they age! 📌 Keep in mind that if her heat cycle goes away altogether, this can signal an underlying health condition or metabolic disease process.
If you've ever wondered what sets dogs and cats apart, look no further.
I know you're likely well aware of the glaring differences between dogs and cats. But both of them can very easily contribute positively to your family unit. Individually or even together!
Did you know? Cats & dogs can both be trained! Yep, it's true. Cats can be trained just like dogs can with a bit of patience and positive reinforcement.
Cats and dogs both need love and care. Alright, maybe you already knew that. But, cats are often considered easier to look after because they are much more independent and need much less input from their owners. However, cats still need lots of love, care, and affection. Just like dogs!
Lastly, cats and dogs can both be a part of the family. Despite their differences, they can live happily with each other in your home given they've been given a proper introduction.
Let us know how accurate is this video when it comes to the personality of your dog and/or cat!
We dare you to watch this entire video without smiling...bonus points if you don't even laugh.
Yep. Impossible. We hope this post gave you a little bit of joy, today, like it did for us.
If you're looking for indoor-cat enrichment ideas, look no further! Here are 4 simple ways to improve the daily environment for your feline roomies!
1️⃣ Unrestricted Access to resting areas removed from stressors such as loud noises, dogs, other cats, or small children.
2️⃣ Comfy resting spaces with a pillow or fleece blanket/bed.
3️⃣ Perching options throughout the home that provide vantage points of the area and are safe from people or other animals.
4️⃣ Play items that they can easily pick up, toss in the air, or pounce on. If you want to participate in playtime, use toys that keep a distance between you and your cat. Examples: wand toys, battery-operated, self-propelling, balls inside of a box or bathtub, catnip-filled toys, light beam pointer games*. *Remember to reward your cat after playing a light beam game to reward them for their extensive "hunt".
If you're experiencing far too much drama administering your pet's medications at home, 👇 this post is for you!
Remember: positive reinforcement goes a long way!
🐾 Ear Medication: Stroke your pet's ears softly and speak gentle words of praise and reward them with treats for cooperating. Avoid rushing to squirt ear cleaner of medication without becoming accustomed to being handled. These treatments are chilly and can easily startle your pet. Use a cotton swab to help clean out ear crevices. Remove wax and debris with a cotton swab ensuring you're always pulling out the debris and not pushing it deeper.
🐾 Eye Medication: Most pets don't appreciate eye medication. If you can, it's best to have two people for this job. One person to stead your pet's head and one person to administer the medication. Start administering the medication slowly and using gentle restraint on your pet. Begin to increase the length of restraint, rewarding your pet each time.
🐾 Oral Medication: For pets who like to sniff out any tablet or pill they are offered, consider using a pill pocket treat or ask if the medication comes in a liquid form. Using a syringe to deliver the medication keeps your hands out of their mouth while ensuring they receive their full dosage. Get your pet used to taking oral medication by gently holding your pet's muzzle in one hand and popping a treat in their mouth. Once they're used to getting treats in a restrained position, medication is much more likely to be consumed without resistance.
Adopting senior pets is highly underrated. Here's why...
🐕 Senior dogs need homes, too...They are often passed up for younger puppies. But, many senior dogs were once owned and loved and, for one reason or another, found themselves needing a new loving home. They can be just as loyal as younger doggies.
🐕 Older dogs can learn new tricks and be trained at any age. In fact, they can often be easier to train because they are usually calmer and have a longer attention span.
🐕 Older dogs are more than likely already house-broken (potty-trained) and have better doggie manners. Senior dogs are also a lot less likely to be destructive chewers.
🐕 Don't pass up a 5-year-old doggy just because they might be older! Dogs live 10-15 years and even longer depending on the dog and routine preventative care.
🐕 What you see is what you get! Adopting an older dog gives you the ability to instantly know how big they will get, their grooming requirements, and their personality!
Please let us know, in the comments, if you've ever adopted a senior pet and give us all the great reasons why more people should do the same!
Gross! 🤢 We know...but don't look away just yet!
Let's play a game and test your knowledge-- Can you identify which intestinal parasite is which?
A. Tapeworm 🪱 (commonly associated with flea infestations)
B. Hookworm 🪱 (affect dogs more than cats, smaller than roundworms)
C. Roundworm 🪱 (most common intestinal parasite identified in dogs and cats)
D. Whipworm 🪱 (more difficult to detect)
👇 Match up the letters to their corresponding picture and put your answer in the comments👇
Is your pet currently on any type of preventative? 👀
Before you get too overwhelmed with shedding pets (yes, even after summertime) 😤 , consider this...
Although it's normal for healthy dogs to lose damaged hair by shedding, we know it can be a bit frustrating for you if you feel like all you do is vacuum up fluff piles each day.
Choosing the correct brush is CRUCIAL! Your dog's coat type determines how regularly you will need to brush them. There are many different kinds of brushes you can use 🕵️:
1. Bristle Brush: good for all coat types, widely spaced and longer bristles should be used for dogs with longer coats.
2. Wire-Pin Brush: good for medium to long curly or woolly coats
3. Slicker Brush: fine wire bristles, used for removing mats and tangles
4. Combs: help remove dead hair from short-haired dogs
Shedding tools can also be incredibly valuable whether or not your dog sheds seasonally or year-round. Utilizing a shedding tool will control tufts of dead hair floating around the house. Regular bathing and de-shedding treatments will help loosen and remove your dog's excess undercoat.
👇 We want to know: what kind of dog do you have and how often do you brush them? 👇
THESE THREE TIPS will help you accustom your pet to visiting the vet:
1. PRACTICE HANDLING YOUR PET - Two of the biggest spots to focus on are your pet's face and ears! Pair gentle handling with tasty treats and high-value rewards for positive association.
2. CARRIERS ARE FRIENDS, NOT FOE - Most cats only see the carrier when it's time to go to the vet. This negative association can lead to some serious struggles when you try to get them inside. To enforce positive association, leave the carrier out as often as possible with the door open. Routinely through high-value toys in the carrier and let your cat or dog discover the goodies inside. Also, consider lining the carrier with a soft blanket to make it extra comfortable.
3. COME HUNGRY - A hungry pet will be much more treat-motivated allowing the veterinary team to provide their favorite treat as a distraction.
What do you (or your pet) struggle with *the most* during veterinary appointments? We want to help!
True. Cats *are*, in fact, perfect in every way. We hear you loud and clear! And we couldn't agree more.
But just because they're already perfect doesn't mean you can skip their checkups!
You might assume that veterinarians only exist to treat sick pets but one of their main jobs is preventative care (ie. making sure your pet doesn't get sick in the first place!)
Preventative care involves annual or bi-annual exams, regular immunizations, and lab tests dependant on your cat's lifestyle or underlying conditions.
Routine lab work often suggests pre-diabetes or early kidney disease. Both conditions can be prevented with early intervention!
Who's the goodest boy?! You're the goodest boy!
Happy #nationaldogday from all of us to you 🐕
Show us the most recent photo of your dog!
What is your cat trying to tell you?
Feline body language can sometimes be a bit more difficult to decipher than canine body language. But it's still pretty evident when your cat is startled, scared, or upset.
To understand what your cat is trying to tell you, take a look at their overall body language.
👂 Ears: Upright and forward-facing is a sign of a happy, curious cat. Sideways and back ears are a sign of an uncomfortable cat. If things escalate, your cat may pin their ears to the back of its head.
👀 Eyes: Dilated pupils indicate an alert, nervous, or surprised cat. Constricted pupils can be a sign of a tense or agitated cat. Hard stares should be taken as a challenge, especially when their pupils are constricted. Slow blinks show that your cat is comfortable and trusts you. During slow blinks, your cat's eyes will often already be half-closed which is another sign of relaxation.
🐈 Tail: An upright tail often curved in the shape of an upside question mark is a sign of a happy cat. An unsure cat may lower and slowly wave its tail back and forth. As the cat becomes more agitated, the tail will twitch faster which is a good sign to back off and leave them alone. A puffed-up tail is a very clear warning to leave them alone.
Take a look at your cat! Tell us what you see...
🤐 We can't believe we're sharing this secret with you but this is a trick you have to try! You never have to argue about where to go out to eat, again! 😆
What's your go-to resolution when you can't decide where to go to eat? Roll dice? Pick a number?
Please try this trick at home with your pet and let us know how it works for you!
Try to watch this without giggling at least a little!
We're happy to share this laugh with you, today...It's funny because it honestly couldn't be any MORE relatable!
Turns out Indie (the raccoon) and this pup actually have a pretty unexpected friendship! Have you seen a cuter pair?!
