Kasey came in yesterday and made us all fall for her! ❤️🧡
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.
