Rathdrum Animal Clinic

03/03/2025

Today is World Wildlife Day!

Today is a day where we show our appreciation for all the animals flying, roaming and swimming on our planet.

Share with us below pictures you’ve taken of wildlife that you’ve gotten to witness up in person.

02/28/2025

This February is for the cats, and more specifically it’s for their health, so we call it National Cat Health Month. Every cat parent should spend the month with extra focus on their cat’s physical and emotional well-being, and educate themselves on signs of unhealthy behavior or illness. We love National Cat Health Month because it reminds us to give extra love to our sweet kitties and serves as a great way to celebrate our furry friends beyond just posting cat memes!
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National Cat Health Month Activities

1. Take your kitty in for a check-up
How long has it been since Muffin has been to the vet? Sometimes, life gets busy and those checkups get pushed back. Use National Cat Health Month as the reason to prioritize your cat’s health - you have a whole month to get it done, and Muffins will certainly thank you.

2. Spread the word on social media
What better excuse to blanket social media with than posting a picture of your kitty? You were going to do it anyway, so use this opportunity to spread the word on National Cat Health Month to other cat owners.

3. Get your cat a new toy
A good pet owner knows that emotional health can be just as important as physical health for your kitty. Investing in a new toy can improve your cat’s mood, give them a bit of exercise, and even strengthen your bond. Cats deserve a little relaxation, too!
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5 Cat Facts That Will Blow Your Mind

1. Some Greens are Toxic
Keep lilies, azaleas, mistletoe, holly, and more out of the house - they are all toxic to cats.

2. Could Your Cat be Lactose-Intolerant?
Surprisingly, milk isn’t always great for cats. If your cat is lactose-intolerant, they’ll get awful diarrhea from milk. They’ll also have a greater chance of obesity if they continue to be given milk.

3. Make Sure She’s Happy
Cats can, in fact, become depressed. Watch out for changes in vocalization, appetite, or any other abnormal behavior.

4. Cats Often Hide Illnesses
These tricky pets often hide when sick or injured - it’s a natural survival instinct. If you notice odd behavior or hiding, take your cat into the vet.

5. Dangerous Declawing
Declawing your cat is cruel and viewed as dangerous to their health and safety. Luckily, there are many other ways to get your cat to stop scratching - look around online or ask your vet.
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Why We Love National Cat Health Month

A. Cats are the easiest pets
Cats rank as the top five easiest pets to care for. Besides a litter box, food, water, and love, they don’t need much else. Humans have loved cats throughout history for their strong sense of independence and ability to form bonds with us.

B. It helps us improve as cat owners
We could always use the extra push to give our cat a little more attention to help them live their best life. We love our furry friends, but if you’re not a veterinarian, this month is a helpful reminder to give our kitties regular checkups and be on the lookout for any signs that something is up!

C. It’s an excuse to don cat merchandise
Every cat owner has at least one cat sticker, hat, t-shirt, or pair of socks - and this is the time to wear your love for cats on your sleeve. What better time to celebrate our feline friends and raise awareness for their health than National Cat Health Month? We say, wear those cat-print shorts with pride.
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For all cat owners and lovers. Show us your feline friends.

02/24/2025

It’s National Dog Biscuit Day!
Everybody loves a nice treat everyone once in awhile. Today is the day to give your dog/pet a treat to show them how much you love them.

Below show us your pet with their favorite biscuit/treat! 🐶🦴

02/21/2025

Bagheera monitoring the work of the day… well
sorta.

02/20/2025

February is American Heart Month, which is also a time to recognize heart health in pets.

Why is February American Heart Month for pets?
• To raise awareness of heart disease in pets
• To encourage pet owners to recognize signs of heart disease
• To educate pet owners about cardiovascular disease in pets

Heart health facts for pets:
• Heart disease is a leading cause of death in animals
• Untreated arrhythmias can be deadly
• Cats are susceptible to heartworm infections
• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the major heart disease of cats

Symptoms of heart disease in pets:
Coughing, Difficulty breathing, Becoming tired easily, Restlessness, Pacing, Weight loss, Fainting, and Swollen belly.

Treatments for heart disease in pets:
Medications, Surgery, Limiting activity, and Modified diet.

How to diagnose heart disease in pets: X-rays, EKG, Ultrasound, and Bloodwork/urinalysis.

02/20/2025

02/14/2025

Rathdrum Animal Clinic has been nominated as one of the best veterinary clinics in the area. The final round of voting to select the BEST OF 2025 ends tomorrow. We appreciate all of our wonderful clients and your votes mean a lot to us.

Insert share text here

02/11/2025

Meet Scarlett, a 17 week old German shepherd pup. She was so excited to be at her appointment today. She loved the peanut butter and attention that Dr. Fisher and the staff gave her.

02/10/2025

February is Spay & Neuter Awareness Month _______________________________________________________________________
Our experienced veterinarians provide many surgical services at our clinic, ranging from routine to advanced procedures. Because we want to ensure that our patients receive the best possible outcome, we occasionally refer them to specialists (board-certified veterinary surgeons) to perform complex operations when advanced equipment or training will be beneficial. Our veterinary team takes every precaution so that your pet receives the highest-quality care. We perform a physical exam and preanesthetic testing before surgery, monitor your pet during surgery, and provide appropriate pain medication to keep your pet comfortable during recovery.

To learn more about spaying and neutering your pet. Please visit our website below to learn more about the procedure and process.

Spaying
https://www.rathdrumanimalclinic.com/services/spaying/

Neutering
https://www.rathdrumanimalclinic.com/services/neutering/

02/07/2025

🦷🦷February is Pet Dental Month🦷🦷

Dental health can play a major roll in your pets overall health. Like us, your dogs and cats teeth should be brushed with a tooth brush and tooth paste (non-foaming, veterinary approved). Bushing the outside surfaces of the teeth at least 3 times a week can help prevent plaque build up and gum disease.

While dental treats, bones, etc., can help clean the teeth, unfortuntely they do nothing with the incisors. When chewing, dogs and cats use their premolars and molars to chew, and only use their canines and incisors to rip off pieces of food. And because of this, the dental treats only reach the back teeth. We recommend that you do provide the dental treats, but also brush your pets teeth as well.

The picture below gives an example of what each stage looks like. Usually, when your pet is in Stage 2, we would start recommending periodontal surgery to clean their teeth, and sometimes extract the bad teeth. Also pictured below is how we label each individual tooth.

80% of dogs (with the majority being most small breeds and brachycephalic/bulldog breeds) and 70% of cats have some form of dental disease, and usually by the time they are 3 years old they will likely have the very early stages of dental disease. Dental issues can cause your pets to have behavior changes whether it's being more irritable, acting lethargic, and become anorexic.

Signs of dental disease include:
🦷Bad breath
🦷Pawing/rubbing mouth
🦷Drooling
🦷Issues with chewing/eating
🦷Red/swollen gums/bleeding gums
🦷Tartar on teeth or discolored teeth
🦷Facial Swelling
🦷Loose Teeth
🦷Reduced appetite

Dental disease in pets can lead to a number of health problems, including:
🦷Periodontal disease: A common condition that causes inflammation of the gums and tissues that support teeth. Symptoms include bleeding gums, bad breath, and tooth loss.
🦷Tooth abscesses: A severe complication of periodontal disease that can occur when the infection spreads to the tooth's root.
🦷Jaw fractures: A common result of dental disease, especially in smaller breeds with large teeth.
🦷Heart disease: Periodontal disease can increase the risk of heart disease, including endocarditis, a potentially fatal infection of the heart's lining.
🦷Kidney and liver disease: Dental disease can cause changes in the kidney and liver.
🦷Eye issues: Untreated periodontal disease can lead to eye problems.
🦷Oral cancer: Untreated periodontal disease can increase the risk of oral cancer.
🦷Stomatitis: A painful inflammation of the gums, cheeks, and tongue in cats.
🦷Tooth resorption: A process that breaks down the tooth structure, often leading to tooth loss in cats.
🦷Malocclusion: A misalignment of the teeth and bite, which can be skeletal, dental, or breed-related.
Early detection and treatment of dental disease are important to prevent these serious health issues.

General anesthesia makes it possible for us to clean, and extract teeth with the least amount of stress and pain for each pet. It also helps prevent the pet getting injured by any of our dental equipement because they are not moving or thrashing around. But before performing any dental procedure. Our doctors strongly recommend performing pre-operative labwork to make sure your pet can handle general anesthesia.

The link below is some tips and tricks for Home Dental Care for Your Pet from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).
https://youtu.be/lHvUu97H5oQ?si=56BivW6DVIhqliJ9

If you would like to have your pets teeth check. Please call Rathdrum Animal Clinic at 208-687-2200 to schedule a pre-dental exam and get your pet scheduled for a dental procedure.

01/30/2025

On behalf of Dr. Sherman and the rest of us here at Rathdrum Animal Clinic. We show our support, love, appreciation, thoughts and prayers for Murphy and the Idaho Disaster Dogs Search and Rescue team for this loss and their grief. Murphy was such a great dog and was such a huge inspiration and true testament of his service and the hard work that he did with the Idaho Disaster Dogs for our community, state and nation. Thank you Murphy for your service!

We regret to inform you, last night K9 Murphy crossed over the rainbow bridge. Murphy you will be missed, thank you for everything you did for us.
Murphy deployed multiple times, including two deployments for a disaster response in Hawaii. Murphy was 11 years old, and was a member of our team since he was 7 weeks old. He loved what he did, and we loved him too.

01/14/2025

Dr. Sherman and our technicians Hayley, Dexter and Ashley literally had our hands full of adorable 7 week old miniature Australian shepherds.

01/11/2025

With the cold temperature drops and the snow falling. It’s important to know the safety tips and care precautions for your pet.

01/11/2025

Dogs come trained in loyalty, unconditional love, and friendship. It’s only the easy stuff that they need to learn. True, teaching all the other stuff can be daunting but all we need is the right advice at the right time. How does the beginning of the year sound? January is National Train Your Dog Month. It’s a time when trainers, dog owners, and canine experts come together to celebrate their love for their furry friends by sharing what they know. The internet and social media become a treasure trove of information, tips, and advice. All due to a movement started by the Association of Pet Dog Trainers many years ago.
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National Train Your Dog Month Activities

1. Teach a new trick or two
A new year calls for a new bag of tricks! Think of a simple and fun trick like rolling over, playing dead, or fetch.

2. Enjoy Furry Fridays
In January, reserve Friday evenings for your dog. Go for a walk, to a dog museum, or watch a dog movie with buttered popcorn and a special treat for your best pal!

3. Take to social media
Share your dog training accomplishments and challenges with other dog lovers through pictures and videos. Have fun and build a better dog training community.
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Why We Love National Train Your Dog Month

A. A little help goes a long way
Yes, a long way to keeping a dog inside a loving home. Hundreds of dogs are given away each year because their owners couldn’t train them and found them difficult to live with. A celebration like this one can help train and save them.

B. Trained dogs are healthy dogs
Experts say training a dog is not a luxury but imperative to his well being and health.

C. It takes a village
It always helps to hear you’re not alone. This month-long celebration connects you to others like you. Share their experiences, laughs, watch experts’ webinars or silly bloopers.

01/07/2025

01/06/2025

Rathdrum Animal Clinic had a great time together yesterday at our yearly party at Ironhorse!

Thank you Dr. Sherman for all your hard work and for bringing a wonderful group of people and making them together a family and a team. We want to also thank you the clients for also being a part of Rathdrum Animal Clinic journey!

01/01/2025

Happy New Year from everyone at Rathdrum Animal Clinic! Thank you to all who trusted us with your pets health and care in 2024. We look forward to continuing that same health and care into 2025.