From the ASPCAOn Tuesday, July 21, the ASPCA will be celebrating national No Pet Store Puppies Day. This is a great chance to educate your friends and family about what happens in puppy mills and about the benefits of adopting from a shelter or rescue group instead! Read more
One of the scariest experiences you can have as a pet parent is to lose your animal. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, or ASPCA, looked into how many pets get lost every year. The organization found that 15 percent of pet guardians had lost a dog or cat in the previous five years. While about 93 percent of dogs that had gone astray were found, only 75 percent of missing cats made it back to their families. Read more
Tips from the ASPCA
Emergencies can happen at any moment and can come in a myriad of ways. While we may never be able to fully prevent such events from happening, we can prepare ourselves and our pets for when they do. In light of National Pet Fire Safety Day coming up on July 15, we put together important tips concerning fire safety in your home. Use this list to ensure that you and your furry friends are prepared should a fire break out. Read more
from the Humane Society
10 Tips to Keep Your Cat Happy Indoors
Although many cats enjoy being outside, it’s a myth that going outside is a requirement for feline happiness. Playing regularly with a cat easily satisfies her stalking instinct, keeps her stimulated, and provides the exercise she needs to stay healthy and happy. Read more
Cats associate loud noises with danger, therefore lots of cats become stressed as a result of fireworks and the loud noises they make.The noise and flashes can cause cats to run off in a panic and, sadly, every year our emergency vets see hundreds of pets who have been involved in road traffic accidents after being spooked by loud bangs.
Sylar Pet Shop
Article Featured on CDC.gov
Key Points
- Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses. Some cause illness in people and others cause illness in certain types of animals.
- Coronaviruses that infect animals can become able to infect people, but this is rare.
- We do not know the exact source of the current outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
- We do not have evidence that companion animals, including pets, can spread COVID-19.
- We do not have evidence to suggest that imported animals or animal products imported pose a risk for spreading the 2019 novel coronavirus in the United States.
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses. Some coronaviruses cause cold-like illnesses in people, while others cause illness in certain types of animals, such as cattle, camels, and bats. Some coronaviruses, such as canine and feline coronaviruses, only infect animals and do not infect humans.
Article Featured on Vetstreet.com
Anytime you can relieve your pet’s pain, it’s a big relief for you, too. Thankfully, veterinary medicine offers more ways to do that than ever before. In fact, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, are the most common pain medications prescribed for pets today.
When used for surgical procedures, NSAIDs can help reduce the risk of complications from pain and inflammation, so pets can recover faster. And when prescribed for chronic conditions, such as arthritis, these medications can often help dogs return to activities they love, from fetching balls and daily strolls to jumping on the couch to snuggle.
But as with any medication, NSAIDs may have side effects, some of which can be serious. It’s important for you to work with your veterinarian and weigh the risks and benefits of giving your pet these medications. The more you know about potential side effects and how to monitor your pet, the better prepared you’ll be to make informed decisions about your pet’s health.
BY DR. MARTY BECKER DVM | Article Featured on Vetstreet.com
Some of the things dog owners ignore truly do make a difference to an animal’s quality of life. It can be easy for well-meaning pet owners to get caught up in one aspect of their dog’s care but pay no attention to something else that might be just as serious (or painful) a problem.
That’s why I’ve put together this list of five health problems that dog owners often overlook, ignore or treat as “normal.” If you suspect your dog has any of the issues on this list, please see your veterinarian immediately.
1. Chronic Ear Problems
Although people do often bring their dogs in to treat an ear infection, the follow-through — like putting in drops or making follow-up appointments — can be very poor. Pet owners sometimes seem to begin to believe that ear infections are “normal,” especially for flop-eared dogs, but it’s important that you don’t confuse “common” with “normal.” Just imagine how you’d feel if, every moment you were awake, you were dogged by a very painful and itchy condition. You’d be good about following up in that case, and your dog deserves the same consideration.
2. Dental Disease
“Doggy breath” is another thing that you shouldn’t consider normal — or inevitable. Pets require dental care, just like humans do, but this is something that’s all too often ignored by owners. There are times when I lift the lip of a canine patient — often for an unrelated reason — and discover horribly inflamed gums. Ouch! And sometimes the teeth themselves are no better. Just imagine if you experienced excruciating pain each time your tongue touched your tooth or if you could only eat on one side of your mouth (and even that might be painful). Work with your veterinarian to get your dog’s mouth back in good shape and learn how to keep it that way.
3. Skin Issues and Biting Pests
When we get nailed by a biting bug, we swat it, squirt ourselves with bug spray, take antihistamines and apply soothing salves to the itchy bites. Dogs experience the same discomfort when they’re under attack from fleas or other biting pests, with no way to stop the biting or alleviate the itch. Your pup deserves parasite control. And pests aren’t the only potential cause of skin problems. Chronic rashes and other skin problems can also drive a person — or a pooch — crazy with itching, so don’t ignore a dog who’s constantly scratching. Be as diligent about your dog’s skin care as you are about your own.
4. Arthritis
Your arthritic dog can’t give you specific information about his pain, like where it hurts, when it started or just how bad it is, but he’s certainly suffering. You might assume that your dog will slow down with old age and there’s nothing you can do about it, but believe me, your dog’s quality of life can be improved if you take responsibility and talk to your veterinarian about pain management.
5. Obesity
Take a good look at your dog. Have you allowed him to get — and stay — overweight? If so, you need to know something: Fat kills. For example — and this is only one of several reasons — canine obesity can make arthritis worse, and when an old dog is in the kind of pain that makes him unable to move well, he runs the risk of being euthanized. Often, pets are allowed to continue suffering, even though we’re well aware of how helpful losing weight can be. Have an honest conversation with your vet about your dog’s weight. Make sure you’re ready to listen to and follow his recommendations to get those excess pounds off your pup.
Laurelwood Animal Hospital, located near Jesuit High School on Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway offers a full range of companion animal services, including surgery, nutrition and behavior counseling, parasite control and preventative medicine. The hospital also offers advanced imaging through an all-digital spiral CT scanner, a comprehensive dental program and laser treatment.
If you’re looking for quality, compassionate veterinary care in Beaverton, Oregon, come visit us at Laurelwood Animal Hospital.
Laurelwood Animal Hospital
9315 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway
Beaverton, Oregon 97005
Phone: (971) 244-4230
Fax: (503) 292-6808
E-mail: info@laurelwoodvets.com
Article Featured on Vetstreet
There is a long-held misconception that cats need to be able to roam outdoors to be happy, but we think most modern felines would disagree. All the kitty luxuries available today make the great outdoors just seem a little less… great. Whether munching on catnip, traversing indoor climbing systems or watching made-for-cat DVDs, today’s indoor felines seemingly have it made. And as an added bonus, indoor cats have potentially longer life spans because they are are less likely to be exposed to cars, predators and some diseases than outdoor cats.
Check out the tips below to unlock some of the best-kept secrets of supremely happy indoor cats and use them to enrich the life of your own indoor kitty companion.
