Village Animal Clinic Articles

Congratulations on Your New Kitten!

noreply@blogger.com (Village Animal Clinic) — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 18:34:00 +0000

Here are a few tips to help you, your new addition, and your other cat(s) adjust.

Ø Keep the new kitten confined from the other(s) in a separate room until s/he is comfortable. Then confine the other(s) and allow the new addition to explore while you are home. After a week or so you can allow the cats to mingle while you are present, but don't leave them alone together right away. When all the cats are comfortable, then they can be left alone. This introduction period will take some time, but will help reduce the stress felt by all the animals in the house.

Ø Distribute resources. This means food, water and litter boxes. Each cat should have his or her own food and water bowl. Do not place them all in 1 area of the house; place them around the house so that the cats don't have to interact with each other if they don't want to.

Ø Litter boxes- we advise the 'N + 1' rule. So that's the number of cats in the house plus 1 litter box. Again, don't place them all in the same area. We recommend unscented clumping litter and cleaning daily. Also think about where the boxes are located, avoid areas where the cat can be trapped by other cats or startled by machinery (furnace or washer) that suddenly starts while they are using the box.

Ø Make sure each cat has a place they can call their own, where they can get away by themselves. Most cats like to climb, give them appropriate places to keep them off the counter. High places can also make many cats feel more secure and reduce stress. Shelves on the wall under windows are favorite places. An old wooden ladder can easily be adapted to fit these needs and is easily removed if necessary.

Ø Make the environment interactive. Rotate toys every week or so to keep things new and interesting. Encourage cats to 'hunt' for their food. Think about zoo animals and how they are treated and use these ideas on your cats. Ask us about special bowls and other feeding options.

Ø Cats don't respond to punishment, they see it as a threat and a "fight or flight" situation. Use positive reinforcement only. If you catch your cat doing something inappropriate use a distraction that is NOT associated with you to stop the behavior, then place them in the appropriate place for whatever they were doing.

Hopefully these tips will help to make a smooth transition for all of the pets in your house. By implementing these ideas now you may be able to prevent stress related health issues in the future. If you have any questions please ask us, we want the best for you and your pets!

Why Pet Dental Health is Important

noreply@blogger.com (Village Animal Clinic) — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 17:02:00 +0000

Imagine what would happen if you didn't care for your teeth regularly. The same basics of dental care also apply to your pet's teeth.

Periodontal disease is the most common health problem for pets:

About 85% of dogs and cats have some form of it
Can lead to bad breath, tooth decay, pain and tooth loss
Chronic infections can spread to the heart, liver, lungs and kidneys, where they can do even more damage.

Common Signs of Oral Disease:

Yellow/brown tartar near gum line
Red, swollen or bleeding gums
Persistent bad breath
Abnormal drooling
Pawing at the mouth
Loose or missing teeth
Difficulty eating or loss of appetite

Toxic Dog Treats

noreply@blogger.com (Village Animal Clinic) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:42:00 +0000

It's barbeque season. Time for cook-outs, beer, corn on the cob, but a day or two after the party, for some, it's time for tears and a trip to the vet.

That is because the fat you don't want on your steak could kill your dog. We see a lot of problems with that fat causing digestive problems, pancreatitis, and other life threatening problems.

Many people say, "I've done that for years, or my dog loves that, and I've never had any trouble." However, giving leftovers to your dog is like playing Russian roulette. You know you can walk across the road with your eyes shut every day and not get hit, but when you do get hit, it's a big hit. If you want to have a healthy dog, don't feed them off the table.

Bones are a big problem. Dogs loves them, but we see a lot of emergencies where a pet owner gives a dog a steak, rib, or even a chicken bone that got stuck on the way down. As an example in one dog, an x-ray revealed where a piece of a bone was stuck in his esophagus, right between the lungs. It had to be surgically removed.

Another common problem is corn on the cob. People think corn on the cob, no big deal, it'll pass. In fact, because it's hard to see on x-ray it almost always results in surgery. That corn gets costly.

One of the worst snacks for a dog is raisins. If a dog eats one to two small boxes of raisins, the kidneys may shut down.The same is true for grapes.

However, perhaps the greatest offender is a dieter's best friend. A new sweetener called xylitol is in a lot of stuff from pudding to sugarless cough drops to sugarless gum. Xylitol helps fight cavities, but it'll also kill your dog if they eat that pack of gum.

One more thing before the next party, it may be funny at the time to see a dog drink a little beer, but they're a lot smaller than humans and they can die a lot faster from alcohol poisoning.