Winter Safety Tips

Cold weather can be hard on pets, just like it can hard on people. Sometimes owners forget that their pets are just as accustomed to the warm shelter of the indoors as they are. Some owners will leave their animals outside for extended periods of time, thinking that all animals are adapted to live outdoors. This can put their pets in danger of serious illness.

 

If pets are kept outdoors, they must be provided with a heated or insulated shelter that is elevated off the ground and have a door of some kind to keep out winter winds, sleet and snow. Water sources may be heated to permit constant access to unfrozen water. Outdoor pets also require extra calories to keep warm. In severely cold or inclement weather, no pet should be kept outside.

 

If you light a fire or plug in a space heater to keep warm, keep an eye out to make sure that no tails or paws come in contact with flames, heating coils, or hot surfaces. Pets can either burn themselves or knock a heat source over and put the entire household in danger.

 

Many people will be “winterizing” their cars this winter, including a change of antifreeze. Keep both new and old antifreeze in sealed container, out of reach of pets. Even very small amounts are extremely toxic causing kidney failure and often can be fatal in just a few days.

 

While you are busy making your festive plans for the holidays, remember there are some things you should not share with your pet. Once you know the precaution and prevention, it will make holidays a happy time for everyone. Some of the more common holiday hazards include:

Bones: Do not feed any types of bones to your pet. Small bones or bone chips can lodge in the throat, stomach and intestinal tract.

 

Chocolate: Many people do not realize that chocolate can be a poison. Unsweetened baking chocolate carries a much higher dose of a toxin “theobromine” than milk chocolate.

TOXIC PLANTS AND PRODUCTS

Low Toxicity - Poinsettia leaves/ stems; balsam/ pine/ cedar/ fir, angel hair; Christmas tree preservatives; snow sprays/ snow flock; tree ornaments; super glue; Styrofoam; icicles/ tinsel/ ribbons; and crayons/ paint.
Moderate Toxicity- Fireplace salts; plastic model cement; bubbling lights and aftershaves/ perfumes/ alcoholic beverages.
High Toxicity- Holly berries/ leaves; mistletoe/ berries; electric light cords; and ivy.

BONES ARE DANGEROUS

Please, please don’t feed your pets bones, especially poultry bones. Poultry bones splinter easily.

Ribbons & Tinsel are of special interest to playful cats and kittens who see these materials as toys to be chased, pounced upon, chewed or swallowed. They are thin and sharp and can wrap around intestines or ball up in the stomach.

Keep harmful objects out of your pet’s reach. A little prevention may be just enough to avoid pet tragedy from happening in your home.

We all like to include our pets in Holiday meals, but try to keep in mind that sudden rich diet changes are likely to upset a pets stomach. Vomiting and diarrhea are not uncommon. If leftovers are of an especially fatty nature, the pancreas may become inflamed and overloaded. This condition is serious and may require hospitalization.

 

National Animal Poison Control

1-888-426-4435

10 Thanksgiving Safety Tips

Turkey Day is right around the corner, so here are some safety tips from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer to help avoid a trip to the emergency veterinary clinic or spending the evening searching for a missing pet.

1. Most pets do not tolerate spicy seasonings very well or large quantities of food. Avoid giving pets a sampling of everything on the human menu.
2. On the morning of the holiday, exercise the dog to try to wear it out before guests arrive.
3. Make sure to dispose of the turkey bones where the pet cannot get to it. These bones will splinter when chewed. Bones can get caught in a pet's esophagus or intestinal track and could be life threatening.
4. Rancid food is full of bacteria and can make a pet very sick, so make sure garbage is not accessible to the pet.
5. Turkey stuffing may contain onions, garlic, or raisins - all toxic to dogs, so resist the urge to feed your dog human food.
6. Remind guests not to offer table scraps or appetizers to the dog.
7. If the family pet is skittish around people, noises, and sudden movements then containing the dog away from the stimulation is recommended.
8. Offer special chew toys during the same time people are buzzing around.
9. An open door or open garage may be an invitation for your pet to bolt. Keep your pet contained while guests are coming or going.
10. Make sure your pet has ID and license on a collar just in case it bolts out an open door.

As always, we wish you and your pet a safe and Happy Holiday!!

How to Kitten Proof Your House

Kittens are naturally inquisitive, which can often lead to serious injury. Here are some tips on how you can make your house safer for the new arrival:

  *  That's shocking! Kittens love to chew when teething. Keep electrical wires out of reach, or use a pet-repellant spray to coat the wires.
  *  They'd die for some chocolate! Chocolate can be dangerous. It contains Theobromine, a powerful stimulant that is toxic to pets. Sweets, cakes and cookies can also upset the G.I. tract and lead to diarrhea and vomiting.
  *  Treats can be threats! Never give turkey, chicken, or rib bones as a treat. They can splinter and cause serious injury.
  *  Common household killers - Cleaning agents, bleach, ammonia, disinfectants, drain cleaner, oven cleaner, gasoline, rat poison. Keep the all locked up!
  *  Check the anti-freeze! Pets are attracted to the odor and sweet taste of anti-freeze. Store it high and tightly sealed, wiping any spills on the garage floor. Window-washing solution also contains anti-freeze. And remember, engine warmth promotes cat naps, so honk your horn to wake pets under the hood.
  *  Killer house plants - Poisonous plants include many from the lily family! See toxic plant list below.
  *  Keep of the grass! If you treat your lawn with chemicals, keep pets away.
  *  It fit yesterday! Collars and harnesses can be rapidly outgrown, leading to serious wounds. Check your cat's collars regularly, especially on that growing kitten! Two fingers should easily fit underneath the collar.
  *  Personal care items and medications - Cosmetics, shampoos, skin creams, hair solutions, depilatories, suntan lotions, sleeping pills, antihistamines, aspirin and acetaminophen can all be lethal.
  *  It's not a toy! Do not leave plastic bags out! Inquisitive young animals, especially kittens, can suffocate or get their neck caught in the handles!
  *  The heat is on! Watch out for hot irons, coffee pots, space heaters, stove tops...Kittens will soon be able to jump to new heights.
  *  A dip tip-Keep covers on hot tubs and swimming pools. Kittens can easily fall in and not be able to get out!
  *  Kittens are attracted to warmth. Be very cautious when doing laundry because they can sneak into the dryer very easily without your knowing it.
  *  Br-r-r-r-r-r it's cold in there! Curious kittens have been known to get into everything including the refrigerator! Be careful! A great idea is to have a little bell on your cats collar so you know of his/her whereabouts all the time.
  *  'Tis the season! Keep holly, mistletoe and especially Christmas tree tinsel out of reach.
  *  Cozy up! Always use a fireplace screen.
  *  Do you eat with that mouth? If any or all of something will fit in a mouth, it's dangerous. Watch out for cigarette butts, rubber bands, balloons, sewing needles, thread, string, ribbons, pantyhose...because what goes in must come out, often via surgery.

Memorial Day!

Annual Open House

We would like to invite all of you to Our Annual Open House. If you have never been to one of the open houses we have had in the past, this year is the year to do it!! This year will be the year to remember!!!

Beach Pet Hospital Annual Open House

Sunday April 29,2012

1-4 p.m.

Please bring your family and friends!!

Tour our facility, Exotic animals, pet CPR demonstration, Food, Crafts for the kids, Stem Cell Information, Free Goodies for everyone, Educational Information.

It is important to microchip...

Almost every day someone asks the question: "Is it really worth it to have my pet microchipped?" That answer is: YES!! We can give you a list of reasons, but nothing quite compares to a true story of why it's so important!
Earlier this week one of our clients called in to make an appointment for their dog, Benjamin. Benjamin's mommy was active military, and was sent overseas for a period of time. During this time she had to place Benjamin in a home. She left Benjamin with a family in Maryland that she thought would take care of him and love him until she returned. When his mommy did return, she went back for him only to be told that he had bonded with the family's children. She felt that she couldn't take him away from the new family he had grown close with, and making a difficult decision, she left him in the care of what she thought was a good home. Months passed and she had heard nothing about Benjamin. A few days ago she received a phone call from Animal Control...in Delaware! They called her because his microchip was registered in her name still, and they asked if she was missing her dog. Needless to say, she was shocked! She called the other family to find out what had happened and discovered that he had been given away months ago to someone else. Not sure of where he had been or what he had been through, she drove hours to go and claim her boy! They are now very excited to be a family again, and it was all because his microchip was registered to someone who loves him.

If Benjamin didn't have a microchip, who knows where he would have ended up? He may still have been in the shelter, he may never have found a home, or it could have been much worse. This story is a learning experience, and a wonderful example of why microchipping your pet is very important. You never know what may happen!

Stem Cell Therapy

One thing that we have recently added to the many things we do at Beach Pet Hospital is Stem Cell Therapy. Stem Cell Therapy can relieve pain, increase range of motion and improve quality of life in patients that suffer from arthritis, joint pain, hip dysplasia and ligament damage. If you think that your pet or someone you know has a pet that could benefit from Stem Cell Therapy, please feel free to contact us today. 

Heartworm and Flea Preventative

We recommend that dogs be on heartworm and flea preventative year round.  It's also a good idea to have your cat on heartworm preventative as well.  There are many different types of heartworm and flea preventatives available for your pet. Here are the medications that we carry to clarify them for you:


Heartworm Prevention for Dogs:
Heartgard - monthly chewable tablet given for prevention of heartworms. Also used to treat and control roundworm and hookworm infections.
Interceptor - an oral tablet given monthly for prevention of heartworms, roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms.
Trifexis - monthly chewable tablet for prevention of heartworms, fleas, roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms.
Proheart - 6 month injection used for the prevention of heartworms and hookworms.


Flea Prevention for Dogs:
Frontline - topical prevention for fleas and ticks.
Comfortis - monthly chewable tablet used for prevention of fleas.


For Cats:
Revolution - topical preventative for fleas, heartworms, hookworms, roundworms, and ear mites.
Frontline - topical prevention for fleas and ticks.


As you can see we carry a range of preventatives, however there are many other products available for prevention that we may not carry but would be happy to answer any questions you may have.  At Beach Pet Hospital, we recommend testing yearly for Heartworm disease before starting on preventative.  Not only do we test for Heartworm, but also for Lyme disease and Ehrlichia, which are tick-born diseases.  Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns. Thank you for reading our blog.


The Doctors and Staff of Beach Pet Hospital

Welcome and Happy New Year!

Welcome to Beach Pet Hospital's brand new Blog Page!
We will be posting educational information as well as fun and/or pertinent stories relating to the wonderful pets we see on a daily basis, or even interesting pets and stories from around the world.
This blog is designed to educate and even entertain you our wonderful clients!
So, we begin by wishing you and your pets a wonderful and safe New Year, and we encourage you to tune in for what will be a fantastic new edition for Beach Pet Hospital, and you!


The Doctors and Staff of Beach Pet Hospital