Showing posts with label Veterinarian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Veterinarian. Show all posts
Emergency First Aid for Your Pet
Let me state without question, always consult with your veterinarian. No question is too trivial when it comes to keeping our pets safe and healthy.
Of course, prevention is what we need to strive for. Hopefully you will never have to encounter any of these situations.
Here are a few of the more common situations that may arise. Treat them as best you can, and then call or visit your vet. Please remember that injured animals may be afraid and in pain, and they may bite. Please be careful!
Cuts, bite marks, puncture wounds, etc. Gently clean the area with warm water.
Heat stroke. Watch for symptoms like uncontrollable panting, collapse, a blank or "fixed" stare, or even unconsciousness. Move your pet to a cool, quiet area and offer him or her some water.
Car accidents. Your pet is likely to be in shock; try to keep her quiet and warm, and try to stop any bleeding. Take your pet to the vet immediately - use a blanket or a board to get her there. Be very careful ... your gentle sweet pet may bite if she is frightened or hurting.
Bee or wasp stings. If you can see the stinger, take it out. Then wrap the affected area in a cool damp cloth. Watch for severe reactions - most pets should recover fairly quickly, but call your vet if yours does not.
Burns. Apply cold water to the affected area and call your vet.
Poison. If you suspect your pet has been poisoned, call your vet immediately. Do NOT attempt to make your pet vomit. Your vet may be able to coach you over the phone, or may ask that you bring the pet to the clinic. Provide all the information you can. For example, if you know your pet has ingested a poison, tell the vet what it was, how much, and when it occurred.
Eye problems. If your pet is squinting and seems unable to open his eye, consult with your vet. The sooner, the better - eyes are a delicate organ and you don't want your beloved pet going blind or losing his eye!
Of course, prevention is what we need to strive for. Hopefully you will never have to encounter any of these situations.
Here are a few of the more common situations that may arise. Treat them as best you can, and then call or visit your vet. Please remember that injured animals may be afraid and in pain, and they may bite. Please be careful!
Cuts, bite marks, puncture wounds, etc. Gently clean the area with warm water.Heat stroke. Watch for symptoms like uncontrollable panting, collapse, a blank or "fixed" stare, or even unconsciousness. Move your pet to a cool, quiet area and offer him or her some water.Car accidents. Your pet is likely to be in shock; try to keep her quiet and warm, and try to stop any bleeding. Take your pet to the vet immediately - use a blanket or a board to get her there. Be very careful ... your gentle sweet pet may bite if she is frightened or hurting.Bee or wasp stings. If you can see the stinger, take it out. Then wrap the affected area in a cool damp cloth. Watch for severe reactions - most pets should recover fairly quickly, but call your vet if yours does not.Burns. Apply cold water to the affected area and call your vet.Poison. If you suspect your pet has been poisoned, call your vet immediately. Do NOT attempt to make your pet vomit. Your vet may be able to coach you over the phone, or may ask that you bring the pet to the clinic. Provide all the information you can. For example, if you know your pet has ingested a poison, tell the vet what it was, how much, and when it occurred.Eye problems. If your pet is squinting and seems unable to open his eye, consult with your vet. The sooner, the better - eyes are a delicate organ and you don't want your beloved pet going blind or losing his eye!
How Do You Know if Your Pet is Sick?
Prevention is the medicine. Have your pet fully vaccinated every year; supervise your pet; and provide your pet with a proper diet and adequate exercise.
Even with all of the above, your pet may still get sick. While it can be difficult to know when to call the vet, here are a few guidelines in recognizing a sick pet:
Diarrhea.
Unexplained or sudden weight loss.
Significant loss of appetite or increased appetite.
Vomiting.
Pawing at ears or shaking head.
Lumps on body.
Significant fur loss (not just shedding, which is normal); dull, patchy coat.
Persistent sneezing or coughing.
Abnormal discharge from the eyes or nose.
Stiffness or weakness in any joints; pet moves with difficulty.
Straining to urinate or defecate. Inability to urinate is an emergency - get your cat to the vet immediately.
Injury.
Note: Keep the name and number of the closest emergency vet clinic (for after-hours pet care), as well as those of your regular vet, close by the telephone.
Even with all of the above, your pet may still get sick. While it can be difficult to know when to call the vet, here are a few guidelines in recognizing a sick pet:
Diarrhea.
Unexplained or sudden weight loss.
Significant loss of appetite or increased appetite.
Vomiting.
Pawing at ears or shaking head.
Lumps on body.
Significant fur loss (not just shedding, which is normal); dull, patchy coat.
Persistent sneezing or coughing.
Abnormal discharge from the eyes or nose.
Stiffness or weakness in any joints; pet moves with difficulty.
Straining to urinate or defecate. Inability to urinate is an emergency - get your cat to the vet immediately.
Injury.
Note: Keep the name and number of the closest emergency vet clinic (for after-hours pet care), as well as those of your regular vet, close by the telephone.
Pet Travel Tips
Here are a few pet travel tips to consider, pet first-aid items to take with you, and emergency contact information for pets should your pet become injured or lost:
Always take along information about your pet, including photos, breed, age, sex, color, and medical records.
Always take along information about your pet, including photos, breed, age, sex, color, and medical records.
If you are staying at a pet-friendly accommodation and your pet needs to be seen by a professional, check with the front desk about local veterinarian recommendations.
Pets often encounter minor gastrointestinal discomforts because of motion or eating prior to traveling. If your pet has diarrhea or is vomiting, try not giving food or water for several hours to see if the problem subsides.
If you observe a condition in your pet that you feel needs medical attention, you should make the appropriate contact with a local vet or pet hospital. Check these pet hospitals and emergency clinics or the local phone book in the town where you're traveling.
Pet Hospitals and Emergency Clinics
Cats Need Plenty of Water With Their Food
Water is an extremely important nutrient that contributes to overall health in every living creature. Couple this with the fact that cats do not have a very strong thirst drive when compared to other species, and you will understand why it is critical for them to ingest a water-rich diet. The cat's lack of a strong thirst drive can lead to low-level, chronic dehydration when dry food makes up the bulk of their diet.
A cat's normal prey contains approximately 70 - 75 percent water. Dry foods only contain 7-10 percent water whereas canned foods contain approximately 78 percent water. Canned foods therefore more closely approximate the natural diet of the cat and are better suited to meet the cat’s water needs.
I hear the reader saying: "But my cat drinks a lot of water so he must be getting enough!"
A cat consuming a predominantly dry food diet does drink more water than a cat consuming a canned food diet, but in the end, when water from all sources is added together (what’s in their diet plus what they drink), the cat on dry food consumes approximately half the amount of water compared with a cat eating canned food.
Put another way, a cat on a canned food diet consumes approximately double the amount of water consumed by a cat eating dry food.
This is a crucial point when one considers how common kidney and bladder problems are in the cat.
Think of canned food as 'flushing out' your cat's bladder several times each day.
Shelter dogs deserve a second chance
Many people assume that if they adopt a dog from a shelter, there must be something wrong with it. This is not true at all. Many of the dogs that end up in shelters are there simply because their human owners have been ignorant, cruel, lazy, irresponsible, and neglectful. These owners regard their dogs as chattel rather than as sentient, loyal, and loving friends and family members. Neglectful or abusive owners do not provide their dogs with attention, interaction, socialization, or obedience training, and have not treated their pets with the respect, appreciation, and love they deserve. In many cases, the dogs surrendered to shelters have been the loving and loyal members of a family and now find themselves not only in an unfamiliar environment but also restrained in a "cell" or kennel with many other frightened, barking, growling, anxious, yipping, and howling dogs. Imagine the stress and terror they must feel!
Did you know?
The oldest cat on record was Puss, from England, who died in 1939 just one day after her 36th birthday.
When Your Pet Gets Stung
A bee or wasp sting to your pet can cause facial swelling, hives, and itchiness, which often go away on their own. But symptoms that worsen or a sting that sends your pet into anaphylactic shock require immediate medical attention. Early signs of anaphylactic shock include panting, rapid heart rate, and sudden diarrhea, vomiting, or urination.Other symptoms for your get-to-the-ER-now list include: breathing difficulty, bleeding, pale gums (a sign the animal has anemia or is in shock), weakness, any sign of physical pain, or an animal that collapses.
On the fence about whether your dog or cat needs care? Err on the side of caution, Jandrey advises. "Peace of mind is better than undertreating any malady."
Read more here: webmd.com
Fun Feline Facts
- Cats do not have sweat glands.
- A cat can jump as much as seven times its height.
- Cats have five toes on each front paw, but only four toes on each back paw.
- Cats have over one hundred vocal sounds, while dogs only have about ten.
- A pack of kittens is called a kindle, while a pack of adult cats is called a clowder.
- An adult cat can run about 12 miles per hour, and can sprint at nearly thirty miles per hour.
- A cat's tongue is scratchy because it's lined with papillae—tiny elevated backwards hooks that help to hold prey in place.
- The nose pad of each cat has ridges in a unique pattern not unlike a person's fingerprints.
- Cats' bodies are extremely flexible; the cat skeleton contains more than 230 bones (a human has about 206), and the pelvis and shoulders loosely attach to the spine. This adds to their flexibility and allows them to fit through very small spaces.
- Cats have better memories than dogs. Tests conducted by the University of Michigan concluded that while a dog's memory lasts no more than 5 minutes, a cat's can last as long as 16 hours—exceeding even that of monkeys and orangutans.
Q: How often should I take my dog to the vet?
A: If you have a puppy, your puppy should be examined several times during his first year. As your puppy grows, it’s critical to ensure his teeth and bones are developing properly and that his health remains at an optimal level during that first vulnerable year. Since vaccinations are administered in a series of three or more to young puppies, this is a convenient time for the vet to examine your puppy as well. From ages one to five, most dogs stay healthy and active. During these years, a yearly evaluation is typically adequate. Once they pass the age of five, especially large breeds, annual examinations are usually not sufficient.
4/27/2012
A: If you have a puppy, your puppy should be examined several times during his first year. As your puppy grows, it’s critical to ensure his teeth and bones are developing properly and that his health remains at an optimal level during that first vulnerable year. Since vaccinations are administered in a series of three or more to young puppies, this is a convenient time for the vet to examine your puppy as well. From ages one to five, most dogs stay healthy and active. During these years, a yearly evaluation is typically adequate. Once they pass the age of five, especially large breeds, annual examinations are usually not sufficient.
4/27/2012
Feline Obesity
Obesity is a very common issue in cats; 25 to 30 percent of cats are obese. This is not just an issue of looks. Obesity causes several diseases, such as diabetes, arthritis, respiratory disease, musculoskeletal disease, liver disease, and urinary disease.
All cats are prone to obesity, but some are more at risk, including:
Your vet will feel your cat's body, and easily make a diagnosis. He may also perform blood and urine tests to rule out other diseases.
TREATMENT:
To lose weight, your cat must burn more calories than it eats. This consists of:
OUTCOME:
Feline obesity can be treated successfully with a proper diet and weight maintenance. Most problems caused by feline obesity will be reversed with weight loss.
All cats are prone to obesity, but some are more at risk, including:
- Mixed breeds
- Spayed or neutered cats (because they are fed the same amount, but don't have enough energy for exercise)
- 2 to 8 year olds
- Too much calorie intake
- Not enough exercise
- Decreased activity
- Difficulty breathing
- Extra body fat (on the abdomen, back, limbs, and face)
- No visible waist
- Ribs cannot be felt
- Greasy or flaky hair
- Heat intolerance
Your vet will feel your cat's body, and easily make a diagnosis. He may also perform blood and urine tests to rule out other diseases.
TREATMENT:
To lose weight, your cat must burn more calories than it eats. This consists of:
- Eating less: Feed your cat strictly measured meals as per your vet
- Increase in exercise: Provide toys, cat trees, window perches, etc. for your cat to play with. If you get involved, your cat will play and move more. Another idea is to put food in an unusual place, so your cat will have to go look for it. This is especially helpful with very overweight cats that don't have energy for exercise or games
OUTCOME:
Feline obesity can be treated successfully with a proper diet and weight maintenance. Most problems caused by feline obesity will be reversed with weight loss.
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