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Welcome To The Veterinary Insider Pet Blog
The Veterinary Insider Pet Blog offers a glimpse into the dynamic and ever-changing world of veterinary medicine and pet health care. In addition, our pet blog offers money saving advice and tips for the frugal pet owner in all of us!
| Wednesday, Jun 30, 2010 |
| Don't Let This Happen This 4th of July Weekend |
| By Dr. Chris Pinney |
| Wednesday, Jun 30, 2010 12:57 |
The Fourth of July is upon us and with it come a few special precautions regarding the health and well-being of our pets. Having served over 10 years as an emergency room veterinarian, I've weathered many 4th of July weekend shifts and treated many a mishap related to this holiday. Here's a list of the most common ones we see: - Vomiting, diarrhea, and/or pancreatitis due to dietary indiscretion. I've seen a $3 bag of Fritos lead to a $700 veterinary bill. How to prevent: Be sure your guests don't slip Fido a piece of barbecue off the grill or allow him to snack on the chips and guacamole at your 4th of July get-together.
- Intestinal perforations secondary to being fed rib bones. BBQ ribs may be a July 4th tradition, but so are emergency GI surgeries in vet clinics across the country because of left-over bones. How to prevent: Don't do it!
- Cuts, lacerations, self-trauma, and burns related to fireworks. I've seen dogs run through plate glass windows out of sheer terror; I've seen others grab fizzling bottle rockets in their mouths out of sheer curiosity. How to prevent: If fireworks are planned, keep your pet indoors, preferably in a safe, back room with lots of white noise (television, radio, etc.) to mask the sound of the explosions.
- Hit by car injuries. These are either related to yard escapes and dashes across busy roads caused by the fear of fireworks or by visitors leaving the yard gate open when coming or going from the festivities. How to prevent: See 3) above. Also, make sure all gates remains secure.
Keep your pet safe this Independence Day. After all, you want to spend the holiday weekend with your friends and family, not sitting in a waiting room at your friendly neighborhood emergency pet clinic worrying about your four-legged friend and racking up a sizable vet bill. |
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| Thursday, Jun 24, 2010 |
| Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Arthritis |
| By Dr. Chris Pinney |
| Thursday, Jun 24, 2010 10:07 |
A new study that recently appeared in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association adds to the growing evidence that omega-3 fatty acid supplements (either given directly or added to the food) are beneficial in the treatment of arthritis in dogs and cats. Omega-3's work by reducing the severity of joint inflammation caused by the loss of joint cartilage. Considering more than 20% of dogs over one year of age suffer from some degree of arthritis, this is a valuable addition to the arsenal against this debilitating and painful condition in pets. |
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| Thursday, Jun 17, 2010 |
| Bat Season |
| By Dr. Chris Pinney |
| Thursday, Jun 17, 2010 12:43 |
In case you haven't noticed, we're smack dab in the middle of bat season in Texas. Female bats give birth between April and August. They carry their offspring beneath their wings and as these youngsters get bigger, the added weight may make it difficult for mom to fly. As a result, she may spend more time than usual on the ground. So will her offspring while they themselves are learning to fly. And this means that the chances for interaction with a curious cat or dog increase dramatically. Obviously, the vast majority of these bats are as healthy as they come and are just going about business as usual. However, anytime you see a bat on the ground, or your pet catches one on the ground, you have to keep the remote possibility that it might be sick in your head. And by sick we're talking rabies. Be sure you pet stays current on his/her rabies vaccination. This is true even if your dog or cat is strictly an indoor pet. After all, bats often roost in homes and attics to escape bad weather and bad animals. If this happens, there's a good chance your pet (especially the family cat) will find it and possibly bring it to you as a prize. Check out the excellent bulletin put out by Harris County (TX) entitled, "Bat Safety In Your Home." Here's the link: http://www.hcphes.com/vph/Edweb_Publications/Home%20bat%20safety.pdf |
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Home Pet Remedies
