News and Information

We are thankful

In this time of year when everything around us is running at warp speeds and we can’t tell the difference between today, yesterday, last week, or much less consider next week. We would like to take this time to slow down a bit and thank to people who make life a joy as well as time to be thankful for all the many blessings in our lives. Happiness is contagious so we hope that you may also stop and consider all the blessings in your life too.

Halloween and Pet Safety

Halloween is once again upon us and while it can be a great time of year with beautiful leaves falling and fun costumes with lots of yummy candy, it can also be a dangerous time of year for our pets.

Let’s start with costumes for your pet. If your pet enjoys getting dressed up then great! But, if you have a pet that does not, then consider letting he or she wear just a festive bandana. Halloween is already stressful without making your pet more anxious. For those who do like a fun costume, please make sure it fits comfortably without any tightness that could cause swelling or pain or pull on their fur. A costume should be loose but not enough that your pet could trip on it, this includes trailing pieces. Also, if a costume includes an eye piece or head cover make sure your pet can still easily see and hear.  Lastly, make sure there are no extra pieces (bells, balls, bows) that your pet could chew off and cause a bowel obstruction.

Keep Seniors Active

Our animals age very similarly to the way we age, they just do it quicker. An average age for a pet to be considered a senior pet is around seven years old. That being said, the size of the animal can also regulate age. Giant breeds such as Great Danes are considered seniors at 5 years of age where as toy breeds such as Tea Cup Poodles are considered seniors at 9 years of age. Cats are generally considered to begin senior status at around eleven years with an additional mature status starting at seven years.

Knowing these age definitions is important for knowing when to start or stop feeding certain diets as well as knowing exercise tolerance or when a cough may becoming something more.