Sunday is National Take a Hike Day

Sunday is National Take a Hike Day, a great day to get outside and enjoy nature in this crisp fall weather! We encourage you to get your pet outside and get moving too! Exercise is great for your health and your pet’s health.

Cats & Car Engines

Have you heard about the danger of car engines for outdoor cats? Our car engines often stay warm for hours after our cars have been shut off, making the perfect warm place for an outdoor cat to sleep. If a car is started while a cat is lying on the engine, the cat could be injured or killed! Always knock on the hood of your car before you start it…you could save a life!

October is National Animal Safety and Protection Month

Have you ever considered who would take care of your pet if you were unable to do so any longer? We encourage all pet-owners to think about this possibility and make arrangements for your pet’s future care in the event of you having to give them up. This month is National Animal Safety and Protection Month, and that’s as good a time as any to begin thinking about the provisions you may need to make for your pet. There’s nothing wrong with being prepared for the future!

Autumn Safety Tips

Ah, fall—there's nothing like crisp, cool air, the first months of school and luscious foliage to get you excited for the changing seasons. Your pet, too, is probably welcoming the break from hot, sticky weather. But pet parents, beware—fall is also a time of lurking dangers for our furry friends. From household poisons to cold weather hazards, the season is a minefield! Here are some tips to keep your pet snug and healthy during the autumn months.

• The use of rodenticides increases in the fall as rodents seek shelter from the cooler temperatures by attempting to move indoors. Rodenticides are highly toxic to pets—if ingested, the results could be fatal. If you must use these products, do so with extreme caution and put them in places inaccessible to your pets. 
• It's back-to-school time, and those of you with young children know that means stocking up on fun items like glue sticks, pencils and magic markers. These items are considered “low toxicity” to pets, which means they're unlikely to cause serious problems unless large amounts are ingested. However, since gastrointestinal upset and blockages certainly are possible, be sure your children keep their school supplies out of paw's reach. 
• Training tip: If you and your pooch haven't been active outdoors in a while because of the summer heat, do some remedial recall training. Dogs, like people, get rusty on their skills if they aren't using them. 
• Fall and spring and are mushroom seasons. While 99% of mushrooms have little or no toxicity, the 1% that are highly toxic (PDF) can cause life-threatening problems in pets. Unfortunately, most of the highly toxic mushrooms are difficult to distinguish from the nontoxic ones, so the best way to keep pets from ingesting poisonous mushrooms is to keep them away from areas where any mushrooms are growing. Contact your veterinarian or theASPCA Animal Poison Control Center immediately if you witness your pet eating a wild mushroom. 
• In order to generate body heat, pets who exercise heavily outdoors, or who live outdoors, should be given more food during colder seasons. Make sure horses and other outdoor animals have access to clean, fresh water that is not frozen. 
• Autumn is the season when snakes who are preparing for hibernation may be particularly “grumpy,” increasing the possibility of severe bites to those unlucky pups who find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. Pet owners should know what kinds of venomous snakes may be in their environment—and where these snakes are most likely to be found—so they can keep pets out of those areas. 
• Many people choose fall as the time to change their car's engine coolant. Ethylene glycol-based coolants are highly toxic, so spills should be cleaned up immediately. Consider switching to propylene glycol-based coolants—though they aren't completely nontoxic, they are much less toxic than other engine coolants.

Pets & Pool Safety

Swimming is one of the most fun activities for a hot summer day, for people and pets! Just keep in mind that your pets need supervision just like your children. When you can’t be outside with them, keep your pool gates closed and locked to prevent unwanted swimmers from entering the area. Help keep your children and pets, and those who live in your neighborhood, safe!

Bloat

What Is Bloat?

When bloat occurs, the dog’s stomach fills with air, fluid and/or food. The enlarged stomach puts pressure on other organs, can cause difficulty breathing, and eventually may decrease blood supply to a dog’s vital organs.

People often use the word "bloat" to refer to a life-threatening condition that requires immediate veterinary care known as gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV), gastric torsion and twisted stomach. This condition can cause rapid clinical signs and death in several hours. Even with immediate treatment, approximately 25% to 40% of dogs die from this medical emergency.

What Are the General Symptoms of Bloat/GDV in Dogs?

• Distended abdomen
• Unsuccessful attempts to belch or vomit
• Retching without producing anything
• Weakness
• Excessive salivation
• Shortness of breath
• Cold body temperature
• Pale gums
• Rapid heartbeat
• Collapse

What Causes Bloat in Dogs?

The exact cause is currently unknown. Certain risk factors include: rapid eating, eating one large meal daily, dry food-only diet, overeating, overdrinking, heavy exercise after eating, fearful temperament, stress, trauma and abnormal gastric motility or hormone secretion.

What Causes GDV in Dogs?

The exact cause is currently unknown.

What Should I Do If I Think My Dog Has Bloat?

Bring your dog to a veterinarian immediately. Timeliness of treatment is paramount, since a dog exhibiting signs of bloat may actually have GDV, which is fatal if not promptly treated.

How Is Bloat Treated?

Depending on your dog’s condition, a veterinarian may take an X-ray of the abdomen to assess the stomach’s position. The vet may try to decompress the stomach and relieve gas and fluid pressure by inserting a tube down the esophagus.

How Is GDV Treated?

If the stomach has rotated, emergency surgery is necessary to correct torsion. There are many complications that can occur both during and after surgery, including heart damage, infection and shock; intensive post-operative monitoring for several days is routine. Most vets will recommend that during this surgery, the dog's stomach be permanently attached to the side of the abdominal cavity in order to prevent future episodes.

Are Certain Breeds Prone to Bloat/GDV?

Most dogs love to overeat if given the opportunity, so any dog, from a Greyhound to a Chihuahua, can get bloat.

However, it is very rare for dogs that are not large, deep-chested breeds to be struck with GDV. This condition most often afflicts those dogs whose chests present a higher depth-to-width ratio. In other words, their chests are long (from backbone to sternum) rather than wide. Such breeds include Saint Bernards, Akitas, Irish Setters, Boxers, Basset Hounds, Great Danes, Weimaraners and German Shepherds.

How Can I Prevent Bloat/GDV?

• Feed your dog several small meals, rather than one or two larger ones, throughout the day to avoid eating too much or too fast.
• If appropriate (check with your vet), include canned food in your dog’s diet.
• Maintain your dog’s appropriate weight.
• Avoid feeding your dog from a raised bowl unless advised to do so by your vet.
• Encourage normal water consumption.
• Limit rigorous exercise before and after meals.
• Consider a prophylactic gastropexy surgery (which fixes the stomach in place, as described above) if you have a high-risk breed.

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/dog-care-bloat.aspx

Pets & Over-the-Counter Medications

We may feel like our pets are human sometimes, but we have to always remember that they cannot eat some of the same foods or take the same medicines as us. It’s important to always keep your medications—from potent prescription medicines to basic pain killers like Tylenol and cough drops—out of your pet’s reach at all times.

Pets & Cookouts

Planning a barbeque at your house this summer? Having guests over, cooking out, swimming, socializing…all of these things can be tons of fun, but make sure your pet is accounted for during your picnic! There are many foods that are dangerous for pets to eat, and some pets are frightened of being around too many strangers at once. You know your pet better than anyone else, so consider in advance what would be best for your pet…staying with a friend, boarding, or sitting in a quiet part of the house while your guests are over are all good options.

Heat Stroke

Heatstroke is caused by overheating and dehydration, but did you know that it could be fatal? Pets that are left outside in the sun or not given plenty of fresh water to drink are at risk. Signs of heatstroke include shaking, excessive panting, and disorientation. If you think your pet is having heatstroke, it’s important to apply cool towels to your pet’s body to lower their temperature and bring them into Veterinary Emergency Group as quickly as possible.