QuickTips Index

Tips For Recognizing Dental Disease In Dogs And Cats
Dental disease is commonly seen in dogs and cats, and it is often more involved than simply "bad breath". Problems range from malodorous breath to loss of teeth to heart and liver problems. Regular checkups and dental cleanings will prevent many of these health problems. Knowing what to watch for will help your pet maintain good dental health.

Quick Tip - Protect your pet against Cheat Grass and Foxtail!
Late summer is the time to be on alert for various "invaders" from the plant world. As grasses and weeds dry out and seeds begin to scatter, this can mean trouble for pets (and annoyances for people). Daily checks and quick removal are the key to preventing serious problems in the future.

Hot Feet: Protect Your Dog's Feet from Getting Burned on Hot Pavement
Dog's feet and pads are tough, right? Most people are aware that foot pads can be injured by stepping on something sharp, but what about something hot? Thankfully, most dogs stay away from the stove top, but hot pavement is hard to avoid in the heat of summer. Read this Quick Tip to learn about this potential hazard and how to minimize risk.

Quick Tip - Protect your pet against Fly Strike (Myiasis)
Mid to late summer is the most common time of year to see Fly Strike (Myasis). This unpleasant problem is caused when flies lay their eggs on diseased tissue or drainage of living animals and maggots are born. Maggots are the larve (immature form) of flies, and can cause very serious health problems for the host animal.

My pet is terrified of the vet. What are some tips to help my pet?
Many times pet owners put off going to the vet because their pet gets very stressed, or in some cases, aggressive, when faced with going to the vet. The carrier, the car ride and the veterinary office environment create serious stress for some pets. If the visit involves the difficult decision about putting a pet to sleep (euthanasia), many pet owners want to avoid the unfamiliar or stressful time at the veterinary office. Here are some tips to help reduce veterinary office stress.

Make sure your pet gets the correct medications while you are away
I recently attended seminar presented by Pfizer Animal Health, and their research shows that people forget to take their own medications just as often as they forget to give their pet's their medications. (Or they assume that someone else administered the pet's medications.) What about when you are away? Will your pet caretakers remember to give your pet their medications? Here is a quick tip to keep everyone in sync with your pet's medication administration schedule.

Quick Tip for itch relief - oatmeal shampoo
If your pet suffers from inhalant allergies or an itchy skin condition, a gentle oatmeal shampoo may be beneficial. It is important to visit your veterinarian to address the root cause of the itchiness and to reduce secondary problems due to scratching, chewing, and licking. An oatmeal-based shampoo is often a welcome addition to most "itch reduction" treatment plans.

Stressed Out Cats
Despite the laid-back outward appearance (i.e. frequent cat naps) of many cats, having a "stressed out" cat is not something most owners worry about. That said, cats can become stressed by many things. Just what stresses cats out is not always obvious, and stress may manifest in many forms. Read this article to learn about cat stress and find out ways to keep your cat calm.

Clean out that medicine cabinet - safely dispose of expired medications
Time flies, and it is easy to "save something for later" only to find it is considerably out of date when you check it again. This is true for both my medicine cabinet and my refrigerator! As everyone knows, foods spoil and taste bad. Drugs go out of date, but may not look any different. Learn why you should not use expired medications for your pet (or you) and how to safely dispose of old medications.

My pet is needs to be seen by a vet, but is afraid of the car. What should I do?
Sometimes pet owners are unsure if they should take their pet to the vet. Other times, they know that their pet needs to be seen by their vet, but worry that the car trip stress will make their pet worse. If your pet is truly sick or injured, the need to be seen as soon as possible outweighs the unpleasantness of the car ride. Here are some tips and reminders to help pet owners discern what to do for pets afraid of the car.