Winterizing Your Pet
Winter is here and so are the cold temperatures. Please keep
in mind that animals need protection from the cold just as we
do. Here are some tips for keeping your pets comfortable and
safe during the winter months.
- Check outside doghouses for drafts and leaks.
- Line the doghouses with straw and make sure the entrance
faces away from the wind.
- Feed outdoor pets twice as much food as usual and use a heated
water bowl.
- Bring in outdoor pets when the temperature is 0 degrees or
below and keep indoor/ outdoor pets contained inside the house
if there is a wind-chill or snow advisory.
- If your pet has been overly exposed to the harsh cold, check
the ears, feet and tail for signs of frostbite. If you notice
any swelling or blackening of these areas, bring your pet in
for immediate treatment.
- Be careful when you start your car. Cats will crawl onto
a warm engine, so beep your horn or bang on the hood before starting
your engine.
- Wipe pets' feet if they have been walking on sidewalks or
roads that may have had salt or chemicals used to de-ice them.
- Keep antifreeze cleaned up at all times. Animals (and children)
will drink antifreeze, which is lethal.
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Checking Collars
Don't forget to check the fit of your pet’s collar. Adult
dogs with winter coats and growing puppies will need their collar
adjusted. You should be able to fit two fingers comfortably under
the collar.
If your cat is wearing a collar, make sure it is the stretchable,
break-away kind with a current identification tag. |
Keeping Kitty Safe Indoors
Keeping kitty indoors may help keep her safe from fights,
disease, predators, cars and the other hazards of wandering the
neighborhood. But inside there are dangers to watch out for,
too:
- Dangling drapery and blind cords often attract cats, who
love to play with them. Unfortunately they can also get tangled
in them and severely hurt, even strangled. Tie the cords up with
a rubber band or wrap them around a cord holder - to keep this
temptation where kitty can’t reach.
- If your cat spends her time wandering your counters, make
sure your gas or electric stove top is out of reach. An open
flame or hot grate can cause severe burns. One option is burner
covers. Another is placing foil on your counters discourage your
cat from jumping there in the first place.
- Cats like small, warm places to sleep and your clothes dryer
may be especially tempting. Always check your dryer before turning
it on. If you see your kitty go in the dryer close the door and
knock on the top for a few seconds before letting her out. That
may be one way to teach her not to go in there.
- Another place where cats like to sleep is under furniture,
and recliner and rocking chairs pose a special hazards. Cats
caught in the recliner's mechanism, or under a chair runner,
can be seriously injured or killed.
- Also remember to keep electric cords and toxic plants out
of kitty's way.
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Geriatric Pet Program
We have started a new Geriatrics Program to properly evaluate
and effectively treat our patients who are canine and feline
"senior citizens."
Pets over the age of seven have an increased risk of developing
age-related diseases and conditions such as arthritis, heart
disease, kidney disease, malignant and benign tumors, Diabetes,
tooth and gum disease, loss of vision and loss of hearing.
In many cases, early detection and treatment is the key to
curing or delaying the progression of most of these conditions.
For this reason, we strongly recommend that all our patients
over the age of seven have an annual Geriatric Evaluation. This
evaluation includes a thorough physical exam, a complete blood
count, blood chemistry profile, urinalysis and radiography.
When the evaluation is complete and the test results have
been received, we will discuss the findings with you. At that
time, we will advise you of any needed treatment or change in
diet for your pet.
Most of the time, the results are normal and you can take
heart knowing that you are working to ensure that your beloved
pet lives as long, healthy and happy a life as possible.
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What Color is Your Cat?
Wondering whether your beautiful new kitty is a tortoiseshell,
calico, torbie or tricolor? Her coloring and patterning let you
know for sure.
When you see a cat with two colors blended and no distinct
patterning, you're looking at a tortolseshell. Tortoiseshell
coats are often made up of patches of red and black; if dilute,
then cream and blue. A cat with two colors and a distinctive
pattern all over is called a torbie (short for tortoiseshell
tabby). The torbie pattern is also called a patched tabby. Torbies
are essentially a combination of tortoiseshell and the tabby
pattern.
A calico is mostly white with two other colors (red, black,
blue, chocolate, lilac, or cinnamon) broken up into distinct
patches. The white part of the coat is usually more prominent
on the underside of the body, and the colored patches tend to
be larger and more distinct than in the tortoiseshell or torbie
pattern.
A tricolor cat, as the name implies, is simply a cat with
three colors. Calico cats are good examples. Common tricolor
combinations include red, black and white; red, chocolate and
white, cream, blue and white, and cream, lilac and white.  |
Kneading in Cats
When your cat gets comfortable on a chair or your lap, it
may display a behavior called kneading. Which means it may not
need much at all.
Kneading occurs when a cat rhythmically presses its paws against
you or another soft surface as if it were kneading bread. This
motion probably reminds an older cat of the time when it was
nursing and movement against the side of its mother stimulated
milk flow.
Don't be concerned that your kitty's not happy if she starts
kneading you. It's perfectly normal - a sign that she's completely
relaxed with the company she's keeping. |
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