Pet care is important to ensure that pets live long and healthy lives. However, first time pet owners have much to learn about how to take care of their pets. Today, first time pet owners can gain access to the information they need, which can help them know how to properly care for their pets. Resources include the Internet, pet stores, and veterinarians. If you are a first time pet owner, you have the obligation to find out all you need to do to properly care for your pet. Petco customer service
One of the first things you need to do is to ensure that your pet is eating nutritious and healthy food. There are quite a number of good quality pet food brands to choose from. It’s just as important to know what you should not be feeding your pet, as there are cases where the food that humans eat may prove lethal to some pets. Another important thing you need to ensure is that the housing and the space you provide for your pet should be adequate enough for your pet to move around so that it can get the exercise it needs.
If you have limited space available, make sure you take your pet outside where it can exercise. In addition to these, you should also try to bring your pet to the veterinarian as regularly as possible so that your pet would get the necessary vaccinations and treatments to keep him healthy. Getting insurance for your pet may help offset the costs of such treatments.
For first time pet owners, the responsibility of taking care of their pets can be a bit daunting. Fortunately, the information that pet owners need to help them take care of their pets is readily available from a number of sources. Moreover, taking some necessary yet simple steps can make first time pet owners into knowledgeable owners in no time. Petco customer service
Outbreak of Parvovirus in Michigan
What Happened In Michigan?
As most of us have most likely heard through various media outlets, there has been an outbreak of a fatal virus in dogs who have been residing in Michigan. It has been reported that dozens of dogs, most less than 2 years of age, have presented with vomiting, diarrhea, and severe dehydration. These symptoms are the hallmark of an unfortunately common illness in dogs called canine parvovirus (CPV) which is all too often fatal. What makes the situation in Michigan particularly concerning is that all of the dogs that died were tested for CPV in the clinics and shelters using rapid tests and all of the test results were negative. Petco customer service
What We Know Now
Due to nature of the illness it didn’t take long for The Michigan State Veterinarian, Dr. Nora Wieland to get involved in looking for the cause. On August 23rd she released an update stating, “We are still in the early stages of this investigation, but some of the first samples submitted to the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (MSU VDL) were positive for canine parvovirus.” The MSU VDL was able to use more sensitive testing than that available in the shelters and clinics which resulted in the positive tests.
Further investigation into the histories of the dogs involved revealed that some of them had not received CPV vaccinations yet while others had. However, none of the dogs who died were fully vaccinated against CPV according to manufacturer recommendations. Between the vaccine status of the dogs, the manor of death, and the positive test results, there is little doubt that the dogs died of CPV. Petco customer service
What We Don’t Know
One of the major questions we’re left with why the tests in the clinics were all negative for parvovirus. MSU VDL will continue to investigate the samples. The director of the lab Dr. Kim Dodd, DVM said “We continue to further characterize the virus in hopes of better understanding why those animals were testing negative on screening tests.” Why those tests were negative may be important and that’s the information we are waiting for.
Pet Care is Important to Keep Your Pets Healthy
We find that many people love to keep pets. People who love animals always keep one at home. Cats and dogs are the two most common animals kept as pets. They are a source of companionship and the house is livened with the playful activities of the pet-animals. Having dogs as pets is preferred by a majority of the people, because dogs are loyal and they guard the house. Some people dread keeping animals because they either hate to take care of them, or they are scared of allergies from pets. Petco customer service
Apart from cats and dogs, there are so many other animals that are kept,like rabbits, fish, birds like parrots and love birds, guinea pig and sometimes monkey’s, spiders and even snakes. It is always better to avoid keeping wild animals as pets.
Although pets are considered as an addition responsibility, do you know that having pets has many health benefits? It has been found out that pets can reduce stress, reduce blood pressure and heart diseases, reduces loneliness, and will be there with you at tough times. Petco customer service
Whatever animal you keep as pet, the most important factor is that you have to take care of it. If you decide to keep an animal, you should also be willing to spend time and money to care for your pets. Caring for your pet should not be considered as a burden. Pets are like a part of your family and you should care for them just as you care for your children.
Make sure that your pet given the proper diet. Avoid giving foodstuffs that not suitable for your pet, like dogs not given chocolates. Your pets need your love and affection, so spend some time with your pet daily. Pet-sanitation training is also very important, so that they don’t dirty your house.
Your pet should always kept clean. There are many types of bath and grooming accessories typically made for pets depending on their type and nature. There are pet shampoos and soaps and also pet combs to to prevent hair shedding and pet towels that absorb water faster. Petco customer service
It is very important that your pets remain healthy and free from diseases, and it is essential that you pet eats a balanced nutritious diet. The food your pets eat should contain carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, fat, proteins and water. If you have dogs or cats has pets. make sure you include raw meat in their daily diet. There are many types of nutritious dog foods available in the market. Petco customer service
Another very important thing is vaccination. Your pets should vaccinate yearly to prevent them from contagious diseases. Ear mites are very common in cats and dogs and it can lead to infections. So a regular visit to the veterinarian is a must.
When to Take Your Pet to For personal
Due to shelter in place a lot of us are working from home, teaching our kids from home and well… are home. This has given us plenty of time to observe our pets on a daily basis. Some clients jokingly remark, “Wow! I never knew my cat just slept all day.” While it’s true that the domestic cat does sleep a lot (the average is 18-20 hours daily) indoor-only cats also learn to modify their behavior based on our schedules, their feeding schedule, etc. Just because we are home all day long, does not mean our pets are going to stop their routines. However, we might be asking ourselves “is that normal?” Petco customer service
I would like to take this time to make owners aware of some behaviors that would necessitate a trip in to the clinic (even in this restricted climate).
- Change in appetite: this is a big red flag for me. Most animals eat a certain amount of food daily and consistently. When your pet is suddenly “being picky,” I am concerned. If this is only for one day, likely you could wait to come in, unless you have seen this behavior before as a result of illness. If it is accompanied with vomiting, diarrhea, or simply a lack of appetite altogether, you should think about making an appointment.
- Change in sleep habits. Dogs and cats sleep in certain, predicable areas of the home. They also sleep on average, the same amount every day. So, now that you are home and can more closely note those patterns, the question is, has it changed? If your pet is sleeping in a strange area of the home, restless during the day or night, they might be trying to tell you something is not right.
- Signs of pain: this can sometimes be challenging for owners to see. Dogs and cats can be very good at hiding their discomfort. Some common signs could include:
- Obsessive licking of one area of their body. This can be a sign of discomfort of that area of their skin (such as an allergic reaction or wound under the fur) or of the tissue underneath the skin (e.g. repeatedly licking their abdomen due to intestinal or urinary pain).
- Not wanting to put all their weight on one leg. This could be stiffness from arthritis, to a sprain or strain of soft tissue. It may also represent a more serious problem, such as torn tissue or a fracture.
- Low energy can also be a sign of pain. You expect your cat to play with their toys and interact with you a certain way and for a certain amount of time. If they suddenly disintereste, could it be just a bad day, or it becoming a pattern? The same could said for a dog. You’re on a walk or run and they want to sit down. Or perhaps they are trying to go back home or lag way behind. All of these behaviors are potentially abnormal and signs of pain that would prompt you to call for an appointment.
- One additional option to be aware of is telemedicine. This is an opportunity for you to schedule an appointment with one of the SVA doctors without having to leave your home. Now, while this is appealing to many, be aware that it does have limitations. We can provide this phone consultation service to clients that have brought their animal in for a previous issue we want to follow up on (such as a healing wound, skin infection, or lameness). We also can help with medication dosing questions, behavioral consultations (for anxious pets) and nutritional counseling to name a few. If you think that you would like to explore this option, please don’t hesitate to call and one of our front end team members can help to set this up on a case by case basis.
- So, while we are at home we can not only focus on all those neglected home projects, and get to that TV program we have been eyeing, but we can also make sure we are checking in on our furry friends and to ensure they are getting the love and attention they deserve. Please contact one of our SVA clinics if you have any questions or concerns as we are open for appointments (with new policies in place to keep you and our staff healthy and safe).
Cold Weather
In Seattle, we’re fortunate to rarely suffer the treacherous winter conditions routinely seen in other parts of the country. Despite our relatively mild weather, winter can still cause problems for our furry friends either because of the cold itself or because of measures we take to deal with the cold, wet days. Here are some things to look out for to keep our pets safe this winter.
Several concerns arise with respect to warming up the insides of our homes. Carbon monoxide detectors are crucial to warn you if your fuel-burning appliances are leaking the fatal gas into your home. Space heaters should use with caution in locations frequented by your pet. Pets can knock over these heaters resulting in fires. A pet sleeping too close to a heater for too long can burn itself, too. Heating your home can reduce the humidity of your home which can worsen a pet’s skin or respiratory issues. Humidifiers can be helpful to keep your pet comfortable. Petco customer service
During walks with your dog in the snowy pass, consider lubricating their paw pads, the skin, and the fur between the pads with petroleum jelly or musher’s wax. These can protect their tootsies against the cold, salt and /or chemicals that they might come into contact with. Better yet, booties offer a much higher level of protection, if your pooch will tolerate them. Check between your pup’s paw pads regularly for snow balls which should remove when they are forming. Watch your dog for limping and if any observe, check their paws for cracke pads and/or bleeding. Petco customer service
