Newsletter

Winter is a difficult time for pets. Outdoor animals need extra care in order to cope with the cold weather. Special attention should also be paid to older animals, young puppies, and animals with short coats.

It is important for all animals to be properly nourished during the winter months. Outdoor animals require about 25 percent more food during the winter months than during warmer months. The increase in food is necessary to generate enough heat for the body to stay warm. Indoor animals often require less food, since exercise is generally limited.

Pets require adequate shelter during the cold weather. Outdoor dogs should have an insulated dog house that is protected from the wind. The dog house should not be too large (the heat that the dog generates is used to keep him or her warm) and the opening should face south or southeast. A plastic flap should cover the entrance, especially during windy days. Straw, hay, or blankets make excellent bedding material.

Cats generally do not find dog houses very appealing. A small entrance flap (cat door) to the basement of the house, or to the garage, will provide an access to shelter during the cold weather.

Outdoor animals cannot eat snow for a source of water. Clean, fresh water must be provided several times each day. A water heater is a practical solution; however, it must be safe and installed properly.

During the cold weather, cats often take shelter under the hood of cars. A warm engine is a comfortable area for a cat to rest. When the car is started, the cat risks severe injuries from the fan belt or blades. Before starting a car, knock on the hood or raise it in order to conduct a safety check.

Paws should be checked regularly during the winter months. Snow and ice should be removed from the fur located between the toes. Damp paws should be thoroughly dried. Moisture that accumulates between the toes can cause sores. De-icing chemicals and salt are common irritants. If these products are commonly used, animals paws should be bathed regularly.

Antifreeze is extremely toxic if ingested by animals. The sweet taste is often appealing to cats and dogs. Antifreeze that is spilled should be cleaned up immediately.

Pets often experience dry skin during the winter months. Lack of humidity tends to dry the skin. Frequent grooming and brushing helps stimulate the production of oil from the skin glands. A topical humectant spray can be purchased at the hospital to help moisturize the skin and keep the coat shiny.

Occasionally an animal is accidentally left outdoors for an extended period of time in extremely cold weather. As a result, frostbite may occur. The most common areas for frostbite are the tips of the ears, paw pads, and the tip of the tail. The frostbite area should be bathed in warm, not hot, water, and the animal then should be taken to a veterinary hospital.

Kindness is the best care for animals during the winter months. If the temperature drops below 15 degrees F., the pet should be moved indoors. If an animal is shivering or refuses to play, this generally means that he or she is too cold and should be brought indoors.

With warmer weather approaching, plenty of pet owners are thinking of getting into shape before hitting the beach. But what about pets? Obesity is a growing problem among both cats and dogs. And much like humans, too many extra pounds can have far-reaching consequences for our animal companions. In this report from the Veterinary News Network, Dr. Jim Humphries discusses the health problems that can occur if your pet is overweight and shares tips on how you can get your pet's weight under control.

Teeth are digestive structures located within the alveolar bone in the upper (maxillae) and lower jaw (mandible). The alveolar bone is covered by the gingiva, otherwise known as the gums. The teeth are located in sockets and are attached to alveolar bone by the periodontal ligament. This ligament anchors the teeth and also acts as a shock absorber during chewing.

Anatomy Of A Tooth

The typical tooth consists of three areas—the crown, neck and the root. The crown is above the root and is the visible portion of the tooth.

Teeth are composed of dentin, pulp and enamel. Enamel is the hardest substance in the body and protects the tooth from the wear and tear of chewing. The dentin is the material that gives the tooth its shape. In the root of the tooth, the dentin is covered by cementum, which attaches the periodontal ligament to the tooth.

In most domestic animals, teeth are used for chewing, grinding or ripping food. Without healthy teeth, pets have a very difficult time eating and digesting their food.

Good dental care is essential to the health and well being of all pets.

Ask your veterinarian about a dental health care plan for your pet.

Quitting smoking can be difficult, but according to the results of a new study, pets may be the incentive some smokers need to kick the habit. A study conducted by the Henry Ford Health System's Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention found that smokers who own pets reported they would be more likely to quit if provided with information about the dangers of secondhand smoke for pets.

The study was based on a web-based survey of 3,293 pet owners. Among the survey respondents, 50% were either current smokers or lived with at least one smoker. While taking the survey, many of the smokers and non-smokers indicated they would be interested in receiving information about quitting smoking.

The results are good news, both for pets and pet owners trying to quit smoking. While the effects of secondhand smoke on humans are well known, studies have also found that secondhand smoke can cause health problems in pets. Lymphoma in cats and nasal and lung cancer in dogs have been linked to secondhand smoke. Additionally, secondhand smoke has been identified as a possible cause of allergic reactions in dogs, eye disease and respiratory problems in birds and oral carcinoma in cats, according to the Henry Ford Health System.

Most of all, the study provides further proof of how devoted pet owners are to their best friends. While pet owners who smoke may not think twice about their own health when lighting up, it's clear that many are thinking about their pet's health and taking that into consideration when they smoke.

Currently, about 63 percent of U.S. households (about 71.1 million homes) include a pet as a member of the family. About a fifth of all pet owners are current cigarette smokers.

For millions of health-conscious Americans, the annual checkup has become a routine practice. Like people, dogs and cats can benefit from routine wellness exams too. But with one important difference—pets age faster than people.

On average, most dogs and cats reach adulthood by age two. By age four, many pets are entering middle age. And by age seven, most dogs, particularly larger breeds, are entering their senior years.

Because dogs and cats age on average seven times faster than people, significant health changes can occur in a short amount of time. And, the risks of cancer, diabetes, obesity, arthritis, heart disease, metabolic problems and other serious conditions all increase with age.

Many pet owners are not aware that taking a dog or cat to the veterinarian once a year is the same as a person seeing their doctor or dentist once every seven years. It is recommended that pets have a wellness exam every six months so that veterinarians have the opportunity to detect, treat or, ideally, prevent problems before they become life-threatening.

Prevention is the real goal of twice-a-year wellness exams. When veterinarians see a pet on a regular basis, they can help pets avoid some preventable illnesses and diseases. Plus, a pet will never have to suffer from pain that could be treated or prevented by the veterinarian.

Pet wellness exams include screenings for a variety of potential diseases. These screenings are usually accompanied by an individualized risk assessment of your pet's environment—where you live, emerging disease risks in your community, your pet's interaction with other pets and wildlife, travel plans, and other lifestyle considerations.

Pet wellness exams also help your veterinarian determine a proper prevention program, including a vaccination schedule tailored specifically for your pet. By using personalized pet health protocols, veterinarians can pinpoint specific preventive health care needs for your pet.

A pet owner's best source for wellness exam and preventive health care information is their personal veterinarian. Only your veterinarian knows your pet's medical history, current health status, and potential risks your pet faces.

Dog owners in New York may be worried for the safety of their pets following the discovery of a rabid raccoon in Brooklyn’s Boerum Hill neighborhood on February 12. If you’re a resident of the area, keep reading to learn more about the situation and to find out what you can do to protect yourself and your companions.

While raccoons infected with the rabies disease have been common in other areas of New York in recent years, Dr. Sally Slavinski, assistant director of the New York City Department of Health’s Zoonotic, Influenza and Vector Borne Disease Unit, told New York’s Courier Life Publications that the finding in Brooklyn marks the borough’s first sighting in raccoons. While the agency does not yet know the extent of the infection in raccoons in Brooklyn, they are planning to enhance their surveillance of raccoons in the borough. “Right now, it’s an isolated incident,” she told the paper.

While other areas of New York City have seen more cases, it does not appear that raccoons that carry the rabies virus are all that common. According to CNN, health officials received 10 reports of rabid raccoons in Manhattan in 2009, eight of which were in December. In the five years from 2003 to 2008, only one confirmed case has been recorded. The last human case of the virus in New York City occurred in 1953.

New York City is taking control of the situation, according to WABC-TV. Starting in February 2010, wildlife experts began “humanely trapping” raccoons in various parks in the city. “The animals will be vaccinated, marked for identification, and released,” the television station reported. The process will be repeated in summer to vaccinate any raccoons born in the spring.

Raccoons are nocturnal animals, and the University of Texas at Austin’s Environmental Health and Safety department says that “although nocturnal animals are most active throughout the night, it is not an indication that something is necessarily wrong if seen out during the day.” However, the University says that it will be “fairly obvious” if a nocturnal animal is sick. Symptoms can vary but include slow or tame movements, excessive saliva or an apparent “foaming” at the mouth, and an attempt to bite at anything. Should you see an animal that appears to be sick, stay away and call your local animal control center or 311.

Prevention is the best method for ensuring your animal does not acquire the virus. New York State requires all domestic dogs, cats and ferrets to be vaccinated against rabies no later than four months after the pet’s date of birth, and in New York City, the deadline for vaccination is three months after the date of birth. When outside, keep your dog on a leash as often as possible. Please follow these guidelines to prevent your pet from being infected and also to stop the spread of the disease.