Turner Veterinary Clinic News
Preventing and Treating Hot Spots on Your Dog or Cat
Acute moist dermatitis, more commonly known as hot spots, occurs due to a bacterial infection on your pet’s skin. Your dog or cat will naturally bite, chew, lick or scratch his skin in response to an irritant. Unfortunately for your pet, this tends to increase rather than decrease his discomfort. Anal gland disease, allergies to fleas or food ingredients, mange, tick bites, and inadequate grooming are the primary causes of hot spots in companion animals.
Hot, humid weather can cause excess skin moisture that in turn causes hot spots to develop. It’s especially important to check your pet’s skin for evidence of hot spots now that the weather is consistently warm.
Safety Tips for a Fun Summer with Your Pet
Dog owners can become too relaxed keeping an eye on their dog near water because they assume all dogs possess an innate ability to swim. This simply isn’t true, particularly for dog breeds with small hindquarters and large chests. When bringing your dog to a pool or beach this summer, make sure you’re in the water with him and remain no more than an arm’s length away. If you decide to go boating with your dog, he should have a life jacket just like everyone else in the boat.
Internal and external parasites can be a problem all year long, but they’re especially prevalent in the summer. Fleas can survive long periods without a living host and may burrow in your carpet or furniture until one becomes available. Be sure to vacuum your carpet regularly, wash your pet’s bedding in hot water, and give your pet frequent baths during the summer to minimize fleas.
If possible, keep your pet indoors when you’re mowing the grass, applying chemicals, or working in the garden. Chocolate mulch is popular among gardeners, but can be toxic to pets if ingested. Insecticides, snail bait, and slug bait are among the top 10 accidental poisonings for domestic pets. If you set rodent traps outdoors, make sure your pet can’t get at them. Some of these chemicals can cause seizures, tremors, and death. You may want to consider an organic alternative for your lawn and garden products.
There’s no shortage of opportunity to cook outside in the summer. Your dog or cat would like nothing better than to find scraps of meat on the ground or even grab whatever is cooking on the grill. Food meant for people can be toxic and a choking hazard while your pet could burn himself on a hot grill. Having a pet underfoot is probably not a good idea at these events. If your pet is present, make sure that all guests know he is not to receive any scraps.
April is Heartworm Awareness Month
Dogs and cats get heartworm disease when an infected mosquito bites them. The heartworm then gets inside of their body and can reproduce, which only worsens your pet’s symptoms. The illness is much more prevalent in dogs, but cat owners also need to know about the symptoms so they can prevent and treat it if necessary. Puppies can start on preventive heartworm medication at eight weeks old without any type of testing. At six months of age, a puppy needs to test negative for heartworm infection before a veterinarian can prescribe preventive medication.
Categories
Recent Posts
As pet owners, we can attest that flea infestation can not only be annoying but also extremely dangerous to our pets. Fleas can cause severe skin irritation, anemia, and even transmit deadly diseases. As we approach the fall season, it's essential to be proactive in preventing fleas before they become a problem. In this article, we will discuss the flea life cycle, the dangers of fleas infesting your pet, signs to look out for, the benefits of flea prevention, and why you should purchase flea prevention medication from us, your trusted veterinarian.
Back to school season is an exciting time for kids, but for pets, it can be the source of anxiety and stress. After a summer filled with playtime, cuddles, and attention, the sudden decrease in activity can have a profound impact on our pets. It's common for pets to experience separation anxiety when their families head back to work and school, and it's important for pet owners to recognize the signs and take steps to help their pets adjust. In this blog post, we will discuss some strategies to help your pets ease into a quieter home.
As pet owners, it's crucial to prioritize the mental and physical health of our beloved companions. One of the most common causes of stress in pets is summer thunderstorms and fireworks. During these events, pets exhibit various behaviors that indicate fear and stress.When experiencing a thunderstorm or fireworks, pets may pant excessively, bark or howl, tremble, hide, or even become destructive. These behaviors can be alarming and cause stress to both the pet and the owner.So what can you do to help alleviate your furry friend's stress during these situations?
The holidays are a time for family, friends, and fun. But for pet owners, they can also be a time to spoil their furry friends! There are so many ways to make your pet's holiday season special. In this blog post, we will discuss five of the best ways to spoil your pet this year. From gift ideas to treats to activities, we have you covered!
One of the most rewarding things about being a pet owner is knowing that you've given an animal a loving home for the rest of their days. And what could be more rewarding than giving a senior pet a "new leash on life"? Senior pets are often passed over in favor of puppies and kittens, but they have so much to offer! Here are five reasons to consider adopting a senior pet today: