27 Nov 2024

Final Month of Pet Holidays to Celebrate

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The final season of celebrations has arrived. For 12 months I have shared pet holidays that are celebrated each year. I was unaware of many celebrations myself so enjoyed learning right along with all my readers. December has a smaller list of celebrations probably because everyone is so focused on their own holiday gatherings with coworkers, friends, and family.

Nice to see cats recognized during the month of December as we celebrate National Cat Lovers’ Month. It seems that cats are often overlooked in many different areas from diets, to toys, to medications, to pet celebrations. Cats visit veterinarians less on average than dogs. Many dog households have cats that never see a veterinarian. If you love your cat and it has not had an exam in the last year. Try to set up a well check for them. So often we see cats that no longer are eating, and owners are shocked when they realize how much weight they have lost. Cats are great at hiding illness. It is an instinct that came from their wild ancestors. If a cat showed weakness or illness, they would become a target, so they hide or sleep to avoid being attacked. Our domestic cats hide and sleep because they do not feel well but in a busy household those small changes can be missed. Free feeding cats in a multiple cat household can make it hard to know who is eating and who is not. With new diets and therapies catching these illnesses early can offer treatment that will allow them to live longer lives. Isn’t that our goal to have our pets live longer so we can enjoy them for years to come. Set an appointment today for your cat.  Start them on the road to a longer healthier life and show them how much you love them!

December 2nd is National Mutt Day. It is also known as National Mixed Breed Day since many do not like to consider their dogs as mutts. The website has some cute photos of mixed breed dogs and then draws attention to a few famous mutts as well. In the past many years, the number of mixed breed dogs has increased tremendously. People claim their dogs are hybrids or pure bred maltipoo or goldendoodles. I am sorry to say that this is not correct. They are mixed breed dogs. It amazes me that people ignore that fact. I am all for mixed breed dogs since they often are healthier. Traditionally less genetic abnormalities and health issues are seen in mixed breed dogs. Poodles are being crossed with many different breeds of dogs to reduce shedding. Many new pet owners do not realize the need to have these dogs groomed frequently. Since the hair does not fall out the dogs need to be groomed. As veterinarians we are seeing more skin issues related to poor grooming techniques. The density of many of these coats requires that undercoat to be removed on a regular basis to allow the skin to breathe. Without grooming, the risk of bacterial dermatitis or fungus increases beneath that heavy layer of hair. Often these dogs must be shaved down to the skin to remove the mats and debris that has accumulated in the hair coat. If you own one of these mixed breed poodle crosses please speak with your veterinarian or a groomer to learn the proper way to care for these hair coats. Start regular care as young puppies so they will know what is expected for their grooming needs as they grow. Since there are more mixed breed dogs in the world they have a celebration on July 31st as well.  Two opportunities to celebrate our mixed breed furry friends each year.

Shelter pets are certainly important to recognize each year. Therefore, on December 5th we have Celebrate Shelter Pets Day. With December being the time of giving why not find a shelter to donate food, toys, cat litter, blankets, etc. These shelters do amazing work and often are not recognized for the time and energy they put forth to help find forever homes for these sweet critters. If you have a shelter pet, why not take a picture to post on social media and talk about their “Gotcha Day”. Let’s encourage others to adopt a shelter pet since most dogs these days are mixed breed anyway!

International Day of Veterinary Medicine is celebrated on Dec 9th each year. This is a worldwide event to honor all people in the profession. To recognize that the field of Veterinary Medicine expands into public health and human welfare also. Keeping our food supply healthy. Protecting our environment to prevent loss of important species of animals. Many people think of a veterinarian as a person that cares for animals. That is one important role but there are so many others. Across the globe veterinarians and their support staff work together to battle cases of rabies. They collaborate to protect the marine species populations from changing water temperatures and levels. When a chemical spill happens anywhere, veterinarians are called in to assist in the care of the impacted marine and animal life. When the pandemic hit, veterinary laboratories were running covid tests to assist the human laboratories with the influx of tests. The following link tells some history of when Veterinary Medicine began. The variety of roles veterinarians and their assistants play are a reason to celebrate December 9th.

International Day of Veterinary Medicine (December 9th)

These last two holidays are not really about pets. National Cat Herders Day is December 15th. This has nothing to do with cats. In theory, herding cats can be quite challenging due to their behaviors and natural instincts. Cats tend to be more solitary and territorial, making them less likely to follow a leader or move in unison. Therefore, this holiday was created to recognize people who can remain calm and organized in the face of all sorts of confusion and chaos. The saying, “It was like herding a bunch of cats“ has been used when someone is trying to organize something, and it requires a lot of patience. Also, the task is next to impossible just like it would be to herd a bunch of cats. The third Thursday in December is National Underdog Day and has nothing to do with dogs. It recognizes people who have done the unexpected and achieved something that no one thought they could do. In 1976 Peter Moeller founded this celebration and encourages you to root for an underdog in your life on this day.

As we close out 2024 and Winterset Veterinary Centers 40th year of business, we continue to be grateful to all our clients and their critters, big and small, that remain loyal to Dr Jim and myself. We love to hear that a new client was referred by friends or family since that is the best compliment you can give us. Recently I saw a client from Georgia that had first visited us in 2022. They travel all over the USA in their camper with their 3 kids and 3 dogs. She said they returned to Winterset because they love the city campground and the new all-inclusive playground but also the small-town friendly people of Winterset Veterinary Center. That made our day to hear that we had left a lasting impact on them, and they chose to return. Have a wonderful Christmas Season and we will see you in 2025!

29 Oct 2024

Bring on the Holidays

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Here comes November and with it we get colder temperatures and longer nights. Veterans day and Thanksgiving are days we all need to be grateful and thankful for the sacrifices others have made for us to live in this great country. Our pets have a few holidays this month as well. We are winding down the year in November with Pet Cancer Month, Senior Pet month, Adopt a Senior Pet, and Pet Diabetes Month. That is a lot to consider during the eleventh month of the year. There are so many senior dogs that have ended up in shelters for multiple different reasons. Most are well mannered and want only to be loved in their final years on this earth. I realize that the most difficult part of owning a pet is how quickly the years fly by. Considering starting with a senior pet makes the time together that much shorter. If you look at it in a different light, how wonderful it is that you offered a loving home for that aging pet who now gets to leave this earth knowing that both lives have been enhanced by each other. Go change a senior pet’s life.

Pet Cancer Month raises awareness that owners need to watch for the 3A’s – changes to appetite, attitude, or activity levels. Multiple health conditions can change the 3A’s. I want to point out that discovering cancer in our pets comes from many different diagnostics. Some cancers like human cancers are benign and cause no health risk to patients. One of the most common ones is lipomas. These are fat tumors that are common in large older canine patients. They become more pronounced as a pet drops weight and many people feel they are growing when it is weight loss that makes them stand out more. Also, dogs’ appetites change for lots of reasons so never assume your pet has cancer just because they are not eating. Malignant cancers are present in our pets and can impact many body functions. Some malignant cancers spread to the lungs where radiographs can show spots. Some cancers have blood changes, but many of the most common cancers show no changes to the blood panels we run routinely. This often surprises clients that we cannot find cancer by running routine blood work. It is still good information to have but our ability to find cancer with it is low. The takeaway is have your pets seen annually at a minimum since dogs age faster than humans. Once they reach their senior years having them seen at least twice per year would be best.

November 1st is cook for your pet day. PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS! We treat pets constantly for digestive issues that started with people food in one form or another. It has become a new trend to home cook for pets. What I see is inconsistency in the formulation of the diets and an imbalance of micronutrients. Pet food companies doing ongoing research have shown the positive benefits of these micronutrients. When we home cook all we can provide are the 4 basic food groups. Pets are living longer lives because we have discovered these micronutrients that the body needs. It is common today to see cats between 15-20 years of age. Many large dogs are living over 13 years which was unheard of 15 years ago. Do not buy into fresh or raw or home cooked marketing tactics. Their only goal is profitability and sales. They are not looking at how to extend the lives of our pets.

Nov 4th – 10th is National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week. Shelters need volunteers, donations, and thank you’s for all their hard work and dedication. Take a bag of food or cat litter or gift cards to say thank you to the local shelters in your area. They deserve our appreciation for helping the lost and surrendered pets in our country. Tell them how much you recognize the sacrifices they make to care for these pets who are waiting for their forever homes. When you go to vote – remember to drop by and donate something to an animal shelter that same week.

Fancy Rat and Mouse Day is November 12th. Who knew there was an organization for this purpose. I visited the site and discovered there are shows for mice and rats just like for cats and dogs. They evaluate their hair type and colors and body compositions. The American Fancy Rat and Mouse Association (AFRMA) has been around in 1983 so it is nothing new. It is part of a non-profit international club. The focus is to promote and educate people about fancy rats and mice. Anyone can be a member so check it out if you have a passion for these pocket pets.

National Dog Show will be held Nov 16 -17th this year. There are over 250 different breeds that will be present. It can be an educational experience to watch the owners/ handlers in the show ring at these dog shows. It is a great place to see various breeds and help in your personal selection of a dog for your family. If you happen to find a breed that you are interested in, please do additional research to find out more about the care, grooming, temperament, size, exercise needs, etc. of that breed. Daily we see people that are mismatched with their dog breed. These mismatches are sometimes based on the time requirements, the energy levels, the size and sex of the dog, or even the location they will live. Do your research prior to purchase and maybe we can help keep adolescent dogs out of shelters.

Since Thanksgiving is in November, we at Winterset Veterinary Center want to thank you for your continued loyalty to our practice. We are grateful for our customers and their critters of all sizes, shapes, and colors. We celebrated 40 years of business in 2024, and we could not have done that without all of you. The original owner, Dr Ken Henrichsen, passed away 10 years ago this month and we are so grateful for his vision. Dr Jim started here in 1988 right after his graduation from the College of Veterinary Medicine and never left. I joined him after Dr Ken’s retirement in 2007. How quickly the years have flown by. As you celebrate this season of Thanksgiving make sure to let your critters know what a difference they have made in your lives. These furry friends bring joy and health to all. Happy Thanksgiving!

30 Sep 2024

Fall Festivities Can Include Ways to Celebrate Your Pet

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Welcome to the October celebrations which are fewer than what we talked about in September. We have some important events to discuss this month so let’s get started.

ADOPT A DOG MONTH is celebrated all month long. Most of these dogs would be found at shelters so this month also has been called “Adopt a Shelter Dog” month. Our shelters are overcrowded with pets of all sizes with most being over 1-2 years of age. Have you ever asked yourself “WHY?” The why comes from unresponsible owners. They got a dog or cat and had no time or money to care for it properly. When it did something to break the human -animal bond the knee jerk reaction was to turn it over to a shelter or release the cat outside. These pets are not broken. They have not been given a chance to prove their loyalty once you step up and show them how committed you will be to them even if they misbehave. All puppies should come with a puppy class to educate the owners on how to be a responsible pet owner. The importance of spay and neuter before sexual behaviors begin is key. Our pets do not become great pets any more than our kids become great by being raised in our home. It requires lots of training and consistency and of course unconditional love. If you are in the market for a pet, please consider checking in with your local shelter.

Adopt-A-Dog Month

Adopt a Shelter Dog Month

October 10th is National Pet Obesity Awareness Day. This is a hot topic around the veterinary circles. A recent study indicated that dogs that are overweight live on the average 18 months shorter than dogs that are of ideal weight. That is a significant time difference. We need to get out of the habit of giving our dogs food/treats as a way of showing our love for them. It is time to use time and exercise to show them we love them. Think how much better that will make us feel as well. It makes me sad to drive by the dog park and see owners just standing talking or scrolling through their phone and their dogs just laying by them. Walk them around the dog park. Play fetch with them. Bring a comb or brush and groom them while you are there. Spend the time interacting with your dogs and helping them exercise. Most importantly we must reduce the amount of food, treats, and people’s food that are offered to our dogs daily. Weight will continue to be a problem if we do not change the volume of intake. No pet can lose weight without changing what amount of food offered. The most recent statistics I could find indicated worldwide dogs and cats overweight percentages are 59.3% and 63% respectively. In 2007 we were at 43% and 53% respectively. Imagine what the next 10 years will look like if we do not change the trajectory. Winter is coming. This is a season when increased weight gain occurs because we are more sedentary. Please evaluate the type of food and volume you are offering to your pet. Make a promise to get active with your furry friends.

National Veterinary Technician week runs Oct 11-17th. As a veterinarian for 36 years, I would be lost without these trained employees. They keep me on track with appointments and procedures. They handle multiple tasks during any given day. They have as much passion for our clients and patients as I do. When they are unable to be at work because they deserve vacation and sick days also, I really miss them. If you appreciate everything our staff does for you during the year, be sure to thank them. Everyone needs to know they are valued, and these veterinary nurses are no exception.

National Pit Bull Awareness Day happens during National Pit Bull Awareness Month. This celebration was started in 2007 and encourages fans of the Pit Bull to help change the perception of this breed. They are a mix of breeds but recently the DNA test from Wisdom Panel is giving a percentage of Pit Bull on their genetic test. That was surprising to me since we have always said the Pit Bulls are a mixed breed. National Pit Bull Awareness Day shares this link to encourage you to get involved. I have always felt that if an ordinance has been drafted it should target vicious dogs not breed specific dogs. Over 30 different breeds have killed people so why do we focus on Pit Bulls. When a Pit Bull is involved in an incident it gets carried over social media at a higher rate than other dog incidents which is unfair. Often dog bites happen on an owner’s property with their own dogs, so they are not reported. This slants our perception of dog aggression and fatalities. No dog breed is more likely to bite than another. There are many factors that go into dog bite tendencies. It would take many blogs to cover all of those. Just be aware that there are as many friendly Pit Bulls as there are Labrador Retrievers out there. Sadly, aggressive dogs come in all shapes and sizes. Caution needs to be in place whenever approaching a dog, especially if children are involved.

National Cat Day is October 29th. Share a photo of you and your cat or just of your cat next month in honor of all the joy they bring to your life. We are blessed by our furry friends each and every day. Our lives would be empty without them so let’s celebrate them. They help us live longer and get us through our darkest days. Next month we turn our clocks back so the days will be darker anyway, but our furry friends will be there to brighten our days.

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