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.

29 Aug 2024

September Celebrations Give Reasons to Party This Fall

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It appears that September has the most celebrations of all the months. Some unique opportunities to celebrate your pets are listed below. You can follow this link to learn more about each of these celebrations as I will only comment on some of them.

  • Happy Cat Month
  • National Service Dog Month
  • National Pet Insurance Month
  • Responsible Dog Ownership Month
  • Pet Sitter Education Month™
  • September 1st – Ginger Cat Appreciation Day
  • September 4th – National Wildlife Day (also celebrated in February)
  • September 8th – National Iguana Awareness Day
  • September 13th – National Hug Your Hound Day
  • September 14th – National Pet Memorial Day
  • September 17th – National Pet Bird Day
  • September 19th – National Meow Like a Pirate Day
  • September 22nd – 28th – National Dog Week. Last full week in September
  • September 22nd – 28th – Deaf Dog Awareness Week. Last full week in September
  • September 23rd – Dogs in Politics Day (also known as Checkers Day). Recognizing the dogs of politicians
  • September 24th – World’s Largest Pet Walk
  • September 26th – Remember Me Thursday® is an international social media awareness day that brings attention to the millions of adoptable pets waiting in shelters and remembers those pets who never got a second chance. Share your rescue pet using #RememberMeThursday
  • September 28th – World Rabies Day

Happy Cat Month seems to me a misrepresentation of cat’s lives.  I have said many times that if there is such a thing as reincarnation, I want to come back as a house cat! They have the best life because they do nothing unless they want to. Never have to clean up after themselves no matter how much of a mess they make.  Someone scoops their poop. Someone puts food in front of them daily. They get to bask in the sun all day. Take cat naps whenever it pleases them. I think every month is Happy Cat Month. Just saying.

So glad they have a National Service Dog month. This should help bring awareness to the roll dogs play in the lives of their handlers/owners. This month initially was to recognize the role Guide dogs play with their vision challenged owners. In 2008, Dick Van Patten had visited a facility in Palm Springs and was emotional about what he saw there. He decided to help raise funds for these training schools so more people could benefit from having a service dog. The month was called National Guide Dog Month at that time but eventually was transitioned to National Service Dog Month. Some service dogs begin as 8-week-old puppies and are trained from the beginning to give aid to their owners. Of these puppies some will never be service dogs because they cannot pass the rigorous tasks/training that are required. Those dogs can be repurposed for other tasks such as drug sniffing or rescue or police work or just a family pet. Some dogs are rescued and given a 2nd chance at a great life of assistance and service. Training an older rescue dog can be challenging but rewarding as they start down the path of service. Please do not try to pass off your pet for a service dog. This creates more challenges for handlers who are truly in need of their service dog and his/her assistance. Some human conditions are easy to spot and understand the need for a service dog. When a service dog is being used for seizures or stressful situations others may question why a service dog is needed. They help their owners as much as a person who has physical disabilities and without their dog would not have the freedom to move about their communities independently. When someone puts a service vest on their pet, and it causes a disturbance in public it creates doubt in people’s minds about other dogs and their functions.  Find an organization that helps train or raise service dogs and donate to their cause so we can help more people get service dogs. There are programs for veterans, vision or hearing-impaired persons, diabetic or seizure afflicted persons, persons with physical disabilities, etc. Each organization gives a gift to individuals who are just trying to live life with as much joy and independence as possible. These service dogs are life-changing for the recipients.

Oddly enough, National Responsible Dog Owner Month is recognized in September. To me this should be recognized every month. We need pet owners to be responsible every month, 12 months of the year, for every year they own their pet. This is a lifetime commitment. Not until you are divorced, have kits, get new furniture, change jobs, etc. The excuses that shelters hear for why someone wants to surrender their dog is endless.  None of these excuses show responsible pet ownership. DO US A FAVOR – DO A PET ASSESSMENT TEST PRIOR TO PURCHASING ANY PET. After the test is taken, if it tells you that you should consider a goldfish because you are not home or too busy or do not want to walk a dog in the rain, sleet, or snow. Get a goldfish, please.

HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE GOTTEN OR CONSIDERED PET INSURANCE? I have to say that September being Pet Insurance Month is something to have a conversation about. Especially if you are starting out with a young pet. The cost of care has increased along with everything else in our country. So often when discussing a trauma or illness situation I hear responses related to finances. Rarely does someone say, “No problem I have insurance.”  Unexpected things happen to young dogs and cats all the time. If you do not have a few grand sitting in your savings account for pet care then you should consider pet insurance. A monthly premium is much easier to budget for than the cost of care for an injured or sick pet. Talk with your veterinarian about pet insurance and what it can do for you.

September is also Pet Sitter Education Month. Patti Moran founded Pet Sitters International (PSI) in 1994. This organization has trained and provided continuing education for pet sitters for decades. They stress professional development and certification to bring this position to new levels when caring for other people’s pets. Many still use the kid down the street or family members that live close by when they must be gone from their homes. PSI wants you to consider other options to keep your furry friends happy while you are absent. Pets have become family so looking for the best care while you are gone or working creates opportunities for organizations such as PSI.

September 23rd is known nationally as Dogs in Politics Day. It originally was called Checker’s Day. He gave a speech on this day in 1952 and it has been dubbed “Checker’s Speech.” He was being questioned about some of his campaign donations and during the speech he indicated that regardless of  what anyone said he was keeping one of the gifts he had been given. He was referring to the gift of a black and white dog his children had named “Checkers”. Now it is representative for all dogs that are in the spotlight with their owners who happen to be in politics. Many other furry friends have lived in the white house over the years and become famous.

Remember Me Thursday will be celebrated on September 26th this year. This day promotes adoption of shelter animals and remembers those who never had the opportunity to be adopted. This is a great time to share your adoption story and raise awareness that shelter animals deserve forever homes also. Give that shelter dog or cat a second chance at life.

World Rabies Day will be celebrated on September 28, 2024. This is a world event. It started in 2007 and continues to this day to raise awareness of the deadly disease and how it is transmitted. In America we have little risk of being bitten by a rabid animal and fortunately we have an effective antidote to stop the progression of the disease. Human cases of rabies amounts to less than 10 cases a year in our country. Animal to animal cases of rabies can be seen more frequently. The last known death of a human from rabies was in November 2021 when a child was bitten by a bat and the parents did not seek treatment. The child died within 3 months.  In Asia and Africa numbers of human deaths can be >50,000/year according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Most deaths are a result of dog bites to children under the age of 15. In those regions the access to human rabies antidotes is limited and costly. If you are ever traveling and see unattended dogs, my advice would be to not interact with them.

As we welcome fall, please continue your flea and tick prevention. Madison County Iowa needs to do prevention year-round anymore. We do not have enough snow to stop the deer ticks that transmit Lyme disease. The cases of Lyme disease in dogs have risen at our practice in the last 2 years related to our mild winters. It appears that Fall allergy season has started as well. We are getting many calls about itching feet and ears related to seasonal allergies. Be sure your flea and tick prevention are up to date before assuming it is allergies. One flea will bite a pet more than 50 times a day and can make the itch appear to be allergies. Enjoy the weather and beautiful color changes Fall brings. We are so blessed to have many places to take our pets and explore the great outdoors. 

HAPPY FALL!

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