No Bones About It: Bones are Unsafe for Your Dog

Some people think it's safe to give dogs large bones, like those from a ham or roast.  The idea that it's natural for dogs to chew on bones is a popular one.  However, no matter the size of the bone, it's dangerous practice and can cause serious injury to your pet.

                                                   Risks:

• Broken Teeth
• Mouth injuries
• Choking
• Intestinal blockage
• Constipation
• Rectal bleeding
• Injections
• Death

Make sure to throw out bones from your own meals in a way that your dogs can't get to them.  No matter what the size of the bone is, giving your dog a bone may make your pet a candidate for a trip to the vet.

There are many bone-like products made with materials that are safe for dogs to chew on.  We offer Purina Dental Chews at South Des Moines Veterinary Center as an alternative to a bone.   Not only do they prevent tartar build-up, they are 100% digestible.  The dental chews dissolve in liquid (stomach acid), so they will not cause any blockage throughout the digestive system.

 

References: www.fda/gov/consumer  FDA Consumer Health Information/ U.S. Food & Drug Administration

Back to School Blues

It's the time of the year: the kids are going back to school.  But how does this affect the family dog?  After a summer filled with the children home every day to play with, then suddenly he's alone most of the day. 

This can lead to boredom and separation issues, which can cause a normally well-behaved dog to behave badly -- chewing on furniture, barking excessively or soiling in the house.

TIPS TO HELP YOUR DOG ADJUST TO THE NEW SCHEDULE:

• Pump up the exercise. Schedule time each day for a long walk, an active round of fetch, or a visit to the dog park where he can romp with canine friends. Leaving your dog alone out in the yard does not count as exercise.

• Add mental stimulation. To reduce boredom while the family is out, fill a treat-dispensing ball with your dog’s breakfast kibble; she’ll have to work to retrieve her meal – and will be so busy that she won’t notice you are gone.

• Send him to doggy daycare. Avoid long lonely days at home with doggy daycare, where dogs play together in a safe, supervised environment that is helpful for dogs of all ages, sizes and breeds. Just one or two days a week is beneficial for most pets.

• Try training. Working on a new trick each day will engage a dog intellectually and physically. A training class will not only refresh skills, but also give dogs time to socialize with canine friends.

Reference:
http://www.khou.com/community/blogs/animal-attraction/Animal-Attraction--165953176.html
http://www.bestfriendspetcare.com/

Fun Cat Facts

How many cat facts do you know? Test your knowledge!


Cat Fact #1
The average life-expectancy of an indoor cat is 12-16 years or longer.
A cat who lives outdoors, lives an average of 2-5 years. 

Cat Fact#2
In approximately seven years, an un-spayed female cat and one un-neutered male cat and their offspring can result in over 400,000 kittens. 

Cat Fact #3
Cats start to purr at one week old.


Cat Fact #4
Cats have 5 toes on their front paws and 4 toes on their back paws.  The exception is if the cat is polydactyl meaning they have extra toes.

Cat Fact #5
A cat uses his whiskers to determine whether or not they can fit through an opening.  (This is why you should never cut a cat's whiskers.)

Cat Fact#6
Cats step with  both left legs, then both right legs when they walk or run.  They only other animal to do this are the giraffe and the camel.  

Cat Fact #7
The rigid pattern on a cat's nose pad is as individual as a human fingerprint.

Cat Fact #8
A cat has 12 whiskers on each side of it's face.

Cat Fact #9
A cat can easily jump up to 5 times its own height in a single bound, and still lands gracefully.

Cat Fact #10
There are more than 500 million domestic cats in the world, and the number is growing fast.