Pets as Christmas Presents

Sometimes it may seem like a cute idea to give someone a pet as a Christmas present, but it’s important to give that some extra thought before you do it. Most pets that are given up lose their home because their owner loses interest in them or is unprepared for the responsibility of pet ownership. This is a huge problem seen among pet owners who receive their pets as “gifts.” Children especially are given the mistaken idea that pets are all fun and games, but they are not fully ready to take on the responsibility of feeding, walking, cleaning, and training their pet.

Instead of giving pets as presents, we recommend getting acclimated to the idea of bringing a new pet into your home. Bringing your children to volunteer at an animal shelter or babysitting the pet of a friend or family member can help. Children and potential pet owners (no matter their age!) need to be reminded that pets aren’t just cute; they are also hungry, need to exercise, and need to use the bathroom. They can be messy when they aren’t fully trained, and the training process can be difficult too.

Please, don’t adopt until everyone in your family is READY. 

Garbage and Pets

If your pet’s nose goes in the trash on a regular basis, be extra careful during the holidays! The trash will be extra interesting when filled with holiday scraps, but it will also be more dangerous. Keep those garbage can lids on tight!

Here’s a cat who loves his bath time!

1 Thing you Should Never See on your Pet's Food Label

If you see the words "veterinarian approved" on your pet food label, look out. That claim is always untrue.

Veterinarians do not approve labels or products. Only state regulatory agencies can do that, according to the The Business of Pet Food, a new website launched by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).
That’s just a taste of the information you’ll find on the site: www.petfood.aafco.org.
What else?
Ingredient lists, labeling requirements, analyses of commercial pet food and government regulations for making and labeling pet food.
The site is for people who sell pet food -- or want to. But there’s lots of information for pet owners, too.
"Many people are surprised by how many regulations apply to the pet food industry," says Liz Higgins, Chair of AAFCO‘s Pet Food Committee.
For example, did you know "veterinarian recommended" means that the company making the food actually surveyed veterinarians to find out if they would recommend the food?
And, like we said, "veterinarian approved" is never true.
So, if you’ve ever wondered …
What’s really in my pet’s food?
What would it take to turn my secret recipe for Tasty Treats into a mail-order business?
Go to http://www.petfood.aafco.org.

Originally published by Healthy Pet.

ACUPUNCTURE / INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE COMES TO ANIMERGE

Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine are now available at Animerge for your pet’s health and well-being! Dr. Diane Gabriel-Fraynert, a veterinarian with expertise in Integrative Medicine and acupuncture, recently joined our staff and adds to our growing specialty and advanced care services.

Integrative veterinary medicine combines the science of traditional western medicine with alternative therapies to provide a holistic approach to health and wellness. This process involves assessing and addressing the entire animal as an integrated system, rather than treating isolated symptoms. Conventional western diagnostics and treatments are incorporated into a holistic health plan. Integrative medicine recognizes the mind-body connection and utilizes herbal and energy healing rather than focusing solely on pharmacological approaches.

Dr. Gabriel-Fraynert, VMD, CVA, has been practicing acupuncture since 2006 and is certified by the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society (IVAS). She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 2001. She has been practicing integrative medicine for five years.

New Veterinary Services Offered at Animerge:

Acupuncture / Electroacupuncture / Aquapuncture

Chinese and Western Herbs

Homeopathy / Homotoxicology

Nutraceuticals / Nutrition

Common Conditions Treated With Integrative Medicine:

Dejenerative Joint Disease, Osteoarthritis, Hip Dysplasia

Invertebral Disc Disease

Degenerative Myelopathy

Kidney and Liver Disease

Wobbler Syndrome

Anxiety

Allergies

Enhanced Quality of Life for Cancer Patients

Summer Treat Recipe for Dogs

Are you looking for a nice summer treat for your dog? This can be as easy as stuffing a Kong and freezing it! Just remember to feed your pet their cool treat outside because it can get a little messy as it defrosts.

Summer Pet Hazards

Dangerous Substances for Pets

At the APCC, we are often asked “what’s the most dangerous substance my pet could be exposed to?” People are often surprised to hear that some of the most dangerous substances are the everyday things we can easily overlook. Albuterol is aperfect example, since it is in the inhalers used by many of the 26 million Americans living with asthma. But albuterol is also highly toxic to pets, and can even cause death if ingested in large enough quantities.

Recently, the APCC assisted Dr. Andrea Freeman at Animerge on a remarkable and fortunately non-fatal case of albuterol poisoning. We thought it might be helpful to share this story with others.

The day before leaving for vacation, Martina was frantically doing last-minute errands, packing for herself and her children, and preparing lists for the pet sitter. Though hurried, she noticed that Bella, her food-loving Labrador, finished neither her own dinner nor your Yorkie’s leftover scraps. It was the first sign something wasn’t right.

Later, when the 80 pound pup had to be coaxed outside for a walk the family knew something was wrong. As they piled into the car to take Bella to the vet, they noticed Bella’s rapid, shallow breathing. The normally exuberant dog who loves car rides needed to be lifted into the vehicle. At the vet, diagnostic tests were unable to determine the cause of Bella’s lethargy. Dr. Freeman and the staff provided excellent supportive care, but without a clear sense of what was causing her symptoms, they sent Bella home for additional monitoring.

But four hours later Bella was back in the emergency room in much worse condition – her bloodwork was concerning, she had an increased and abnormal heart rate, and was having trouble walking.

Dr. Freeman called the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center and spoke to one of our veterinary toxicologists, Dr. Irina Meadows. Dr. Freeman had a hunch that Bella may have ingested a toxin, but Martina’s family couldn’t think of anything. They were, after all, very careful about keeping known harmful substances out of Bella’s reach.

Still, Dr. Meadows trusted Dr. Freeman’s hunch, and asked the owner if anyone in the home was asthmatic. Martina ran to the room of her 10-year-old son. His albuterol inhaler that had been laying in an open suitcase was missing. Martina looked under her own bed, where Bella stores her favorite toys, and discovered the inhaler – still in the box – with a gaping puncture in it.

They had found the toxin and not a moment too soon. Dr. Meadows relayed critical care information to Dr. Freeman who administered treatment immediately. Bella soon began showing signs of improvement, and 48 hours later was back to normal.
This story had a happy ending in no small part because of the fast action and thinking of Martina and her family, the team at Animerge, and the APCC toxicology staff. But it could have easily ended on a different and sadder note had Bella’s illness gone undiagnosed much longer.

The lesson? Next time you think about how to protecting your pet from poisonous substances, make sure to consider common household items (like inhalers) as well as more well-known toxins (like bleach or insect repellent). And, if you have any questions, you can always contact the ASCPA Animal Poison Control Center. We’re here to help.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/aspcaapcc?hc_location=timeline

PET FIRST AID SEMINAR

Join us on Tuesday June 18th for our PET FIRST AID SEMINAR! This ANIMERGE event will take place at Somerset Police Training Academy and can help you as a pet owner know the proper procedures and techniques to do in case your pet is in need of first aid. To make a reservation for next week's event, email ksilva@animerge.net today!

Pet Appreciation Week

This week is Pet Appreciation Week, a time set aside for pet owners to show their pets how much they mean to them.

Memorial Day

Monday is Memorial Day, a time to remember the men and women who dedicated their lives to our nation’s freedom.

It's Pet First Aid Awareness Month!