Monday, December 17, 2012

Dog-Friendly Treat Recipe


Here is a dog-friendly treat recipe that your canine companion is sure to love.
Holiday Dog-Friendly Treat Recipe:
ingredients
1 cup shredded roasted turkey meat
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 sweet potato--baked, skin discarded and potato coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons cranberry sauce

directions
In a medium bowl, combine the turkey and breadcrumbs. Mix gently with your hands, then mix in the egg and sweet potato. Shape into two 1/2-inch-thick patties.
In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the patties and cook, turning once, until golden-brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Top with the cranberry sauce and let your canine enjoy!


Monday, December 10, 2012

Holiday Cat-Friendly Treat Recipe



Ingredients:
½ cup of hamburger
½ teaspoon shrimp paste (see Asian food section of your local grocery store)
¼ cup shelled shrimp, washed in hot water, and minced
½ teaspoon catnip

Directions:
Mix shrimp paste with the catnip and then hand work it into the hamburger.
Add minced shrimp to the hamburger mix and make into little meatballs.
These can be fed raw, or baked at 425° F for 10 minutes.

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Holiday Foods


Many of the foods that we eat during the holidays are dangerous for our pets to eat. Foods like turkey and turkey bones, sugary treats, candy, grapes, onions, and more are things that your pet should never eat. Make sure to keep an eye on them during the holidays and warn your guests not to give them handouts.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Top 10 Halloween Safety Tips for Pet Parents



Attention, animal lovers, it's almost the spookiest night of the year! The ASPCA recommends taking some common sense precautions this Halloween to keep you and your pet saying "trick or treat!" all the way to November 1.
1. No tricks, no treats: That bowl of candy is for trick-or-treaters, not for Scruffy and Fluffy. Chocolate in all forms—especially dark or baking chocolate—can be very dangerous for dogs and cats. Candies containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can also cause problems. If you do suspect your pet has ingested something toxic, please call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
2. Popular Halloween plants such as pumpkins and decorative corn are considered to be relatively nontoxic, but they can produce stomach upset in pets who nibble on them.
3. Wires and cords from electric lights and other decorations should be kept out of reach of your pets. If chewed, your pet might suffer cuts or burns, or receive a possibly life-threatening electrical shock.
4. A carved pumpkin certainly is festive, but do exercise caution if you choose to add a candle. Pets can easily knock a lit pumpkin over and cause a fire. Curious kittens especially run the risk of getting burned or singed by candle flames.
5. Dress-up can be a big mess-up for some pets. Please don't put your dog or cat in a costume UNLESS you know he or she loves it (yup, a few pets are real hams!). For pets who prefer their “birthday suits,” however, wearing a costume may cause undue stress.
6. If you do dress up your pet, make sure the costume isn't annoying or unsafe. It should not constrict the animal's movement or hearing, or impede his ability to breathe, bark or meow. Also, be sure to try on costumes before the big night. If your pet seems distressed, allergic or shows abnormal behavior, consider letting him go au naturale or donning a festive bandana.
7. Take a closer look at your pet’s costume and make sure it does not have small, dangling or easily chewed-off pieces that he could choke on. Also, ill-fitting outfits can get twisted on external objects or your pet, leading to injury.
8. All but the most social dogs and cats should be kept in a separate room away from the front door during peak trick-or-treating hours. Too many strangers can be scary and stressful for pets.
9. When opening the door for trick-or-treaters, take care that your cat or dog doesn't dart outside.
10. IDs, please! Always make sure your dog or cat has proper identification. If for any reason your pet escapes and becomes lost, a collar and tags and/or a microchip can be a lifesaver, increasing the chances that he or she will be returned to you.




Friday, September 14, 2012

Autumn Pet Safety

Ah, fall—there's nothing like crisp, cool air, the first months of school and luscious foliage to get you excited for the changing seasons. 


Your pet, too, is probably welcoming the break from hot, sticky weather. But pet parents, beware—fall is also a time of lurking dangers for our furry friends. From household poisons to cold weather hazards, the season is a minefield! Here are some tips to keep your pet snug and healthy during the autumn months.
  • The use of rodenticides increases in the fall as rodents seek shelter from the cooler temperatures by attempting to move indoors. Rodenticides are highly toxic to pets—if ingested, the results could be fatal. If you must use these products, do so with extreme caution and put them in places inaccessible to your pets. 
  • It's back-to-school time, and those of you with young children know that means stocking up on fun items like glue sticks, pencils and magic markers. These items are considered “low toxicity” to pets, which means they're unlikely to cause serious problems unless large amounts are ingested. However, since gastrointestinal upset and blockages certainly are possible, be sure your children keep their school supplies out of paw's reach. 
  • Training tip: If you and your pooch haven't been active outdoors in a while because of the summer heat, do some remedial recall training. Dogs, like people, get rusty on their skills if they aren't using them. 
  • Fall and spring and are mushroom seasons. While 99% of mushrooms have little or no toxicity, the 1% that are highly toxic (PDF) can cause life-threatening problems in pets. Unfortunately, most of the highly toxic mushrooms are difficult to distinguish from the nontoxic ones, so the best way to keep pets from ingesting poisonous mushrooms is to keep them away from areas where any mushrooms are growing. Contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center immediately if you witness your pet eating a wild mushroom. 
  • In order to generate body heat, pets who exercise heavily outdoors, or who live outdoors, should be given more food during colder seasons. Make sure horses and other outdoor animals have access to clean, fresh water that is not frozen. 
  • Autumn is the season when snakes who are preparing for hibernation may be particularly “grumpy,” increasing the possibility of severe bites to those unlucky pups who find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. Pet owners should know what kinds of venomous snakes may be in their environment—and where these snakes are most likely to be found—so they can keep pets out of those areas. 
  • Many people choose fall as the time to change their car's engine coolant. Ethylene glycol-based coolants are highly toxic, so spills should be cleaned up immediately. Consider switching to propylene glycol-based coolants—though they aren't completely nontoxic, they are much less toxic than other engine coolants.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Fall Football Gatherings & Pets

Do you like to go to football games or tailgate parties in the fall? If you’re planning on bringing your pet, it’s important to make sure that they’re safe. Picnic foods –such as greasy burgers, sugary desserts, ribs, chicken with bones, and shish-kabob sticks—can be extremely dangerous for your pet if they’re consumed! Also charcoal grills can be easily knocked over by excited or skittish pets, causing injuries. Remember to keep your pet safe and secure while you’re engaging in activities that could be dangerous for them.


Friday, September 7, 2012

Pets & Allergies

Itchy, rashy, and uncomfortable skin, and painful or gooey ears, are symptoms that your pet may experience if they suffer from allergies! Fall is often a season where allergies are worse than ever, so it’s important to contact us right away if you notice these signs. We can help relieve your pet of their uncomfortable symptoms.

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Pets & Pool Safety


 Swimming is one of the most fun activities for a hot summer day, for people and pets! Just keep in mind that your pets need supervision just like your children. When you can’t be outside with them, keep your pool gates closed and locked to prevent unwanted swimmers from entering the area. Help keep your children and pets, and those who live in your neighborhood, safe! 


Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Happy Work Anniversary Judy!

Happy 14 Year Work Anniversary to Judy! The entire team at Animal Clinic Northview would like to thank Judy for the hard work and dedication she has displayed and for the wonderfully compassionate care she continues to show to the pets in our area!

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Prevent your pet from starting fires

Extinguish open flames: Pets are generally curious and will investigate cooking appliances, candles, or even a fire in your fireplace. Ensure your pet is not left unattended around an open flame and make sure to thoroughly extinguish any open flame before leaving your home.

Remove stove knobs: Be sure to remove stove knobs or protect them with covers before leaving the house – a stove or cook top is the number one piece of equipment involved in your pet starting a fire.

Invest in flameless candles: These candles contain a light bulb rather than an open flame, and take the danger out of your pet knocking over a candle. Cats are notorious for starting fires when their tails turn over lit candles.

Beware of water bowls on wooden decks: Do not leave a glass water bowl for your pet outside on a wooden deck. The sun's rays when filtered through the glass and water can actually heat up and ignite the wooden deck beneath it. Choose stainless steel or ceramic bowls instead.

Pet proof the home: Take a walk around your home and look for areas where pets might start fires inadvertently, such as loose wires and other potential hazards.

Keep your pets safe

Keep pets near entrances when away from home: When leaving pets home alone, keep them in areas or rooms near entrances where firefighters can easily find them.

Secure young pets: Especially with young puppies, keep them confined away from potential fire-starting hazards when you are away from home, such as in crates or behind baby gates in secure areas.

Practice escape routes with pets: Keep collars and leashes at the ready in case you have to evacuate quickly with your pet or firefighters need to rescue your pet.

Consider using monitored smoke detection services: As an added layer of protection beyond battery-operated smoke alarms, smoke detectors connected to a monitoring center help save pets who can't escape when left home alone.

Affix a pet alert window cling: Write down the number of pets inside your house and attach the static cling to a front window. This critical information saves rescuers time when locating your pets. Make sure to keep the number of pets listed on them updated.




Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Pets & Cookouts

With summertime here, cookouts are in full swing! The food is great and the sun is hot!...but please remember to keep the safety of your pet in mind. Food at a cookout may taste great to you, but it’s extremely unhealthy for your pet, so please don’t feed them any table scraps. Any food that is not made for your pet…is not good for them. Keep your pet safe and healthy this summer season!


Tuesday, June 12, 2012

World Pet Memorial Day

Today is World Pet Memorial Day. Having a pet adds joy to a home and the experience of raising one is invaluable. World Pet Memorial Day is a time where everyone who lost a pet pays their respects to their departed friends and remembers the memories that was once shared with them. What can you do today to memorialize your beloved pets?

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Pets In Cars

During the hot, summer months, please consider the safety of your pet when you take them for a ride in the car. Remember that even if you’re planning on running into a store for just a minute, it’s too dangerous to leave your pet in the car. Just a few minutes in a car during the summer months can raise the temperature to unbearable levels. Exposure to such extreme heat can result in heatstroke, which can cause brain damage or even death. Leave your pets at home in the air conditioning this summer.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

June is Social PETworking Month

June is Social PETworking Month! This is a month designated to help pair families with homeless pets. The campaign allows Facebook, MySpace and Twitter addicts to put their hours online to good use by advertising adoptable pets to their networks to help get them seen and into loving homes. So if you know of any pets in need of good homes, take to Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and get the word out this June!

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

June is National Microchipping Month

June is National Microchipping Month and we are encouraging microchipping and encouraging pet owners to check and keep their contact details up-to-date. Make sure your pet is protected with the Home Again microchip if they’re traveling with you this summer, or even if they just like to wander. Call us at 440-327-8282 for more details about the Home Again Microchip.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Pets & Fireworks

Animal Clinic Northview would like to remind you to be aware of your pet’s fears this season. As Memorial Day celebrations fill our town with the loud sounds of firecrackers exploding, we may find it exciting, but your pet may find it to be terrifying. Please keep your pet comforted by containing them in a relaxed environment, as far away from sudden and unexpected sounds as possible. If you need additional advice for dealing with pet anxiety, please let us know and we’d be happy to help. 

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Pets & Swimming

Is your dog a swimmer? Remember to protect their ears from infection. Dogs can develop chronic “swimmer’s ear” from water that gets lodged in the ear canal after a dip in the water. Because of the shape of a dog’s descending ear canal, it is difficult for water to drip out. The moisture left over in the ear canal is the perfect environment for ear infections. After your dog is finished playing in the water, take a towel and gently cover your dog’s ear and gently shake their head. This will keep any excess water from settling in your dog’s ear canal. When bathing, water can get trapped in a pet’s ear canals and cause the same kind of infection. If your pet is still experiencing irritation, call us and we'll be happy to help in any way we can.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Pets & Heartworm

Warm weather means the return of mosquitoes and the heartworm disease that they carry. Because a single bite from a mosquito could transmit the deadly heartworm parasite to your pet, it’s important that your pet stay on a heartworm preventative at all times. We can’t prevent the mosquitoes from biting, but we can prevent their harmful effects. We would love to discuss heartworm prevention for your pet!

Monday, April 23, 2012

Pets & Cookouts

Did you know that some of the most common foods we eat during our cookouts are the most dangerous foods for our pets? Meat with bones in it, such as chicken and ribs, are extremely dangerous for our pets to get a hold of…bones can puncture the stomach and other organs if swallowed because they cannot be digested. Corn-on-the-cob can also be dangerous because dogs have been known to swallow the cob whole! What do you do to keep your dog busy with something else during the barbeque?

Friday, April 6, 2012

Pets & Easter Lilies


Lilies are a popular Easter flower, but did you know that they can actually be toxic to your pet? Like the Christmas poinsettias, lilies can attract the attention of your pet, especially cats, and then have a toxic effect when ingested. Keep those Easter lilies far from your pet's reach this season, or look into artificial options. The art of artificial flowers have gotten so advanced that your guests won't be able to tell the difference...and your pet will be safe.