Sunridge Veterinary Clinic

Spring and fall are peak seasons for ticks.  Many tick species can survive past the first frost and even live through the winter.  Fleas, as well, are hardy creatures and thrive in rainy fall weather.  Internal parasites are carried by rodents and birds. As young birds are learning to fly, they become easy prey for our pets and can transmit some nasty internal parasites. Reduce your pet's risks by cleaning up any excess leaves and grass that ticks like to hide out in.  Be extra vigilant when your pets are outdoors to avoid any interaction with birds and rodents and talk to us about preventative flea, tick and internal parasite medication appropriate for your pet's needs.

Harvesting our gardens and preparing flower beds for fall, can create a whole new opportunity for our pets to get themselves into trouble.  Plants which we think are harmless and even healthy, can contain toxic parts that may harm our pets.  Some common examples are: Apple seeds, onions and garlic, tomato stems and leaves, rhubarb leaves, cherry pits and flower bulbs.  These plants can cause anything from mild digestive upset and skin irritation to kidney damage and central nervous system distress.  Be aware of the plants in your yard and garden.  Check with poison control to distinguish which ones may be harmful and limit your pet's exposure as much as possible.  Grass stems and the seeds from uncut grass can pose a unique risk as dogs and cats commonly like to eat and chew it.  The stems and seeds can become lodged in the animal's tonsils and cause irritation and infection.  We see patients, most commonly dogs, every year that have grass awns (seeds) lodged in their ears and paws as well.  This painful situation can cause infection and abscesses, often times resulting in the need for a general anesthetic and surgical intervention.

Halloween and Thanksgiving are a time of celebration, joy and feasting!  As animal lovers, we enjoy including our pets in the festivities.  Here's a few things to watch out for to keep them safe:

Of all the foods that are hazardous to our pets, chocolate is definitely the most common and significant threat we see.  Who isn't attracted to the sweet, creamy smell of chocolate?  Dogs are no exception.  Certain chemicals found in chocolate can be toxic to dogs if ingested, causing a number of medical complications that could result in death. The darker the chocolate, the higher the levels of these chemicals. Therefore, dark chocolate and bakers chocolate are much more toxic then milk and white chocolate.  Signs and symptoms of Chocolate Toxicity include: Vomiting, diarrhea, increased heart rate, muscle rigidity, rapid breathing, seizures, weakness, cardiac failure and coma.  Although chocolate poisoning is much more common in dogs it can be seen in felines as well.  Chocolate poses the same risks to cats but is seen much less as cats are not as likely to ingest it. 

Fatty foods and the grease from certain meats can trigger pancreatitis in dogs and cats.  Avoid feeding your pet food high in fat to avoid this painful and life threatening condition.  Leftover bones are best avoided as well.  They can splinter and can cause obstructions in the airway and digestive tract.  At the very least, table scraps and bones can cause digestive upset and diarrhea which may require medical treatment.  If you want to treat your pet to a special meal, give us a call and we can give you a list of healthy, safe treat options and pet friendly pet recipes.