Pet Health Myths

You have probably heard lots of things about your pets that come from well-intentioned but misinformed people, and some of this advice can be quite harmful to your dog or cat. Here are some of the things that veterinarian and their staff hear most often from both pet owners and non-pet owners.

Myth 1: Dogs can mostly eat whatever people eat.
Your dog (and your cat, for that matter) should have a healthy diet that consists of protein, fat and carbohydrates that is delivered through quality pet food. What dogs need to stay healthy are not the same foods as what people should eat. If you’d like to feed your pets some of what we eat, stick to simple foods like cauliflower, small carrots, lettuce, pears and apples. Avoid raisins and grapes they are toxic to dogs. Cats shouldn’t be given milk, but many of them enjoy putting their paws in moving water.

Myth 2: Pets can get good dental care without using anesthesia.
You pet may be very calm, but no pet will be able to stay still long enough for a proper dental exam. Since animal medical centers clean both the exposed part of your pet’s teeth and the part that is above the gum line, your pet must be under anesthesia so that your veterinarian or assistant can do their part to keep your pet healthy.

Myth 3: Pets that spend all of their time indoors don’t need to see a veterinarian.
Even if your pets live in your house and never go out, they still need to be vaccinated. They may never be around other pets, but people can come into your house with germs clinging to them that can be passed along to your pet, possibly harming them and making them sick. It’s also a good idea to visit an animal medical center for grooming and dental care.

Myth 4: A little baking soda to brush your dog’s teeth is okay.
You shouldn’t brush your dog’s teeth with anything but specially-formulated dog toothpaste. Baking soda is too abrasive for your dog’s teeth. And of course, never use toothpaste on your pets that’s made for people.

Myth 5: Cats have nine lives
Of course, everyone knows that’s not true. But many people think that cats can always land on their feet. Cats are certainly curious, which leads them to visit around high places, but please remember that they can get injured just as easily as other pets.

The Animal Medical Center of Streetsboro believes in educating our clients so that their pets live long, happy, healthy lives. If you have any doubt about how to care for your pet, please give us a call. We’d love to help you truly understand your pet so that you can enjoy many years together.

Did Your Pet Swallow a Foreign Object?

Sometimes, your dog will eat something he or she shouldn’t. It can be while they’re chewing on something, or just because they eat whatever you have left out in your house or in your yard.

While some people smile at dogs being dogs, the truth is that your pet may swallow something that won’t pass right through his system. I’ve heard many stories about objects that dogs have eaten. This includes chew toys, stones, wood, string, crayons, and bones. There’s a good chance that you didn’t see your dog eat this object, and you may not know it’s happened until he begins reacting to it. You’ll need to bring your dog to an animal health center to remove any obstruction that may be harming your dog.

Signs That Your Dog Has Ingested a Foreign Object
You will notice that your dog:

• Is gagging or vomiting either sporadically or consistently
• Has diarrhea or mostly loose stools
• Doesn’t want to eat as much as she normally does
• Doesn’t want to be touched in the abdominal area either becomes aggressive or runs away
• Acts tired
• Has something hanging from either her mouth or her behind
• Has stopped producing stool

What Kind of Damage Can a Foreign Object Do to Your Dog?
If your dog has ingested something harmful, it could cause a great deal of damage to your pet’s intestines by obstructing parts of the bowel or by interfering with your dog’s blood supply to the small or large intestines.

If you notice the above symptoms, call the Animal Medical Center of Streetsboro. Dr. Leffler will examine your dog, ask you questions about your dog’s recent behavior and symptoms, and possibly order an ultrasound and x-rays to determine if a foreign object is indeed lodged in your animal’s intestines or stomach. Depending on where the object is, how big it is, what it appears to be, and your dog’s overall health, we may need to remove the object through surgery.

Dr. Leffler urges you to call the Animal Medical Center of Streetsboro if you suspect that your dog has swallowed an object. We can examine your dog right away and determine the next steps so that your pet will be healthy. Call us today at 330-626-4935.

Preventing Dog Ticks

It’s summer, which means that your dog is more likely to get ticks, and the tick-borne diseases that they often carry. In Ohio, especially in the Akron Canton area, we are seeing growing numbers of black-legged ticks, which can carry Lyme Disease, and there are also many American dog ticks and lone star ticks in this area. Dogs that get tick bites can also suffer from anemia, skin infection, or tick paralysis. Be sure that you protect yourself and your pets from these dangerous pests.

What Should I Do to Protect My Pet and Myself?

• Tick are very small as small as a sesame seed so you may not know that your pet has ticks until as long as three weeks after a bite. You should examine your dog every day or so to look for signs especially if they have been outside during the day.
• If your yard is hospitable to ticks, remove that habitat. This includes brush, shrubbery, bushes, and leaf piles. If you walk your dog in woods or high-grassed areas, be aware that ticks can be found there. Better yet, keep them in well-mowed areas during the spring and summer.
• Be sure that your veterinarian performs a tick check on your pet when they are there for a regular appointment.
• Tick-proof your pets! Use a medication that is meant for tick prevention, such as Frontline Plus, which kills all major ticks, including the ticks that carry Lyme disease.

What Should I Do If I Find a Tick on My Dog?
Ticks must be removed before they transmit disease. You can remove one by:

• Taking a pair of tweezers and grasping the body firmly, close to your dog’s skin. Pull the tick straight up without twisting, since this may leave the mouth in your dog’s body.
• Don’t crush the tick or hold a flame to your dog to destroy it, because the tick may burst, further spreading disease.
• Use a disinfectant like rubbing alcohol to clean the bite site. If you notice a rash up to three weeks later, call your veterinarian.

If you live in the Akron-Canton area and your dog is having trouble with ticks, bring him or her in to the Animal Medical Center of Streetsboro. Call us today to set up an appointment.