Island Trees Veterinary Hospital

Tips for Keeping Your Pets Safe and Healthy in the Winter

Winter can be a difficult season for pets, especially if they spend any time outdoors (as most dogs certainly do).  In order to keep your pets safe during the winter, follow these tips:

Always Knock on the Hood of Your Car

• Even if your cat is strictly an indoor kitty, many other cats are not and may be looking for refuge from the cold weather.  The engine of your car has the dual benefits of being both out of the cold and the wind and also retaining residual heat from the last time you drove.  To avoid potential tragedy, make sure to firmly knock on the hood of your car before leaving your driveway.  This will warn any feline guests to vacate the premises.

Keep Your Car in Good Condition

• During the winter, many cars leak antifreeze onto the driveway or into the garage—the latter of which even indoor pets may have access to.  Unfortunately, antifreeze has a flavor that both dogs and cats find pleasant, but it is very deadly to both species.  To prevent a potential health crisis, make sure to have your car serviced regularly, to routinely inspect your car for leaks, and to clean leaks up if you do notice one. 

Check Your Pet’s Paws

• You can solve a lot of winter weather problems for cats simply by keeping them indoors, but dogs need to be walked and so cannot avoid the dangers of the outdoors.  One thing you can do to mitigate the risks of being outdoors is to clean your dog’s feet whenever you return from a walk; do not let him lick them.  Unfortunately, many of the materials used to melt ice on sidewalks are caustic or even toxic to animals, so you should not let your pet ingest them while grooming.  Wash your dog’s feet, and make sure to use pet-friendly ice removers on your own sidewalks and stoops.

If your pet does run into trouble this winter, don’t worry: Island Trees Veterinary Clinic can help.  Island Trees Veterinary Clinic is an excellent animal hospital with great veterinarians.  For more information about our animal hospital near Levittown and Hicksville clinic, call (888) 485-8953 today.

Keep a Healthy Pet with Tips from These Articles!

Pet owners have so many more options open to them with the improvements in veterinary care over the last half century—but making use of those options is only possible when you know what they are.  To learn more about the best treatment options for some of the most common animal conditions, check out these resources or call Island Trees Veterinary Hospital at (888) 485-8953:

• Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine explains diabetes mellitus—which is commonly called type 2 diabetes in humans—and how the disease presents in the feline population.

• This advice column from PennLive.com contains detailed information about how to treat arthritis in dogs.  If your animal is suffering from arthritis, then you should read this article and discuss it with your veterinarian.

• WebMD reports on the fact that secondhand smoke can cause illness and death in pets as well as humans.

• Proving that dogs are truly man’s best friend, this article from Texas A&M University discusses a radical new canine surgery that could potentially be used to treat humans with the deadly bone cancer osteosarcoma.

• HealthyPet.com has an excellent overview of arthritis in pets.

Dog Training Techniques: How to Stop Your Dog's Excessive Barking

Excessive barking is a problem that many dog owners have to contend with, but it is ultimately fixable.  In this video, a professional dog trainer discusses the most common reasons why dogs bark excessively and how to take care of each problem.  In many cases, excessive barking may be the result of insufficient socialization: If your dog wasn’t exposed to very much outside of the house as a puppy, then the world outdoors will be frightening and confusing for him, which may cause him to bark.  Taking your dog out and exposing him to new people and new things will gradually desensitize him to the world outdoors, and the barking often decreases as a result.

Other causes of excessive barking include boredom and distraction.  If your dog is easily distracted and is barking excessively during walks because of every leaf that crosses his path, then you should consult with a dog trainer so that you can learn to redirect your dog’s attention.  If your dog is bored, then consult with your veterinarian about how much exercise an animal of that size and breed needs each day. Taking your dog on sufficient walks will tire him out, decrease his boredom, and should cut down on barking. 

If your dog suffers from excessive barking and you’re looking for a great veterinarian to help him overcome that problem, visit Island Trees Veterinary Hospital. Island Trees Veterinary Hospital is an animal hospital that’s home to caring dog veterinarians (as well as veterinarians in other specialties).  To learn more about our Hicksville animal hospital near Levittown, call (888) 485-8953.

Pet Arthritis Problems and Treatments

It used to be that domesticated dogs and cats rarely lived long enough to develop pet arthritis.  But the move towards keeping animals indoors, spaying or neutering them, as well as improvements in veterinary care, have all led to dogs and cats living much longer lives.  This is wonderful because it means that companion animals and their humans get to spend so much more time together, but pet owners do need to have special consideration for aging pets.  Arthritis is a particularly common issue for older cats and dogs, so here’s a brief primer on pet arthritis treatments and problems:

How Arthritis Presents in Pets

Pets can develop different types of arthritis, which share similar symptoms including:

• Bad temper.  Some pets may even begin biting people who try to touch them; this behavior is a pain response, not an indication of your animal’s feelings towards you.
• Reluctance to rise from a seated or supine position.  It’s harder for animals with arthritis to stand up.
• Reduced jumping.  This is especially noticeable in cats, although it can show up in dogs, as well—your elderly golden retriever may stop climbing onto the sofa, for instance. 

Of course, none of these symptoms automatically spell arthritis; in fact, they can be indicators of cancer, dementia, or low blood potassium.  You should therefore always make an appointment with an animal hospital if you notice any of these symptoms.

Arthritis Treatment for Pets

• The method of treatment for arthritis in pets depends upon the form of arthritis.  Most pets have osteoarthritis, which is related to old age and is largely treated through lifestyle changes.  Animals with osteoarthritis may benefit from weight reduction (to take some of the pressure off their joints), and sometimes the condition can be alleviated through surgical methods such as fusing joints.  In most cases, however, such drastic measures are not taken; instead, vets prescribe anti-inflammatory medications and recommend treatments such as massage.
• Two other, less common forms of pet arthritis include arthritis that is the result of an autoimmune disease or an infection, as well as arthritis that’s triggered by dysplasia of the elbow or hip.  The latter form of arthritis is extremely common in some dog breeds, and surgery is possible.  Arthritis that stems from an autoimmune disorder or an infection can usually be medicated.

If you suspect that your pet has arthritis, then you’re going to need an excellent animal hospital to manage its care.  Fortunately, there’s Island Trees Veterinary Hospital.  Located in the Hicksville and Levittown area, Island Trees Veterinary Hospital has a great staff composed of dog vets and veterinarians in other specialties.  To learn more, call us at (888) 485-8953 today.

What to Expect From Your New Puppy

This video provides a good general overview of the first few weeks of a puppy’s life and what kind of behavior you can reasonably expect at certain ages.  After all, puppies are babies, and we all recognize that human infants aren’t capable of certain tasks at certain ages.  Check out this video to get a better idea of what behavior you should expect from your puppy.

If you’ve just gotten a new puppy, then you’ll be on the lookout for a great animal hospital.  Fortunately, there’s Island Trees Veterinary Hospital.  At Island Trees, our talented veterinarians will provide your puppy with the best possible care.  For more information about our Levittown and Hicksville-area animal hospital, call (888) 485-8953 today.