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There is an age old stereotype of cats being labeled as “divas”. Why? Most of it stems from the fact that they stay indoors, whereas dogs are let outside for daily walks making them seem more approachable, playful and loving. So, why not let cats outside?

To start off, cats and dogs are different in the ways they interact with the outside world. Both dogs and cats like to run around, play and stay busy with things that amuse or interest them. The difference is when you tell them not to do something or call them back; dogs will listen - cats will not. There’s a reason a dog is called a “man’s best friend”, and it wasn’t to take a stab at cats, even though dog lovers like to think otherwise. It was because dogs have a deeper level of attachment to their owners; it is just something that is inherent in them. It is not in a cat’s nature to be obedient, as it is a very independent animal.

Since putting a leash on them (although they should always have a collar/identification tag) to let them out for walks around the neighborhood is out of the question. If they choose to explore, there’s not much you can do to stop them and the only time they’ll choose to come back is most likely when they get hungry or tired. With that being kept in mind, it is costly for something as simple as to be able to allow them to roam. Vaccinations, flea and worming treatments are necessary in order to ensure they do not catch something because they are likely to explore and end up somewhere unclean.

Another factor that should play a big role in your decision is whether your female cat has been spayed. The chances of it ending up pregnant are unfortunately very high, especially if there are a lot of strays in the neighborhood. Furthermore, a cat’s life expectancy is shortened to three years when it is allowed to roam, versus the twelve years of life it enjoys indoors because, unfortunately, the chances of a cat surviving being hit by a car are very slim.

This problem is non-existent if your cat has spent most of its life indoors because it is probably terrified of the outdoors. It really comes down to the cat’s choice of whether it wants to go outside. Many have escaped outside as an act of rebellion, only to rush back realizing the error of their decision.

Talk with your vet about the pros and cons of letting your cat outdoors and the steps needed to ensure everything goes smoothly. 

 

Often times, people believe that the only way to create a good bond with their dog is to start when they are puppies, but this is not necessarily true. You still have the ability to create a strong relationship with a dog that you adopt at an older age. It’s hard work to build relationships, but in the end, it’s a labor of love.

Bonding occurs when you and your dog focus on each other, so it is crucial that you take time out of every day to spend with your dog. Do you have more than one dog? Take each one on an individual outing to build a relationship with each one. If you always take them all out together, you are missing out on important bonding opportunities!

People who seem to be reliable to the dogs wind up receiving complete trust in return, an important factor in the bonding process. This means taking them out frequently so that they can avoid an accident, being fed regularly, and not leaving them in a crate for extended periods of time. Think about it, don’t you get along better with those who you can rely on?

There are a few errors that people make when attempting to bond with their pup:

1. It may sound odd, but some people trick their dog into doing something wrong, and then punish the dog to teach them what not to do. Practice success, not failure! Dogs learn better through praise and reward, making them confident and teaching good habits. Your praise is valued by your furry friend, take advantage of that!

2. Extending a correction to something a dog has done wrong can really distress your dog and affects their ability to learn. Corrections to issues should be quick and over before the dog can even get upset, ending with the dog doing the correct thing and then being praised and rewarded for it.

3. Nothing is gained by punishments that inflict pain or fear. In fact, it only makes things worse! By doing this, your dog loses trust in you and confidence in himself/herself.

Here are a few things that you should regularly include in your dog’s schedule to create a healthy bond between you two:

1. Take your dog on outings- just the two of you. This is a great time to work on training and socializing!

2. Train your dog daily for several months. The best types of simple training to create a bond are teaching him/her to stay, retrieving, come-when-called, eye contact, and walking on a loose leash.

3. It is impossible to overstate the benefits of grooming your dog daily. This gets your dog used to human handling and, in particular, your touch.

It is great for you and your dog to create a bond with each other. By doing this, you are making him/her a part of your family, leaving everyone feeling happy!

 

We all know that exercise is important for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. For all of us dog lovers, we like to have them participate in our activities, but we have to remember that our energetic little friends have limits that differ from ours.

Here are some potentially hazardous scenarios to avoid when exercising with your pup.

High Jumping- While dogs love to chase around a ball or Frisbee, tossing these objects too high or off of a tall structure can cause your dog to land awkwardly. Unfortunately this accounts for the crippling of many canines each year. Be sure to keep the objects lower to the ground to protect your pet from over extending themselves and causing an injury.

Dangerous Objects- When fetching, use lightweight safe toys like a tennis ball for instance. Heavy and hard objects can damage dog’s teeth when caught. Sticks can also pose a hazard to pups when caught, because they can easily extend to the back of the mouth or throat causing an injury.

Over-Exercising- Our dogs may seem like they have an endless supply of energy, but the reality is, they experience fatigue just like we do. Without moderation a dog will become tired, lethargic, and extended bouts of extreme exercise can lead to more serious conditions like heat stroke or dehydration. Always bring water to keep your canine friend hydrated throughout exercise sessions.

Heat- In South Florida we are accustomed to a hot climate. We have to remember that unlike humans, dogs have an inability to regulate body temperature efficiently. Dogs that have short muzzles, black and long-haired dogs, and especially young or old dogs are most susceptible to overheating. Remember that the top temperature for a working (or allowing a dog to play excessively) is about 85° F. However 85° would be too hot for those dogs that are most susceptible to overheating. Also remember the humidity, as the heat index increases with the level of humidity.

Warming Up- It is crucial to have your dog warm up before sessions of intense exercise like pulling a sled or doing a lot of running. This can prevent strain and fatigue. Light activity allows the pup to warm up his muscles and get moving before taking on a heavier activity load. The rest period after activity is also vital as it is the time allotted for muscle recovery.

Following these basic guidelines will have you and your pet living a happy, safe and healthy lifestyle together. Now all you have to do is get moving!

 

For many, the holidays are a free pass to indulge in whatever sweet treats may come their way. Whether they are chocolates, candy canes, brownies, or cookies, all we humans have to worry about is fitting into our jeans at the end of the day. For our pets, however, sweets can prove to be a serious hazard. As you are probably aware, chocolate is toxic to man’s best friend.

Why is Chocolate bad for my dog?

• The first problem is that sweets are high in fat. A fatty meal can create a lethal metabolic disease in pets called pancreatitis.
• Chocolate is toxic because of the theobromine. Theobromine can cause vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, tremors, and in severe cases, death.

Toxic doses of theobromine are 9mg per pound of dog for mild signs, and up to 18 mg for severe signs. Milk chocolate contains 44 mg / ounce of theobromine, semisweet chocolate contains 150 mg per ounce, and baking chocolate contains 390 mg per ounce. It takes four days for the affects to leave the dog’s system.

The key is to be vigilant and watch your pets and make sure your children know not to feed the dog chocolate. To be cautious, always reach for a dog biscuit when you want to treat your dog.  This will make sure you have a safe and happy holiday with wonderful memories to share with your whole family: pets and all.

 

We all know that kittens are adventurous and daring creatures. They like to tackle your toes and hide inside the box their cat tree came in, waiting for the right time for a sneak attack! With that said, your new kitty is bound to find some hazards in your home, so why not do your best to prevent this? Here are some tips to keep your feline friend out of trouble.

• Wrap those electric cords in tape and hide them behind furniture or under rugs. Kittens seem to think they are fun to chew on and play with. If you have ever seen National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, however, you know what happens when a cat and an electrical cord are combined!
• What cat doesn’t love to rummage through the garbage? When you throw away things like chicken bones, make sure to put them in sealed containers! If you have a sneaky cat who could break into the White House, child-proof locks may be necessary.
• Yes, you love your beautiful bird of paradise, but don’t you love your new kitty even more? Some plants are toxic and can really harm your cat! Visit this site for a list of safe plants and toxic plants: http://www.catscans.com/plants.htm
• Pick up after yourself! Don’t leave pins, buttons, and rubber bands lying around. Your cat WILL get curious and WILL choke on them!
• Lock up those deadly chemicals and cleaning supplies! Remember, cats are curious creatures and won’t hesitate to get into those nasty substances and potentially be poisoned. For more information, check out this website: http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/

Your new kitten sees your home as an amusement park. It's a place full of adventure and excitement. Protect the newest member of your family and be sure to take all the precautions to keep him or her out of harm's way!

 

The winter holidays are coming quicker than some of us are ready for, but we’re all ready for a much-needed break and some fun! With all of the excitement in the next couple of months, we still need to keep in mind our pets’ safety. We like to say, “You don’t know what you don’t know,” so we have provided you with the following tips to help your pet stay out of danger this holiday season!

Food is one of the best parts of the holidays, but certain ones can be very harmful to our pets. Listed below are some of the foods and beverages that may be hazardous to your pet and should be avoided:

• Alcoholic beverages
• Chocolate (baker's, semi-sweet, milk chocolate)
• Coffee (grounds, beans, chocolate covered espresso beans)
• Moldy or spoiled foods
• Onions, onion powder
• Fatty foods
• Salt
• Yeast dough

Don’t know what to get your neighborhood for a gift this year so just decide on purchasing a plant to liven up their holiday spirits? There are many winter plants that are popular for the season, but be sure to keep the following plants away from your pet this year to avoid any issues:

• Lilies: could be deadly to your cat. Many types of lily, such as Tiger, Asian, Japanese Show, Easter, Stargazer, and the Casa Blanca, can cause kidney failure in cats.
• Poinsettias: generally over-rated in toxicity. If ingested, can be irritating to the mouth and stomach, and may cause mild vomiting or nausea.
• Mistletoe: has the potential to cause cardiovascular problems. However, mistletoe ingestion usually only causes gastrointestinal upset.
• Holly: ingestion could cause vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, and lethargy.

If you are celebrating Christmas this year and can’t wait to put up your tree, keep in mind your four-legged friends that are running around. There are many items that go along with the Christmas tree that you should be careful with around your pets.

• Christmas tree water: may contain fertilizers, which, if ingested, can cause stomach upset. Stagnant tree water can be breeding grounds for bacteria, which can also lead to vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea, if ingested.
• Electric cords: If chewed, they could electrocute your pet. Cover up or hide electric cords, never let your pet chew on them.
• Ribbons or tinsel: can get caught up in the intestines and cause intestinal obstruction.
• Batteries: contain corrosives. If ingested they can cause ulceration to the mouth, tongue, and the rest of the gastrointestinal tract.
• Glass ornaments: can cut the tissues of the gastrointestinal tract if ingested.
• Potpourris: Pets are often exposed to liquid potpourri by direct ingestion from simmer pots, by rubbing against leaky bottles or simmer pots containing the potpourri, or from spilling the containers upon themselves. Oral exposures result following grooming. Exposure of pets to some types of liquid potpourris can result in severe oral, dermal, and ocular damage. Dry potpourri generally doesn't cause those issues, but there may be problems due to foreign body and (possibly) toxic plant ingestion.

Visit http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=463&EVetID=900000089 to read about more winter holiday hazards and items to be on the look out for this year. Have a great holiday season, and don’t forget to pick up an extra toy or two for the little pals!

The Bufo Toad is an exotic animal that was introduced to Florida in order to control insects. Since its introduction, it has managed to quickly reproduce and become a native in South Florida.  The Bufo Toad is considered extremely toxic due to the parotid glands located behind the head. These toxins contain high concentrations of hormones including adrenalin. This will attack the cardiovascular system, consisting of the heart, and the nervous system, which is in the brain. 

Signs of Toxicity

Dogs will commonly attack these toads due to their slow movements. Once attacked, the toad will release toxins, which will quickly affect your dog. These are the signs you should be aware of when determining whether your dog was affected.

1. Foaming from the mouth.
2. Drooling
3. Pawing at the mouth
4. Vomiting
5. Stumbling
6. Falling
7. Tremors
8. Rigid legs
9. Seizures

Treatment

If you see the above signs displayed by your dog, but he or she has not experienced a seizure, follow these steps: 

1. Rinse your dog’s mouth with running water: place a garden hose or faucet along the side of the dog’s mouth.
2. DO NOT force water down your dog’s mouth or try to make them swallow
3. DO NOT feed the dog oil, milk or other substances besides water.
4. Rinse his or her mouth 3 times for 3 to 5 minutes each.