Happy Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is just a few days away, so I thought I would take this opportunity to remind everyone of the hidden danger this day to celebrate love can bring - Chocolate. 

Every year for Valentine’s Day, many people receive gifts of chocolates from their special someone not realizing that this gift can be deadly to their other special someone – their dog.  Chocolate contains a chemical compound called theobromine, which is a stimulant that is found in the cocoa bean. This chemical is easily processed by humans  with no affect on our bodies, however dog’s metabolize this compound much more slowly and as a result it can lead to very serious health effects. Some of the symptoms of chocolate toxicity are vomiting and diarrhea, tremors, heart problems, seizures, and death. The severity of the problem depends upon a few factors; such as the size of the dog, the amount of chocolate consumed, and the type of chocolate that was eaten. White chocolate has much less theobromine in it than dark or baker’s chocolate and therefore the amount needed to cause a problem is greatly reduced.

Keep all chocolate out of reach from your dog – even the best dogs can be tempted by a tasty treat.

If your dog has eaten any chocolate – regardless of type, please consult with your veterinarian to ensure immediate attention can be given to your dog before the toxin has a chance to take effect. Your veterinarian will have better success in treating your dog for chocolate toxicity if immediate action is taken. Do not delay treatment or any reason.  When you call your veterinarian, be prepared to tell them what type of chocolate your dog ate, approximately how much was eaten, and when it was eaten.

Enjoy the day with your special someone – and your 4-legged valentine as well.

Pet Care Tips From The Super Bowl

I confess I am not a football fan.  However, I do like to google the commercials the day after the Super Bowl.  As usual, animals were a big hit among this years group of ads. As I sat watching them I realized that there even seemed to be some good pet care tips behind all of the propaganda. 

So here is my Top 10 List of Pet Care Tips From The Super Bowl

10.  Even pets should wear a seatbelt in the car

9. Leave wild animals alone

9 continued

8. Teach your dog to be calm and well behaved when visitors come over 

7. Even animals need to brush their teeth

6. Keep your dog safe around water and wear a lifejacket

  

5. Rescued animals can be amazing pets if given the chance

4. Dogs paws can be sensitive so keep them clean and protected, especially in winter



3.  Cats are safest when they live indoors or are supervised outside

2. Human food should be reserved for humans, not pets

1.  Obesity is a leading disease in pets, it's never too late to start a weight loss program

If He Walked Into My Life

Cooper @ 8 weeks

It’s hard to believe but two years have passed since this handsome little man entered our lives. 

February 5^th, 2010 Cooper (who was then known by a different name) was eight weeks old and living with a different family. He unexpectedly escaped from his house and was struck by a car when he ran into the road. He was brought to Royal City Animal Hospital to be assessed; and it was determined that although there were no internal injuries, he did have a broken Radius/Ulna (two bones in the front left leg).  The break was clean, and due to his young age it was determined he would do just fine to have the leg splinted for several weeks until the bones healed.

Unfortunately, his previous owner could not afford the cost of treating him, so he was surrendered to the Guelph Humane Society. They in turn asked if the staff of Royal City Animal Hospital would mind caring for him until the leg was healed and then they would put him up for adoption. I placed a crate under my desk, where he would be safe all day but would still be within eye sight if something should happen. He seemed to enjoy his place at my feet, and would constantly be staring up at me with those beautiful, but odd looking eyes.  My fate was sealed; and after a few weeks of caring for him, I knew I was hooked.  I could not let anyone else take our little man.

We took him home for a trial weekend to see how we all would get along, and when the weekend was over, the adoption papers were signed. From that day forward, Cooper would have a new home and be a regular fixture at Royal City Animal Hospital.  He loves to play with everyone a the clinic – canine and human alike (and the occasional cat) and I know he misses his play dates with his best girl Teya.

Many of you know Cooper well and know his story, others might be hearing about him for the first time. Every week I have one of our clients ask me “how is your little dog?”  Many will remember him as the 20 pound ball of energy that would run around the clinic with his little splint on, as if it was perfectly normal to have it there. Well, two years later that little ball of energy is a 60 pound ball of energy that is full of love, kisses, and exuberance. He isn’t always the best behaved dog –he forgets his manners some times, but he is always happy to make a new friend, meet new people, and show off something from his (albeit small) bag of tricks. 

Cooper and Teya after a fun play date