Zoonotic Diseases

In 64 million American household’s pets are a source of joy and perhaps even the key to longer, healthier lives. However, pet-owning households with young children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems need to be aware that their animals can play host to disease-causing microorganisms.

Humans are not likely to catch a disease through their pets, but in very rare cases it can happen. Fortunately, most of these diseases rarely occur in healthy individuals, are mild and can be easily treated. Others, like toxoplasmosis, can be far more serious. Diseases transmitted from animals to humans are called zoonotic diseases. Zoonotic diseases usually live out their complex life cycles in animals, but sometimes cross into human bodies. Usually contracting a pet-borne disease requires very close contact with animals or their excretions, so zoonotic diseases can be avoided with common sense, cleanliness and regular pet examinations and vaccinations.

SOURCE: https://www.aaha.org/pet_owner/pet_health_library/general_health_care/diseases_transmitted_by_pets.aspx

Make Sure They Can Get Home: Check Your Pet's Microchip

Is your pet's microchip up-to-date? If your pet were lost, would an animal hospital or shelter be able to contact you once your pet was found?

It's important to get your pet microchipped; but it's just as important to make sure that microchip contains the correct information in order for your four-legged friend to get home.

How does a microchip work?
The microchip, which is about the size of a grain of rice, is injected by a veterinarian or veterinary technician just beneath your pet's skin in the area between the shoulder blades. This is usually done without anesthesia, and the experience can be compared to getting a vaccination.

Each microchip has a unique registration number that is entered into a database or registry, and is associated with your name and contact information. If your lost dog or cat is found by an animal hospital, shelter or humane society, they will use a microchip scanner to read the number and contact the registry to get your information.

Make sure you can be found, too
While it may be comforting to know the microchip won't get lost or damaged, and that it will probably last the pet's lifetime, the microchip is useless if you're not updating your contact information with the registry. If your pet has been microchipped, keep the documentation paperwork so you can find the contact information for the registry. If you don't have the documentation paperwork, contact the veterinarian or shelter where the chip was implanted.

Keep in mind there are more than a dozen companies that maintain databases of chip ID numbers in the U.S. By using AAHA's Universal Pet Microchip Lookup at petmicrochiplookup.org, you can locate the registry for your chip by entering the microchip ID number. If you don't have your pet's microchip ID number, have a veterinarian scan it and give it to you.

Only about 17% of lost dogs and 2% of lost cats ever find their way back to their owners. Prevent the heartache and ensure your pet has an up-to-date microchip.

Originally published by Healthy Pet.

It’s Pet Appreciation Week!

Our pets appreciate us every single day as they depend on us for food, water, shelter, and love. Let’s show our pets some extra appreciation this week!

Two National Pet Stores Pulling China-Made Treats

Two major national pet stores are pulling all dog and cat treats made in China off of their shelves as years of complaints to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration pile up that jerky treats from China were possibly making pets sick. Vice President of Merchandising for Petco John Sturm said they are voluntarily removing these products after consumers voiced concerns. Another major pet food retailer, PetSmart, is pulling Chinese-made jerky treats from its stores in the U.S. and Canada. The treats have been linked to more than 1,000 dog deaths and nearly 5,000 other pet illnesses. The FDA said it's still working to determine the exact causes of the illnesses. While the products won't actually disappear from PetSmart shelves until March of 2015, Petco plans to pull the products by the end of this year.

http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/bestoftv/2014/05/22/newday-petco-pulls-china-made-dog-treats.cnn.html




Source: http://newday.blogs.cnn.com/2014/05/22/two-national-pet-stores-pulling-china-made-treats/

Today is Love Your Pet Day!

Did you know today is Love Your Pet Day? What special treat or activity do you have planned?

Pets & Cookouts

Did you know that some of the most common foods we eat during our cookouts are the most dangerous foods for our pets? Meat with bones in it, such as chicken and ribs, are extremely dangerous for our pets to get a hold of…bones can puncture the stomach and other organs if swallowed because they cannot be digested. Corn-on-the-cob can also be dangerous because dogs have been known to swallow the cob whole! What do you do to keep your dog busy with something else during the barbeque?

Tomorrow is 'If Pets Had Thumbs Day'

Dental Myth: Natural or "Anesthesia-Free" cleaning is just as good

A veterinary teeth-cleaning must be done under general anesthesia, and many pet parents are rightfully concerned about subjecting their pets to these medications. However, trying to clean pets’ teeth while they’re awake is inefficient and dangerous. When pets are squirming, it’s impossible to get a good enough look to examine their teeth, and what can’t be seen won’t get cleaned properly. Wiggling pets are also more likely to be injured by the sharp instruments. People who attempt anesthesia-free cleanings are usually not properly trained in veterinary care, so they have no way of diagnosing illnesses, taking X-rays, or performing any of the medical tests needed to determine the health of a pet’s teeth. There may be risks associated with anesthesia, but they’re small compared with the risks of entrusting your pet’s health to someone unlicensed and inexperienced in veterinary dentistry. Besides, if your pet has gingivitis, his or her teeth are bound to be sensitive…imagine how painful the dentistry would be without anesthesia. Who would want to subject their pet to that?



Our pets’ teeth are subject to many of the same hazards as our own teeth, and when we don’t take care of them, it shows. Although brushing a pet’s teeth may be a hassle (as well as a hazard, at first), it’s worth it to add so many healthy years to your pet’s life, as well as prevent expensive medical care down the road. I know my pets are worth five minutes per day, and I’d bet that yours are, too.

Dog Waits for Santa

Table Foods and Pets

Did you know that some common “people foods” can be extremely dangerous to your pet’s health? Foods such as onions, macadamia nuts, avocado, grapes, raisins, chocolate, and parts of the turkey, just to name a few, should never be fed to your animal companions. While you are enjoying your holiday meal this season, be sure to keep plenty of pet-friendly treats on hand so your four legged family member will be less likely to beg for scraps.

Wackiest Pet Names of 2011

Ozzy Pawsbourne and Almost-A-Dog top this year's list of quirkiest monikers.

Fido, Spot or Fluffy? For some peculiar pet owners, these names are just too traditional. Although "Bella" and "Max" currently lead the pack as the nation's most popular pet names, thousands of other four-legged friends have much more distinctive names.

So drumroll, please... the 10 Most Unusual Dog and Cat Names for 2011:

Dogs

1. Almost-A-Dog
2. Franco Furter
3. Stinkie Mcstinkerson
4. Sir Seamus McPoop
5. Audrey Shepburn
6. Dewey Decimell
7. Knuckles Capone
8. Beagle Lugosi
9. Shooter Mclovin
10. Uzi Duzi-Du

Cats

1. Ozzy Pawsbourne
2. Mr. Meowgi
3. Murderface
4. Fuglee
5. Scruffernutter
6. Corporal Cuddles
7. Cat Masterson
8. Spam
9. Tape W. Orm
10. Louisiana Purchase

Pets in Cars

It’s fun to take your pet in the car when you’re running errands, but in the summer heat, the car can become a potential death trap. Inside temperatures can quickly climb to more than 120 degrees on even a mild sunny day. Never leave your pet unattended inside the car during the summer months. Be sure to bring your pet plenty of water to keep them cool as the season heats up!

Pets & Cookouts

Cookouts and family get-togethers are great springtime activities. However, the food we often enjoy at these events can make pets sick and even cause Pancreatitis, which is a very serious disease. Any food that is not made for your pet…is not good for them. We want to remind you to bring plenty of food and treats for your pets so they can join in the fun without risking a stomachache or other illness later.

Holiday Dangers for Pets

Stocking up on all the holiday goodies?

Are you stocking up on all the holiday goodies? Beware of guests who may give your pet cookies, chocolate and other sweets. Those treats are not healthy for them. Your pet’s digestive system is not adapted for such rich foods, and chocolate contains theobromine, which can be harmful and sometimes fatal. Keep plenty of treats especially for your pet around so they don’t get the urge to try and sample some of your holiday feast. Just a tip from Avondale Veterinary Healthcare Complex.

Avondale Pet Resort

If you’re planning your vacation, don't forget to book a boarding reservation at Avondale's Pet Resort for your furry family member. Our caring staff will be happy to provide the love and attention your pet needs while you are away. Space tends to book fast around the holidays so be sure to make reservations as soon as possible.


Please click the link below to tour our many themed private boarding suites.
http://avondalevet.com/pet_suites_slide_show.htm