Our Blog

By: Monica Bock, ZimmVet Daycare Staff

We love our pets and always want them to be safe.  One of our common worries when owning a pet is how temperature affects them and at what point it’s too hot for our pets. Keep reading if you want to know the signs of heat stress, dangerous temperatures and how to keep your pet safe in this hot summer weather! 

An overly hot or warm climate can cause serious medical implications in our furry friends and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Heat exhaustion in dogs can lead to problems such as heat stroke and cardiac arrest. Dogs regulate heat differently than humans. While we sweat to regulate our temperature, a dog has very few sweat glands located in their paw pads.  These sweat glands do little to help regulate the dog’s body temperature. Most often you may see your pup panting away when it’s hot out because this is how they cool themselves down.  However, sometimes this is not enough to cool them down to a “safe” temperature. A safe internal temperature for our furry friends shouldn’t overgo a temp of 102 degrees Fahrenheit and if it exceeds this, can become potentially dangerous for them.

How can you tell if it’s too hot, however, without taking your pet’s temperature constantly?

This is simple! There are a couple signs you can keep an eye on when enjoying the summer weather with your pet.

Things to look for:

• Excessive panting
• Lack of responsiveness
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Collapsing
• Convulsion/ seizure
• Gum and tongue discoloration-May turn red or purple

By Dr. Abby Soderberg, DVM – ZimmVet-763-856-4848

Whether you are driving to grandma’s cabin in Wisconsin or flying to your cousin’s condo in New York, planning ahead for pet travel is crucial for everyone’s comfort during the busy holiday season.

FLYING

• Your pet has two options for airline travel: cabin or cargo.  Most airlines require pets weighing 15 pounds or less to fly in the cabin with their owners.
• Check with your airline about the required carrier size and dimensions.
• Confirm with the airline the day before travel that your pet is coming with you.
• Airline regulations regarding Emotional Support Animals are changing rapidly, due to the number of incidents from false ESAs.  Check with your specific airline for their ESA requirements.
• When flying, a USDA health certificate is usually required.  Check with the airline as to how many days before travel the certificate must be issued.

CAR

• Many hotels accept pets. However, most have a limited number of dog-friendly rooms, so make reservations ahead of time.   
• Most federal and state rest areas have designated-doggy restroom areas. Cat boxes can be placed in a carrier with a cat. Do not forget to bring plastic bags for used litter.
• Pets need to be restrained while traveling for the safety of the pet and owner. It is best for pets to travel in a plastic sided carrier that has good ventilation and allows pets to sit, stand, and lie down.

Dog Bite Prevention – Adapted from AVMA Dog Bite Prevention

Dog bites pose a serious health risk to our communities and society. More than 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs each year in the United States, including more than 800,000 who receive medical attention for their injuries. More than half of those bitten are children. 

Dogs bite for a variety of reasons, but most commonly as a reaction to something. If the dog finds itself in a stressful situation, it may bite to defend itself or its territory. Dogs can bite because they are scared or have been startled. They can bite because they feel threatened. They can bite to protect something that is valuable to them, like their puppies, their food or a toy.

Dogs might bite because they aren’t feeling well. They could be sick or sore due to injury or illness and might want to be left alone. Dogs also might nip and bite during play. Even though nipping during play might be fun for the dog, it can be dangerous for people. It’s a good idea to avoid wrestling or playing tug-of-war with your dog. These types of activities can make your dog overly excited, which may lead to a nip or a bite.

Warm Weather Toxins – Adapted from “Summer Pet Toxins” from pet poison helpline\

As summer approaches, and you are outside more with your furry companions, there are a variety of toxic products your pets can come into contact with.  Outside pets should be confined to a safe location and all containers should be tightly closed and locked away in the garage or basement. As with all poisonings, early recognition and decontamination are key to a successful outcome. Here is some basic information for you to know about when dealing with these warm weather toxin exposures.

SLUG & SNAIL BAIT

Slug and snail baits are available in a variety of forms (pellets, granular, powder, and liquid). The active ingredient is typically metaldehyde, which is toxic to all species (particularly dogs). Within 1 to 2 hours of ingestion, clinical signs of salivation, restlessness, vomiting, and incoordination are seen, which then progress to tremors, seizures, and secondary severe hyperthermia. Generally, the prognosis is favorable if treatment is quickly and aggressively implemented.

Blue-Green Algae – Adapted from Wisconsin Bureau of Environmental & Occupational Health

Cyanobacteria, also called blue-green algae, naturally grows in bodies of water around Minnesota and around the world.  50% of states report a harmful algae bloom every year in freshwater.  It thrives on warm, sunny weather and usually form during the summer in Minnesota (May–September).  This bacteria is so important because it can be deadly. 

WHAT DOES BLUE-GREEN ALGAE LOOK LIKE?

Blue-green algae blooms are often smelly, look like spilled paint or pea soup, and can change the color of the water to green, blue, turquoise, purple, tan, or white. Some blooms form a layer of scum or mats on the surface of the water. While some blooms can stay in the same location for a long time, others can quickly come and go with changing currents and wind patterns. 

By: Lena Hansen, ZimmVet Daycare Assistant Manager

Here at ZimmVet’s Dog Daycare and Pet Hotel, we know just how important enrichment is for the dogs that stay with us.  It’s one thing for the dogs to be able to interact with other canines, but it is essential for them to receive mental enrichment as well so that their confidence and social skills can build.

Different enrichment activities can be beneficial in multiple ways.  Do you ever walk into a different room and then come back to discover that your pooch ripped apart the garbage can?  Although this type of behavior might have different causes, one of the possible reasons why your dog is could simply just be bored. Mental and physical stimulation through enrichment can help promote a well-behaved, happy dog.

Some of the enrichment activities that we offer during play at ZimmVet are ball pits, pools, bubbles, puzzle toys, basic obedience practice, and obstacle courses.  These activities help stimulate the mind, build confidence, and promote problem-solving.  But these don’t have to only be done at a doggy daycare.  Try incorporating some of these enrichment activities at home.  Puppies especially thrive when able to participate in different engaging activities because it not only helps them get used to new objects, sights, and smells, but helps their brain grow too. Contact ZimmVet to discuss enrichment activities available during daycare and how they would benefit your dog 763-846-4848.

By Kaytie Wildman ZimmVet Veterinary Assistant   

So you’ve decided to adopt a giant breed puppy!  Here are some tips on bringing your puppy home and giving them the basic care.  Initially before deciding on adopting a giant breed puppy, self education is essential to starting them off on the right paw.

Health is one of the most important aspects for giant breeds. With giant breeds, come giant responsibilities. That includes researching and seeking out a veterinarian that is knowledgeable in giant breeds and that can help guide you and your new pup to a healthy life. Staying up to date on a flea and tick preventative, heartworm prevention, and age appropriate vaccines are some of the many important things you will discuss with your veterinarian.

Feeding your new puppy may seem daunting, but with research and following the advice from your veterinarian, you can start them on the right food and feel at ease that Fido will receive all the nutrition he needs. For puppies under the age of 6 months, it is recommended that their feedings be divided into 3 meals throughout the day; morning, midday, and evening. Free feeding is not recommended; over eating can result in rapid growth, stress on joints and bones, overweight, skeletal malformation, and other health issues. The type of food is just as important as how frequent they are fed. Not all puppy foods are created equal. Dogs that will be over 50 pounds as their adult weight should be fed a large breed puppy food until at least 12 months of age. Keep human food and treats to under10% of their total diet to help prevent unbalancing of the food. Monitoring weight, measuring out food, and keeping track of how much they consume is important. If your puppy is eager and inhales their food, look into getting a slow-feeder bowl. It is recommended that giant breeds have an hour of rest one hour before and after every feeding. Talk to your veterinarian about a surgery called gastropexy. This is usually done around 1.5 years of age and prevents twisting of the stomach.

By Dr. Maria Krenz, DVM – ZimmVet-763-856-4848

Benefits of Cryotherapy

Cryotherapy is a treatment that has been around for years in both the human medical field as well as veterinary care to treat masses, skin lesions, skid tags, eye tumors and more.  In recent times, the technology has become more precise and easier to use in the veterinary industry.

What is Cryotherapy

Cryotherapy is a procedure that uses extreme cold to destroy tissue. The process is called cryo-necrosis, or tissue destruction by freezing.  Cryotherapy freezing is set to -80 degrees Fahrenheit to destroy the cells. Nitrous oxide is the active ingredient used in cryotherapy, instead of liquid nitrogen, which is what most people are familiar with. Liquid nitrogen is not used because the temperature achieved is lower that nitrous oxide and results are not as precise. Modern day Cryotherapy tools with nitrous oxide look like a large pen and can apply the cooling effect very precisely.

By: Angela Mose, ZimmVet Daycare Staff

Nothing is as exciting as bringing home a new fur baby! In order to assure that your new family member gets off to the best start, it’s important to consider a few questions. Taking the time to carefully choose your new companion will enable all of you to fall in love at first sight.

What Are Your Expectations?

When adding a pet, it’s helpful to picture how that pet will fit into your family. Are you looking for a hiking buddy, guard dog or a couch pal? This will help you narrow your search. If you are looking for a companion to go on outdoor adventures with, selecting a breed or a mix with athletic tendencies will ensure that Fido won’t poop out on that 4-mile hike.

On the other hand, if you are wanting a companion to binge-watch the latest Netflix show, then selecting a dog breed that prefers being a homebody might be a perfect couch cuddler. You may find that a caged pet will be ideal for your family. If no one is home for long periods of time, then a calmer cat or a small furry pet may give you the companionship you want with the flexibility to accommodate a busy schedule.

By: Valerie Ferguson, ZimmVet

Let’s face it, Minnesota winters can get LONG.  I am always looking for new ways to add mental stimulation to my pets’ lives when it is too cold to spend a lot of time outdoors. Mental stimulation is often found through exercising their minds and through performing nose work, such as sniffing out hidden treats.

My dogs really enjoy trying to find treats and cheerios that I have hidden in the snuffle mat that I made for them.

What you will need to make your own snuffle mat:

A rubber anti-fatigue mat with holes in it

Fleece fabric cut into strips approximately 7 to 8” long and varying widths ranging from 1 to 2” wide.  You can use any colors and mix and match to customize it to your liking.

Once you have your mat and the fleece fabric strips are cut all you have to do is string the strips through the holes and tie them – the fuller the mat the better it is to hide treats in J

This is a photo of my dog, Bear sniffing out Cheerios that I hid in his snuffle mat