Our Blog

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

Vaccinating your dog or cat is part of keeping them healthy. Here are a few misconceptions pet owners often have.

I was told my puppy or kitten was current on vaccinations when adopted

Puppies and Kittens need a series of 2-3 vaccination boostered every 3-4 weeks until they are over 16 weeks old. If your pet is under 16 weeks old when adopted, then they were probably started on their series, but need additional vaccinations to receive full immunity. Most humane societies and rescues will do certain vaccinations such as distemper combination and rabies, if the pet is old enough.  Vaccinations that are frequently not given by rescues or humane societies include leptospirosis, lyme, influenza and feline leukemia. After adoption, you should schedule an appointment with your veterinarian to discuss what is needed for your pet.

• 4.7 million people are bit by a dog each year
• Children are at highest risk of dog bites
• Most bites to children are on the face
• Most bites are from a family or friend’s dog

Safely pet a dog. Ask permission.  Approach the side of the dog facing the same direction. Extend hand with fingers curled. Let dog sniff hand. Pet over the shoulder

Safe behavior around dogs. Never pet a dog behind a fence, tied up, eating or playing with a toy, mother dog with puppies, sleeping dog, or a hurt dog. Do not take things away from dogs; ask an adult.

If a dog attacks you. Stand like a tree. Lie like a log. Don’t run, don’t talk, move away slowly. If you get knocked over, lay like a log and cover your neck.

Practice safe dog behavior.  Just like practicing for a fire at home, your children need you to help them understand how to safely enjoy dogs and review the above steps.

Additional Resources:

• www.avma.org/public/Pages/Dog-Bite-Prevention.aspx
• www.cdc.gov/features/dog-bite-prevention/index.html
• ZimmVet.com

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

Common signs of Pain in Pets

Many pet owners think that their pet must not be in pain because they are not yelping or crying. Often pets hide their pain, the signs they show are more subtle. For pets this is a survival mechanism and if they show pain by vocalizing they are more likely to fall prey to another animal. Listed are the most common signs that pets will show when they are having pain. If you have concern that your pet is painful schedule an appointment with your veterinarian.

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

Prevent Pet Weight Gain This Winter

Long Minnesota winters can be hard on people, and their furry pet companions.  Multiple factors lead to pet weight gain in the winter. Pets that gain weight over the winter often have more problems with arthritis, and they are at higher risk for diabetes, heart disease and many other ailments. In addition, older pets do not usually lose these extra pounds in the summer.  This can create an endless cycle of weight gain every year.  Preventing weight gain and obesity in your pet can add years to their lifespan, creating more time to spend with your special friend.

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

Advances in medical technology and preventative care are allowing pets to live longer, happier lives.  It is not uncommon for cats to reach 20 plus years of age, and small dogs to live 18-20 years.  More often pets are seen as a family member and people are looking for ways to spend as much time as possible with their beloved pets.  Owners can influence their pet’s lifespan and quality of life with a few simple care guidelines.

Ideal Weight-Add 2 Years of Pet Life

Extensive research has been performed to evaluate the effects of obesity on lifespan and medical conditions, such as arthritis.  Data shows that an ideal weight pet will live on average two years longer as compared to its obese littermate.  Since pet owner’s control their cat or dog’s feedings, lifespan is directly influenced by an owner’s ability to regulate calories and provide adequate exercise.

There are many resources available for pet owners to help their pet’s lose weight. The first step is to schedule an appointment with your veterinarian to set a goal weight for your pet, calculate their calories needed for safe weight loss and create a weight loss plan.

There are many tools available to help pet owners achieve their pet’s weight loss goals. The PortionPro™ Rx Pet Feeder is an automatic feeder tailored to each individual pet in the household. It is available on ZimmVet’s online store ZimmVet.com click on Online Pet Pharmacy.

By Kari Meyer, Daycare & Hotel Manager– ZimmVet-763-856-4848

At ZimmVet, we understand that a pet’s health extends beyond physical exams and vaccinations to include the mental and emotional well-being of your furry family member. This is why we are dedicated to creating a low stress environment for all of our canine guests visiting the Veterinary Clinic, Pet Hotel, Dog Daycare, Grooming Salon, or Training School.

Wouldn’t life be great if dogs could tell us what they are thinking and feeling? They can! Dogs communicate via stress signals and body language, which takes both experience and training to be able to read. Luckily, our staff at ZimmVet undergo extensive training to do just that!

By Kari Meyer, ZimmVet Daycare & Hotel Manager – ZimmVet-763-856-4848

Dog Daycare is a relatively new concept in the world of pet care that offers so many benefits to your furry family members! The opportunity to socialize, exercise, and get interaction throughout the day is vital to all dogs, though each dog socializes, exercises, and interacts in a unique way. We see several different play styles in the 400 plus dogs that are enrolled in our Dog Daycare and Pet Hotel programs here at ZimmVet and we love to watch how each dog develops his own play style over time.

Here,  Kitty Kitty

Some dogs have a cat-like play style. Ironic, right? We describe the movement as cat-like because of the daintiness of it. Similar to how a cat bats at a toy, some dogs will use their paw to bat at each other. The movement is quick and inefficient, while the dog’s body language is loose and relaxed. This play style is often seen in small breed dogs or puppies who prefer a daintier style of play as opposed to rough and tumble play.

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

Prevent Your Pet from Fearing Veterinary Visits

Veterinary visits are part of keeping your pet healthy. With a positive attitude and a little bit of training, it can be a better experience for your fluffy friend. Enlist your veterinary team to find what works best for your pet, and do not be embarrassed to ask for medication therapy to make visits go smoothly.

Treats!

Gather your pet’s favorite treats, and wear your training-treat pouch when visiting your veterinarian. Small pieces of treats should be given as a reward during your pet’s veterinary visit. Cats may warm up to catnip or a small amount of canned food fed on a spoon during the visit. Talking in a calm voice and having your pet on a comfortable harness such as the easy walk harness can help.

Avoid aversive methods such as jerking on the leash, using prong or choke collars, electric collars, yelling or physical punishment, as these can cause more stress and anxiety. Dogs that are treated with these methods are 2.2 times more likely to be aggressive to people outside of the home.

Come for Positive Visits

Pets should be brought to the veterinary clinic for positive visits. Come to just sit in the lobby for a minute and give treats to your pet. You can also practice having your pet sit on the scale while giving treats.  All of these are free and do not need to be pre-scheduled at ZimmVet.  Try to do this at times when it is less busy and there are not a lot of other pets around such as mid-week, during the middle of the day. Pets that attend daycare or training at a veterinary clinic will associate these positive experiences with the clinic.

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

Puppy Socialization Builds Confident Adult Dogs

For a puppy to become a confident adult, we must provide a good learning foundation. This foundation is more than teaching the basic commands of sit and lie down.  It is also about exposing your puppy to places and situations they will most likely experience during their entire lifetime. 

Socialization goes beyond having your puppy play with the neighbor dog or a family member’s dog.  Your puppy will learn how to play with familiar dogs, but they will not gain enough exposure to other dogs and situations to fully learn.  Socializing your puppy to dogs of all breeds is very important, and is a vital factor in teaching them acceptable play with other dogs.  Puppies learn appropriate play and bite inhibition during these play times with other dogs. This is something that we cannot teach them.

Socializing your puppy to people of every ethnicity, tall and short, young and old, as well as people with glasses, hats or other accessories is also important for their development.

Welcome to our pet care blog! Please take a look at the rest of our site while we work on our first post!