Posts Tagged: Pet Care Blog

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

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.

Reasons a dog could bite:

• 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. They can bite to protect something that is valuable to them, like their puppies, their food or a toy.
  • Dogs can bite because they are scared or have been startled. They can bite because they feel threatened.
• 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.

Preventing Dog Bites:

• Socialization is a good way to help prevent your dog from biting. Socializing your pet helps your dog feel at ease in different situations. Introducing your dog to people and other animals while it’s a puppy makes it feel more comfortable in different situations as it gets older. It’s also important to use a leash in public to make sure that you are able to control your dog.
• Responsible pet ownership builds a solid foundation for dog bite prevention.
  • Carefully select the dog that’s right for your family
  • proper training, regular exercise, and neutering or spaying your pet.
• Educate yourself and your children about how, or whether, to approach a dog.
• It’s important to know how to avoid escalating risky situations and to understand when you should and should not interact with dogs. Some risky situations include, but are not limited to:
  • If the owner does not give permission to pet the dog, they are barking or growling, or if the dog appears to be hiding or seeking alone time.
  • The dog is on the other side of a fence.
  • If a dog is sleeping or eating, or playing with a toy.
  • Sick or injured.
• Reading a dog’s body language also can be helpful. Just like people, dogs rely on body gestures, postures and vocalizations to express themselves and communicate. While we can’t always read a dog’s body language accurately, it can give us helpful clues as to whether a dog is feeling stressed, frightened, or threatened.

If you would like to learn more ways to make your pet into a well socialized good citizen please see https://www.zimmvet.com/blog/make-puppies-into-good-citizens-2/

More information:

If you have been bitten by a dog and the dog’s owner is present, request proof of rabies vaccination, and get the owner’s name and contact information.  Clean the bite wound with soap and water as soon as possible and consult your doctor immediately or go to the emergency room if it’s after office hours.

Please visit https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/dog-bite-prevention for more information of Dog bite prevention.

By: Brook Buckholtz, CSR – Zimmvet (763)856-4848

Lilies are beautiful flowers! They can mean something special when put into a bouquet or could be a statement piece when put into your garden. Unfortunately the problem that arises is that Lilies are extremely toxic to cats, even one sniff could send them to the emergency clinic or be fatal. So if you want to ensure that your furry friends stay safe make sure you keep lilies out of your house and garden! Remember they are beautiful to you but toxic to your cat!

Signs of Lilly Toxicity:

Every part of the lily flower is toxic to cats. The pollen, the leaves, the flower itself and the stems. If you have lilies in a bouquet in your home even the water the lily plant sits in can cause severe damage to your pet. The best way to avoid this from happening is to keep lilies out of your house and garden if you have a cat.

Kidney failure can happen very quickly in cats that come in contact with Lilies. If you know that your cat has come in contact with Lilies seek veterinary care immediately. Signs of early toxicity include but are not limited to:

• Decrease activity level
• Drooling
• Vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• Increase urination
• Dehydration

Conclusion

Remember lilies are so toxic to cats that even just one sniff can cause them serious medical problems or even death. The best way to prevent this from becoming a problem is to keep lilies out of your home and garden. If you think your cat has come into contact with the lily plant seek veterinary care immediately! Below is a link to the FDA website which has more information on lily toxicity.

For more information please visit the FDAs webpage on Lily Toxicity in cats at https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/animal-health-literacy/lovely-lilies-and-curious-cats-dangerous-combination#:~:text=The%20entire%20lily%20plant%20is,in%20less%20than%203%20days.

If you are considering adding new plants to your house or garden make sure to do your research! This blog post goes over some safe and unsafe house plants to pets. https://www.zimmvet.com/blog/house-plants-and-pets-2/

By: Brook Buckholtz, Customer Service Representative at ZimmVet

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with your dog! It’s Saint Patrick’s day and you may want to do something with your furry friend to celebrate, but really aren’t sure what you should do. Thankfully you have a couple options you can choose from; bringing your dog with to go out or sharing a night in. Before you decide here are some tips and ideas on how to ensure you are picking the best option for you both.

Going out with your dog to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day:

• Make sure you know your dog. If your dog is nervous or has high anxiety around large crowds and other dogs consider leaving them home or staying home with them.
• Ensure that you are your dogs advocate. It’s okay to say no!
  • If someone asks to pet your dog and you can tell they are tired say “No, not right now. Thank you for asking though”.
  • If your pet seems uncomfortable because someone is getting too much in their space you can say “Could you please step back? (pet name) just needs a little space right now”.
• Be prepared to leave suddenly if needed.
• Make sure to call and confirm with the bar/restaurant or wherever you choose to go that they are actually dog friendly. Below is a list of dog friendly bars/restuarants in Isanti, Chisago, and Minneapolis area.
  • https://uncommonloonbrewing.com/
  • https://www.thunderbrothersbrewery.com/
  • https://www.stanleysbarroom.com/
  • https://www.psychosuzis.com/
  • https://www.unleashedhoundsandhops.com/
• Try to only stay for a few hours.
• Go during the day instead of in the evening.
• Bring someone else who can help you manage your dog.

Staying home with your dog:

If you choose to stay home with your dog here are some tips and ideas on things to help you celebrate St. Patrick’s day together.

• Dress your pet and yourself up in some festive green clothing!
• Take photos to post on social media.
• Buy them some green treats (shamrocks) and/or toys.
  • You and your dog can also make dog friendly treats at home!
    • https://www.zimmvet.com/blog/recipe-for-fun-with-the-pups/ you can add spinach or green beans to achieve the green color!
• Paint your dogs toenails with green pet friendly dog nail polish!

Whether you choose to bring your pet or stay home we hope you have a great St. Patrick’s Day!

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