New Year's Resolution- Wellness Bloodwork- Part 5

This year, make routine wellness checks part of your pet care resolutions.  

Wellness bloodwork can help us detect the early signs of subclinical disease before the disease becomes complicated and expensive to treat.  A wellness exam can reveal subtle abnormalities that can be easily corrected by a supplement or a change in diet.  

Since cats are experts at hiding the clinical signs of illness, routine wellness bloodwork is especially important for our feline family members.

Here are some subtle signs that your cat may be sick.

Our February Pet of the Month is Macy!

February Pet of the Month

Our February pet of the Month is Macy! Macy is an 8 year old Jack Russell Terrier who was a naughty girl and got into some onion packets. Though she is doing great today, she had to be hospitalized for this! Let this be a lesson to us all.

Congratulations Macy, you are a survivor and Sabal Chase Animal Clinic's Pet of the Month!!

New Year's Resolution- Dental Care- Part 4

When starting off the New Year, don’t forget to include dental care on your list of resolutions!  

Untreated dental disease can lead to heart disease, kidney failure, and even urinary tract infections.  Advanced dental procedures can be complicated and expensive.  This year, resolve to brush your pet’s teeth at least three times per week.  We can also recommend water additives and mouth rinses to help keep your pet’s breath fresh, and her teeth clean and healthy.  And don’t forget to visit our website for a $25 off dental cleaning coupon!

New Year's Blog- Zohan's Trick Training- Part 3

Last week, we discussed how mental stimulation can make our cats happier and healthier.  The same holds true for dogs.  

Earlier this year, we noticed some early signs of fear aggression in Zohan. After cleaning up some of his basic obedience skills, we scheduled a trick training session with Dee Hoult at Applause your Paws.  

Within 45 minutes he had learned five new tricks, which we practice with him on a daily basis.  He loves his “work sessions” and seems to be a bit more confident and less reactive.

 A little bit of cognitive enhancement can go a long way towards a happier, more balanced pet.  These activities are fun for both dogs and humans, and can be easily incorporated into even the busiest of schedules.  

New Year's Resolutions - Provide More Exercise- Part 2

This month, we’re talking about New Year’s Resolutions that include our pets.  Here’s another tip to help make 2014 a happier healthier New Year.

Provide more exercise.  Contrary to popular belief, dogs do not stay in shape by running around  the yard by themselves.  The best way to keep our dogs lean and healthy is to take them for a brisk walk. This has the added benefit of providing exercise for us as well!  Cats can burn calories by playing with an inexpensive, interactive “cat dancer” toy, or chasing a wind-up toy mouse.  Many unwanted feline behaviors as brought on by boredom, and these toys can help keep their minds engaged.

If you would like to start agility classes with your dog, or are planning more rigorous activities such as running or biking, please make an appointment to make sure your dog can safely enjoy these new adventures.

New Year's Resolutions - Part 1

As the New Year begins, many of us start to think about our New Year’s Resolutions.  This month we will talk about some simple, reasonable ways 

to make 2014 a better year for our pets.

Improve Their Diets

This is one of the most common resolutions people make, and with good reason.  A healthy diet is essential for living a full and active life. Generally speaking, quality pet diets are not sold in grocery stores.  

Switch to a diet with limited, quality ingredients and avoid foods containing corn, soy, wheat or by-products.  Transition to the new diet gradually, mixing the old and new foods over a period of several days to avoid any gastric upset.  

Break the habit of feeding “people food”, and ditch those calorically dense treats.  Treats should only be given as an earned reward, and even then, only in very small morsels.