Only a Few Days Left for Cat Art Exhibit...see Clinic Kitty Moe's new portrait!

This is the final week for the art exhibit at Cedar Pet Clinic Lake Elmo. Artist Kat Corrigan's work, some of which is drawn from her annual Thirty Cats in Thirty Days project, is still on display. Several paintings have sold and several people have commissioned her to do portraits of their cats during the exhibit. Do stop by during business hours and enjoy. A special feature: Corrigan has painted Clinic Kitty Moe, seen in this photo examining his own portrait. "I was amazed how much she caught the spirit of Moe", said Dr. Baillie's wife Peg Guilfoyle. "She took a quick snapshot on her phone and turned it into a portrait." How do we know she caught his spirit? She titled the painting "The Boss"!

Summer Safety Tips

 

Tackle boxes – Cats find the fishing lures very interesting, as they look like cat toys. Be mindful of where your tackle box is left out and open. Dogs like to grab the fish with the lure still in the fish’s mouth.

Hot cars - We know this is a very common one but it still happens.  Cars heat up so much faster than we think even with the windows open. Please leave your dog at home on these hot days.

Hot temperatures – Make sure on hot days animals have plenty of shade and water. An interesting fact is that hosing a black dog down in the sun will make him even hotter.  Shaving a double coated breed (a dog that has a fluffy under coat and a more coarse outer coat) will not help them stay cool. Their coat, after shedding the way they should (losing the fluffy undercoat), will keep them cool just fine.  Dogs who have a double coat require a good bath, and blow dry (with a special dog blow dryer  that blows cool air at a higher force then a human handheld dryer) to shed that thick undercoat.  Brushing with a brush that is designed for their coat type, after a bath to loosen the coat, helps also. Make sure to check with your groomer about brushes designed for your dog’s coat.

If you suspect your dog has heat stroke, contact your veterinarian immediately and move the dog to an air conditioned area or the shade. Do not use COLD water to cool his skin, this can cause problems if the body is cooled too quickly when they have a high temperature.

Water safety – Make sure to watch dogs when around any sort of water, whether it be a pool, lake or on your boat. They can fall in just like kids can. A lifejacket is recommended for any dog, even if he is a strong swimmer, when in a boat or retrieving a toy from shore. Get your dog used to wearing it around the house and make sure it fits properly.

Pool covers can also be a deceiving safety guard. Dogs can step on them and break through.  Pay attention to posted warnings around lakes; blue green algae can make humans and dogs sick.

BBQ safety- Cooking food around a campfire or a grill is a very inviting smell for our four legged companions. Burns or accidental eating of fatty foods, meat included, can be dangerous for your pet.  Corn cobs are another hazard that doesn’t come up as a danger to dogs. Many eat the whole cob!

Other foods to be careful of at picnics are grapes, cherries, onions, avocados and alcohol.

Make sure to keep an eye on your grilling meat (raw or cooked) and especially those kabobs.  Another thing that lures dogs in is grease in a fire pit after cooking over a campfire.

FROM OUR VETS: Dr. Baillie Talks Chickens

The first city chicken I ever saw in practice, back in the seventies, was an orange rooster named Jerry.   Jerry and owner Tammy lived in Phalen in St. Paul and they'd been calling all over the Cities trying to find a vet to help her with Jerry's health concerns; he was her favorite in her backyard flock.  This was at the original Cedar Pet Clinic in south Minneapolis.

Today, backyard or urban chickens are one of the fastest growing areas of our practice.   As many owners discover, chickens are a delight to have as pets...although the roosters can be a little noisy.  Many communities are starting to recognize that they be safely kept in town, and ordinances are changing to allow them as pets.  Some chickens live in the house and go outside during the day, and others have fancy coops and pens to live in year round.  Chickens form strong lifelong emotional bonds with each other as well as other species.  They are routine- and home-centered and can thrive in a space the size of a normal urban backyard and home.  They can coexist happily with compatible dogs and cats and have similar life spans.  

We see a variety of health issues in chickens including injuries, respiratory, intestinal, reproductive and parasitic issues, but most are treatable with the owners providing most of the care. We see chickens in all different sizes and colors. Breeds include Bantams to Wyandottes, and everything in between.  Some of the Bantams only weigh a couple of pounds and the largest breeds may go over twenty pounds.  And you can only imagine the colors -- reds, white, orange, black, grey and many different combinations.  

Just another of the many different types of pets we see at Cedar Pet Clinic Lake Elmo, and you may get to see (or hear!) them in the reception area.

FROM OUR VETS: Dog Bite Prevention Always Worth Talking About

From Dr. Baillie:

As school gets out, and summer activities hit high gear, it's a good time of year to be talking about dog bite prevention;  almost 5 million dog bites occur every year in our country.   Bites accounted for more than one-third of homeowners' insurance liability claims in 2011 according to the Insurance Information Institute.  

Teaching children how to interact with dogs--even if you don't own one--can go a long way in preventing injury. Kids aged 5-9 years old are most often the ones injured, and usually the dog that bit them is not a stranger. The AVMA estimates that of the children under the age of 18 who have been bitten, family dogs are responsible for 30% of the bites, while the neighbor's dog is responsible for another 50% of the bites.

Tips from the AVMA include:

*Carefully select your pet,  considering the breed and your own lifestyle.  Puppies should not be obtained on impulse.  We are happy to consult with you about finding your best dog breed match (in fact, we love to talk dogs!)  

*Make sure your pet is socialized as a puppy so it feels relaxed around people and animals.

*Don't put your dog in a position where it feels threatened or teased.

*Train your dog. Basic commands help dogs understand what is expected of them and can be incorporated into fun activities that build a bond of trust.

*Walk and exercise your dog regularly to keep it healthy and provide mental stimulation.

*Avoid highly excitable games like wrestling or tug-of-war.

*Use a leash in public to ensure you are able to control your dog.

*Keep your dog vaccinated against rabies and preventable infectious diseases. Parasite control and other health care are important because how your dog feels affects how it behaves.

*Neuter your pet.

*Make sure gates are secure.

If you are bitten by a dog, here is a checklist of things you should do:

* If the dog's owner is present, get the owner's name and contact information, and request proof of rabies vaccination.  

* Clean bite wound with soap and water as soon as possible.

* Consult your doctor immediately or go to the emergency room if the bite occurs after office hours.

*  Contact the dog's veterinarian to check vaccination records.   

We have sent several Cedar Pet Clinic Lake Elmo staff members for special training in dog bite prevention and have, in the past, presented programs for day camps and elementary schools.  If you have questions or problems regarding dog bite situations feel free to call us at 651-770-3250 for help or advice.   

For more information on dog bite prevention, visit http://www.avma.org/public_health/dogbite/ for helpful tips and resources for the whole family.

National Pet Week--May 6-12

Animal Maze!  

Can you help the sick pup get to his veterinarian?

National Pet Week

Animal riddles
Can you guess them all?

National Pet Week May 6-12

Fun and Games! Follow image link below to play several different pet games--all celebrating the fun our pets can bring us!

(and yesterday's mystery animal--did you guess "Tapir"? Although they are not a "pet", you'd be able to see them at local zoos.  They are related to horses and rhinoceroses.)