The CAC Blog

Happy Tuesday! I hope that everyone is having a great week so far. We are always getting questions regarding what is safe to feed your pet..so I have found a short video that goes over some common foods and products that are found in many homes that are toxic to pets. The best way we can protect our pets is to be informed. Have a great day and please give the office a call if you have any questions.

Amanda

http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/ss/slideshow-foods-your-dog-should-never-eat

Happy Thursday! I hope that everyone is having a great week. As many of you know this month has been referred to as "Dental month" for such a long time..however, I wanted to remind all of you that dental month here at Chattahoochee Animal Clinic is ALL year long. The key to giving your pet excellent dental care is to be consistent all year long. We now offer our wonderful dental package all year long. Please give the office a call if you have any questions. Also, I have attached a video on how to achieve well rounded dental care for your furry friend.

Have a wonderful day,

Amanda

http://pets.webmd.com/healthy-dog-teeth-10/default.htm?ecd=wnl_dog_020912

This week's case of the week was fun for everyone.

A new client came in with their 3 pound yorkie, Layla, that had a rather large foreign body in her intestinal tract…. the size of an avocado! She had been seen by her regular pet store veterinarian and by a local specialist. Both veterinarians had correctly diagnosed and advised exploratory surgery with treatment plan estimates from $3000 to $5000. Unfortunately, that was not within the client's budget. After revisiting the X-rays and history, we decided to think out of the box, so we could save Layla.

We gave Layla several large doses of a mild cat hair ball lubricant orally and fluids under her skin, in order to lubricate and soften the obstruction. Then we gave her a short acting reversible anesthetic so Dr. Andy could softly and slowly break up the obstruction with his hands..outside her belly. Within 15 minutes the avocado sized mass was broken down into a thin green bean size. Layla's anesthesia was reversed, she went home happy, and the obstructive material was passed after a day of high fiber food. It was a win-win for everyone and cost the young couple 10% of what a surgery would have cost.

Hey there! We here at Chattahoochee Animal Clinic hope that all is well with you and your family! Today I wanted to take a minute and talk about a topic that comes up daily here are the clinic...Worms!! That is right..I am going to talk to you about WORMS and infact worms that your cat can get or may already have! Even the indoor only cat can get these worms and you can catch some of them from your beloved feline friend!

First let me define what these microscopic outlaws are.

Heartworm- a parasite that is transmitted from an infected mosquito to your pet that then lives in the heart and bloodstream. If left untreated the worms will invade at such a rate that can cause heart failure and death.

Roundworms- a parasite that lives in the intestinal tract of your pets and can be passed to you. The pet can get them from being in an infected yard or even digging in potting soil and house plants!

According to research done by veterinary diagnostic laboratories..there are more cats that are infected with heartworms and roundworms in the United States than dogs!

The amount of infected cats may be so high because many assume that since there cats are indoor only that they are not at risk for these pesky worms..but unfortunately that is not the case.

There are so many times that we do not see these kitties until they have an outward sign of sickness.

The same parasite protection protocols that are used on dogs are also reccomended for cats to ensure the safety of your family and your pet!

RIGHT NOW we have coupons that can save you up to $50 on a year supply of heartworm, flea and intestinal parasite preventive for your cats and dogs!

Just give the office a call so we can help you protect your pet!

Amanda

Below is a link to a website where you can type in your zip code and see exactly how many pets have parasites in your city!

http://www.capcvet.org/

Hello all! We hope that you are having a great start to the week! Summer is in full swing here and as with many other parts of the country everyone is feeling the effects, even our pets! We encourage you to be very careful when taking your pets outside to play and even on car rides. Do no leave your pet in the car even if the windows are down because it only takes a couple of minutes for a pet to become over heated! Below is a link to a recent news story that features a interview with Dr. Morton regarding this matter! Take care and stay cool!

Amanda

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/28755059/detail.html

We are proud to announce that we have made you pet's medical information more accessible to you from home or where ever you may be! Instead of using the serial number system that we have had in place with e pet records, you can now sign in using you email address that is on file with us here at the clinic. The EPetrecords system that we use has also been upgraded to epethealth which gives you even more tools to keep up with your pets vaccine and medication updates! There are now several useful videos, articles and breed specific information to keep you informed about the specific needs for your best furry friend!

Have a great day!

Amanda

Epethealth webpage link:

https://epethealth.com/

Under the pet owner secure login-

1. Put in your email address( It will need to be the primary email address that we have on file here at the clinic)

2. type in your passwors (if you have forgotten your password you can follow the prompts to change it and you will receive a email with a link to follow!)

Our monthly Facebook contest just got even getter! In addition to the voucher for a bag of a Iams Veterianry diet we are also giving away a 6 pack of Advantage Multi or Advantix courtesy of Bayer! The prize for this month is now approx valued at $200! So if you have not been to our Facebook page to enter...below is the link!! We will be randomly drawing the winner on the last day of the month! Good luck and have a great day!!

Amanda

Chattahoochee Animal Clinic Facebook page link-

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Chattahoochee-Animal-Clinic/173165031902

Here are the contest rules:

1. Create a Facebook page for each of your pets
2. Have your pets and yourself "like" our page and the vendor's page
3. The contest ends at the end of each month
4. The winner will be notified by a member of our staff

Our pets have become apart of our families and many of us will put their routine needs over our own as we do with our children. We do not mind because the unconditional love and companionship we receive from our pets in return is priceless! If only our pets really knew the power that they really have over us? Keeping your furry friend up to date on vaccines is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to ensuring your pet is getting the well rounded veterinary care that they deserve! The following are some interesting facts about one of the most common diseases that we diagnose here at the clinic!!

So....Did you know?......

1. Periodontal (Dental) Disease is the most frequently diagnosed infectious disease in pets!

2. 85% of Adult pets have periodontal disease and are displaying signs

3. Signs of oral disease include...bad breath, red gums that sometimes even bleed, tooth loss and gum recession.

4. Oral bacteria can reach such high levels that will travel through your pets blood stream and spread to major organs such as the kidneys and liver.

5. Pets need their teeth professional cleaned by their doctor routinely just like we do!

6. In between professional dental cleanings- you can take charge and promote oral health at home using items such as toothbrushes/toothpaste, oral chews and even water additives. (Virbac Dental Care)

7. Since the pH of your pets mouth is different than ours, tartar builds up on their teeth 5 times as fast as it does on ours!

I hope that these facts were very informative for you all! Feel free to call the office today and we will schedule a time for you to come by so we can help you determine what grade your pets teeth are and what sort of preventative measures you can take to ensure you are giving the best to your best friend!

Amanda

Virbac Animal Health (here is the link that shows all of the at home dental care options there are to use inbetween professional dental cleanings):

http://www.virbacvet.com/Products/DentalHealth/ToothpastesAndToothbrushes/C.E.T.PetToothbrushes.aspx

Greetings all! I hope that everyone is having a great day! We are pleased to announce that Chanel Spice Dore and her family have won the $100 cash prize for June courtesy of VPI Pet Insurance! Congrats! The contest is up and running for July and our prize comes courtesy of Iams! They have graciously donated a voucher that is good for one bag of  their premium veterinary diets that we sell here at the clinic! The approx value of this prize is $100!! the rules for the contest are listed below along with the link to the Chattahoochee Animal Clinic Facebook page!

Good Luck,

Amanda

Hello everyone! I hope that all of you had a fantastic 4th of July! If you are anything like us here at the clinic, you are dependant on the internet for so many things! I can honestly say that I consult google daily for the answers to several of the questions I have. We are all very aware of the deals that can be found when shopping online. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has put together a great video that outlines what you need to know when shopping online for medications for your pet such as flea and heartworm prevention. Please give us a call at the clinic if you have any questions so that you can make the best decision for you furry companion!

Have a great day!!

Amanda

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRmvJ9ISEJQ