'Tis the Season: Holiday Pet Health

The holidays are upon us, and everywhere we look we see seasonal decorations and our favorite treats. It’s a joyful, wonderful time of year, but it’s also a time to watch out for the furry members of our families.

Unlike us, dogs and cats don’t understand the “reason for the season”, but they definitely pay attention to the decorations and the foods. That attention can lead to some emergency veterinary visits that could spoil the party. So here at Acequia Animal Hospital, we’ve come up with a few pointers to keep the holidays jolly:

• We all love the rich holiday foods, but our pets often have problems with them. High fat dishes, poultry bones, chocolate, alcohol, raisins and grapes, anything sweetened with xylitol, chicken jerky treats, certain nuts, and, tobacco have caused serious problems.
• Almost any food or treat other than your pet’s regular diet can cause stomach upset and some could cause fatal disease. It’s best not to offer any extra treats to your dogs and cats.
• Holiday plants are beautiful, but a number of them are toxic. This list includes poinsettias, holly, mistletoe, certain lilies, and a number of other plants.  Pets chew on the foliage of live plants and can end up in the vet’s office. Protect the plants (and the dogs and cats) from each other.
• Christmas trees are at the heart of the season, but a little caution is good here as well. Cat’s love to climb live trees and they can topple a large tree. Cats also love to play with tinsel, but it can be swallowed necessitating surgery for its removal. It’s better to use something else to decorate.
• Dogs are famous for finding food gifts under the tree. They don’t care if the gift is addressed to them or not. We’ve treated many upset stomachs after dogs have eaten someone else’s gift under the tree. So keep all foods up and away from your pets.
• A little thought will ensure that everyone (human and animal) has a delightful holiday. As always, we are here for your pet’s health.
  

Happy Holidays from all of us here at Acequia!

Chicken Jerky Treat Recall

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently warned consumers about an increased rate of pet illnesses associated with chicken jerky treats imported from China. Scientists are still working to uncover the cause, but dogs have exhibited symptoms of decreased activity, decreased appetite, vomiting and diarrhea. Some dogs have shown kidney damage and exhibit increased water consumption and increased urination. Although most recover, a few dogs have died.

The doctors and staff at Acequia Animal Hospital recommend that you DO NOT feed chicken jerky products to your dogs or cats until this problem is solved. If you notice any of the above symptoms, please give us a call and let us evaluate your furry family members.

Dietary Needs of Your Dog or Cat

Royal Canin has been a forerunner in nutritional research for over 40 years, and has developed an exclusive interactive Knowledge Pet™ to help you learn more about the unique physiological needs of 15 breeds of dogs and cats.  You will also learn how the high-quality nutrients in Royal Canin Health Nutrition formulas address those needs. get started >

Injectable Heartworm Preventative
So You Don't Have to Remember to Give a Pill Once a Month

ProHeart 6 provides a unique option for heartworm prevention. It is a sustained release product that is administered by the veterinarian and provides 6 months of heartworm protection in a single injection. In addition, ProHeart 6 treats existing larval and adult hookworm infections caused by Ancylostoma caninum and Uncinaria stenocephala. It can be used in dogs six months of age and older to prevent heartworm disease (Dirofilaria immitis) for six full months. learn more >

Regenerative Stem Cell Therapy

Regenerative stem cell therapy uses cells in a dog’s own fat tissue to help regenerate cartilage and other tissues in addition to providing tremendous pain relief, essentially helping the body help itself.

This process requires a short general anesthesia to extract a small amount of fat from the body wall. The fat is then processed by a cell therapy laboratory. Two to three days after the surgery, pets are sedated for injection of the regenerative cells directly into the joints. Recent data indicates tremendous improvement in pain and function in dogs whose elbows, knees or hips have been injected.

Please contact us if you are interested in learning more about regenerative stem cell therapy for your pet. Visit the Vet-Stem website to learn more about the applications of regenerative stem cell therapy: www.vet-stem.com

Email questions to AcequiaAH@hotmail.com or call 505-898-1050 to schedule an appointment today!