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Old Man Winter and Your Pets

Old Man Winter and Your Pets

Old Man Winter has reared his ugly head and many people are trying to find the delicate balance between staying warm and keeping heating costs down. It's easy for people to put on a jacket or bump up the thermostat, but many pets don’t have the same luxury.

PLEASE bring your pets in. Even the basement or garage is better than being left outside.

If you insist on keeping your pet outside, please continually check your pet for signs of frostbite and hypothermia.

Frostbite

Frostbite most frequently affects ears, toes, tails, scrotum and areas least covered by fur.

Signs of frostbite include red or swollen areas or skin that is very pale and white.

To treat frostbite, immerse the area in warm water, not hot, for 15-20 minutes and call your veterinarian.

Hypothermia

How to Choose the Pet That's Right for You

How to Choose the Pet That's Right for You

(Welcome to our pet column, courtesy of Pet Connection Programs Inc. of Marilla. We post a new article each week, so be sure to check back on a regular basis!)

How to choose the pet that's right for you

What could be better than introducing a furry, fluffy, loyal pal to your life? There's no doubt that there are many benefits from owning a pet, but before you bring a dog or cat home, you want to make sure that your choice will fit in with you and your family. Pets Plus Us, a pet owner community and insurance coverage provider, offers a few tips for choosing the perfect pet:

How to Keep Your Pet Healthy Throughout the Winter

How to Keep Your Pet Healthy Throughout the Winter

(Welcome to our pet column, courtesy of Pet Connection Programs Inc. of Marilla. We post a new article each week, so be sure to check back on a regular basis!)

We hate to see our pets hurting or uncomfortable. If it's too cold outside for you, chances are it's too cold for your cat or dog, so be conscious of keeping your pet outside for too long in the cold winter months. Pets Plus Us, a pet owner community and insurance coverage provider, urges you to take precautions in the winter.

Making Friends With the Vet: Why Annual Checkups are Important

Making Friends With the Vet: Why Annual Checkups are Important

(Welcome to our pet column, courtesy of Pet Connection Programs Inc. of Marilla. We post a new article each week, so be sure to check back on a regular basis!)

Taking your pet to the vet can be a trying experience. Some pets will find it traumatic, but it's critical to keeping your pet healthy and catching potential problems early on. 

“The best advice I can give is to get your dog or cat used to going to the vet when they are young,” says Randy Valpy of Pets Plus Us, a pet owner community and insurance coverage provider. “Another great tip is to ask your friends and family for a referral.”

Feeding the Adult Dog

Feeding the Adult Dog

Typically, a dog becomes an adult at 8 to 12 months of age and no longer needs to be fed puppy food, which contains higher protein content for growth and activity. The coursework materials for PSI’s Certification Program cover the topic of canine nutrition in depth. The following is an excerpt from that chapter.

Too Much? Not Enough?

Help for Hairballs

Help for Hairballs

Most cat owners are aware of what a hairball is, what causes them and how dangerous they can be.

If your cat is stricken with hairballs, check out four ways to help prevent them:

Northtowns Pet Blog: Canine Influenza Virus (CIV) Spreads Fast When Dogs Get Together

Northtowns Pet Blog: Canine Influenza Virus (CIV) Spreads Fast When Dogs Get Together

by Dr. Madeleine Stahl

You may have heard: dogs can get the flu, too. It’s a relatively recent development. The virus that causes flu in dogs, canine influenza virus H3N8, was only first identified in January 2004. Dog flu cases have now been reported in 39 states.

One of the factors that makes CIV such a concern for anyone who owns or works with dogs is that the virus can spread quickly and easily.1 Because most dogs have no natural immunity against CIV, virtually all dogs exposed to the virus become infected.2,3 CIV can be spread through direct dog-to-dog contact and through airborne particles released when an infected dog coughs or sneezes.