October 28, 2011 - Our latest Pet Tip comes once again from Team Leader Kristy Ballwanz.  Kristy is a Register Veterinary Technician and has been with Everhart for over 15 years.  She also happens to be highly skilled in the area of dentistry, the focus of her tip.

Kristy's Tip:

In order to help your pet get used to the feeling of someone touching, rubbing, or brushing their teeth, you can try the following steps:  Using chicken (or beef) bouillon, mix up a small amount and dip your finger into the fluid.  Then rub it on your dog's teeth, starting with a small area, eventually moving all over and around the entire mouth over time.  Once your pet is used to your finger, try a gauze pad soaked in bouillon, then later a toothbrush.  Once your pet is used to the object, you can switch from the bouillon to the canine toothpaste, which coincidentally comes in chicken flavor too!  The process may take a few weeks, but daily brushing is essentail to fresh breath as well as  preventing plaque build up on your pet's teeth.  It can also spare you (or at the very least delay) the expense of a professional dental cleaning and costly extractions.  Tooth decay can also cause and/or worsen other health problems in your pet.  So a healthy mouth is good for you and your pet in more ways than one!

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July 21, 2011 - Our most recent Pet Tip was submitted by Paulette, one of our Client Service Representatives.  Due to two recent tragedies, she felt the urgent need to post pet-proofing tips that we don't always consider.

Paulette's Tip:

Although we often hear of "Baby-Proofing" our homes, we often don't realize that we also need to "Pet-Proof" our homes, especially when we are new pet owners or have new young puppies in the home.  However, despite the most seasoned pet owners' abilities to keep the obvious items out of reach of their pet, there have been some unexpected tragedies as a result of some uncommon items being left within reach of a pet.

The first was a tube of cream for treating skin cancer that was left within reach of a young puppy.  Since puppies chew anything and everything, he ingested parts of the tube and the cream and subsequently had severe internal bleeding.  Despite days of extensive treatment, he did not recover and had to be humanely euthanized.

Another incident happened to a seasoned dog trainer and a much older dog.  A 5-year old "Sheltie" (Shetland Sheepdog) got into a box of crackers while its owner was only gone for a mere 15 minutes from the house.  Its head got stuck and it either suffocated for lack of oxygen, or possibly choked on some crumbs and was gone before the owner returned.  Efforts to revive him by both a paramedic and an emergency veterinarian were unsuccessful.

There have also been multiple incidents of animal suffocation due to pets sticking their heads inside potato chip or other snack bags.  The pets cannot get the bag off and sometimes the bag even creates a vaccuum seal on the pets head.  Occasionally, if someone is in the home and notices the pet panicking with the bag or object stuck on its head and is able to rescue the pet.  But sometimes the pet is unaware the oxygen is being lost and slips into unconsciousness and death without even making a commotion.

Please remember to keep anything and everything your pet can chew, eat or harm themselves with out of their reach when you are not at home, or keep them crated.  When you are home, be vigilant and aware of everything your pet has access to and remove it from their reach.  This includes food, snacks, candy, medicines, plants, toys, knick-knacks, bags, boxes, string, ribbons, bows, rubber bands, aluminum foil, plastic, rubber, nails, screws, coins, lighters, cords, balls, jacks, marbles, chemicals, cleaners, toilet paper, paper towels, Q-Tips, tampons, sanitary napkins, small edible objects of any kind even including clothing such as underwear or socks, and even small linens such as washcloths.

It sounds like a lot of work, but it is worth the life and good health of your pets and best friends to put in the time and effort to keep them safe. 

A good tip borrowed from our "baby-proofing" references; is to get down on their level and examine what they see from their vantage point (especially since you can see under things from on the ground).  Keep in mind them standing up, jumping or climbing on objects to get higher.  And of course,don't forget that cats can reach just about everything at any height.

And if your pet does manage to get into something he/she shouldn't, make sure to keep this Pet Poison Helpline number in a handy place, as well as the number of your Veterinarian and nearest Emergency Hospital.

1-800-213-6680

May 17, 2011 - Our newest Pet Tip was submitted by Kelly Lane, a long-time Registered Veterinary Technician with Everhart.  Read our April 12 Pet Tip for more on Kelly...

Kelly's Tip:

May 3, 2011 - This Pet Tip is from Kelly Hunt, a long-time client of Everhart Veterinary Hospital.  Kelly has been giving her cat Quizzy subcutaneous fluids at home and has a handy tip to share!

Kelly's Tip:

April 26, 2011 - Our next Pet Tip comes just in time for the warm weather, from one of our Team Leaders, Kristy Ballwanz.  Kristy is a Register Veterinary Technician and has been with Everhart for over 15 years.

Kristy's Tip:

 During the warm weather months, when you place your pet's food and/or water bowls outdoors, there is a trick to keeping bugs out of the bowls (at least the crawling ones)!  Place a layer of Vaseline around the exterior rim of the bowl at the bottom.  This will prevent most crawling bugs from making their way into the food and water.  Please make sure to refresh the water and the food often to prevent bacteria growth and spoilage. 

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April 12, 2011 - This week's Pet Tip was submitted by Kelly Lane, a Registered Technician who has been a valued member of the Everhart team since 2007.  Kelly also works Full Time for Johns Hopkins University, teaches Veterinary Technician classes at CCBC Essex, and works part-time for R.S. Farm.  She is also the Treasurer for the Katie and Wil Brady Memorial Foundation, a non-profit organization created in memory of her sister and nephew.  Visit the foundation's website at www.katieandwil.org for more information on a cause that is near and dear to both Kelly and to Everhart!

Kelly's Tip:

With Spring in full swing, one of the issues dog owners face is what to do when strangers, especially children, approach your dog while out for a walk. 

First, you need to stop the person or child from reaching out to your dog.  Explain that you need to help them greet your dog the proper way so that your dog does not get frightened.  For a small child, you should kneel down to the child's level and make sure that the child understands that they must approach the dog calmy and slowly, and never to bring their hand down on top of the pet's head.  They should hold out their closed fist for the dog to sniff, and if and when the dog seems comfortable, they can pet under his chin or rub his chest.  If the person, child or dog seems nervous, excitable, fearful, or any other behavior that isn't calm and relaxed, you need to tell them that it is not okay to pet your dog right now because he is "not in a friendly mood".

If another dog owner and their dog approach you and your dog, you also need to know whether your dog can handle this type of confrontation without becoming aggressive.  Socializing your puppy from an early age will help you in this.  However, even if your dog is well socialized, that doesn't mean that the other dog has been properly trained!  Make sure to make eye contact or ask the owner while at a safe distance as to whether or not their dog is social.  When in doubt, avoid the other pet completely by crossing the street, or stepping away from the walkway and having your dog "sit" while they pass by.

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April 5, 2011 - Our latest Pet Tip comes from www.examiner.com and addresses some of the common reasons to have your pet's stool checked for parasites at least once per year.

 When was the last time you had a fecal examination done for your pet? Has it been more than 6 months? More than a year?  Pets should be checked for intestinal parasites at least once a year. Intestinal parasites include various types of worms (roundsworms, hookworms, tapeworms, whipworms) and other parasites such as coccidia and Giardia.

Testing is a very simple process that simply involves bringing your veterinarian a sample of your dog or cat's feces. Only a small amount of feces (about the size of a walnut) is needed to do the test.

Why have your pet tested for intestinal parasites?

-Most intestinal parasites are easily treated. There is no need for your dog or cat to live with them. 

-With many types of worms and other intestinal parasites, you may not know your pet is infected unless you have their feces checked.

-Not seeing worms in the feces does not mean your pet does not have them. 

-Some types of intestinal parasites can also infect people and can affect you and your family.

Puppies, Kittens and Intestinal Parasites

Intestinal parasites, particularly roundworms and hookworms, are common in puppies and kittens. Many, if not most, puppies and kittens are born with them. Because puppies and kittens are so frequently infected and because these worms can infect people also, it is advisable to routinely "deworm" puppies and kittens. Depending on the type of medication used to "deworm" the puppy or kitten, "deworming" can begin as often as two weeks of age.

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March 29, 2011 - Now that Spring has sprung, our latest Pet Tip is right on time!  Our tip comes from Laura, our Lab Tech, who has been with Everhart since 2008.  In her spare time, she shows and trains Basenji's and shows other breeds as well.

March 15, 2011 - This week's Pet Tip comes from Dr. Alison Key.  Dr. Key specializes in Integrative Medicine, a combination of Eastern and traditional Western medicine, as well as the use of acupuncture therapy.

Dr. Key's Tip:

You should clean your dog's ears 1-2 times per week, and after swimming or bathing.  Apply veterinary ear cleaner to your dog's ear and massage into the ear.  Apply a small amount of the ear cleaner to a gauze square or cotton ball and using your finger, remove as much debris from the ear canal as possible, replacing the cotton ball or gauze square as needed. 

Luckily, a dog's ear canal is different from a human's, in that it is "L-shaped" and the actual eardrum is fairly hard to reach and/or damage with your finger.  Typical ear debris should be light brown in color and waxy in feel.  If your dog has excessive debris, is yellow or dark brown in color, or has an unusual or strong odor, this may be a sign of infection and you should make an appointment with your veterinarian.