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Halloween is a highlight of the year for many of us, with adventurous costumes, spooky decorations, and of course, tons of candy. But for pets, Halloween can be a confusing and even scary time. 

From the constant ringing of the doorbell to people appearing in strange outfits—not to mention the tempting treats all around—it’s easy for furry family members to get overwhelmed.

Whether your pet loves the chaos or hides under the bed, these Halloween safety tips from Lone Tree Veterinary Medical Center will help them stay safe and stress-free. 

Candy and Chocolate

Halloween is synonymous with candy, but for pet owners, those bowls of treats pose serious risks. While delicious for us, it’s crucial to understand why all that sugar and chocolate can be dangerous for our cats and dogs. 

Sugar-Free Candies

The biggest danger in that Halloween candy bowl is often the sugar-free kind! Many sugar-free candies and gums contain xylitol. Xylitol is an artificial sweetener that is extremely toxic and potentially fatal to dogs and cats, even in small amounts. 

Chocolate

All chocolate is toxic to dogs and cats, but dark and baking chocolate pose the biggest threat. If you suspect or know that your dog or cat has ingested any amount of chocolate, you need to act fast and contact your veterinarian as soon as possible.

Preventing a candy catastrophe is surprisingly simple, but it requires everyone in the house to be on board:

• Elevate and Secure: Keep all candy in sealed containers or bowls placed high up and far out of your pet’s reach. A closed pantry or high shelf is much safer than a coffee table or kitchen counter.
• The Treat Bag Rule: Remind children (and guests!) not to leave their trick-or-treat bags sitting on the floor. We all know how quickly a curious cat or dog can find and empty a bag of tempting snacks!

Pet-Friendly Snacks

Have alternatives to Halloween candy such as:

• Raw carrot sticks
• Small slices of apple (be sure to remove all seeds and cores)
• Their favorite store-bought doggy biscuits or kitty treats

Think Twice About Halloween Costumes

We all love cute Halloween costumes, and few things are more adorable than seeing our pets dressed up as hot dogs, cupcakes, or superheroes. But not every pet enjoys dressing up. If your pet seems nervous or uncomfortable in their costume, it’s totally okay to skip the outfit. A festive collar or bandana works just as well as a complicated getup.

If your pet does like wearing a costume, make sure it fits well and doesn’t block their vision, breathing, or movement. Avoid any costumes with small parts your dog or cat could chew off. And never leave your pet unsupervised while they’re in costume. Wardrobe accidents can happen fast.

Double-Check Their ID

With all the commotion of Halloween—open doors, trick-or-treaters, and spooky sounds—it’s easy for pets to slip out the door unnoticed. That’s why pet ID is so important this time of year.

Make sure your pet is wearing a collar with an up-to-date ID tag. If they’re microchipped, check that your contact info is current in the system—and if they aren’t microchipped, now is the ideal time to get that done. If your pawsome pal happens to sneak out, a good ID can help get them back home safe and sound.

Halloween Doesn’t Have To Be Scary

The key to a successful holiday is thoughtful preparation. By following a few Halloween safety tips, you can ensure your pets stay safe, calm, and stress-free.

It’s that time of year when the weather turns, the days are shorter, and there is a crisp feeling in the air. Along with the beauty of the season, fall also brings many familiar tasks, including preparing our yards for winter, cleaning the garage, and holiday decorating. Learn how to keep your furry friends safe and healthy during the fall season with these essential tips for fall pet safety.

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What Is Sedated Grooming?

Sedated grooming involves administering mild sedation to ensure a smooth and stress-free grooming experience for both pets and groomers. Most pets can be professionally groomed without sedation. However, there are some who require this procedure.

Candidates for Sedated Grooming

Candidates for sedated grooming include pets that struggle with aggression, easily stressed and those who struggle with physical pain due to heavy matting.  

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Colorado is full of majestic mountains and scenic trails that are hard to resist, especially, when
sharing them with your canine hiking companion. At Lone Tree Veterinary Medical Center, we believe that hiking the trails safely with your dog involves proper training and preparation.

To ensure a great experience, you need to get your dog ready for different terrains, weather conditions—from heat and cold to rain and snow—and changing elevations. Keep reading for tips on staying safe and avoiding common mistakes that could get you into trouble.

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If you’ve ever experienced a therapeutic massage, you know how good it can make you feel. Whether it’s for relaxation or for the overall healing effects, a therapeutic massage can do wonders for both the body and the mind. Dogs can experience these same benefits with canine massage therapy, a natural approach to health and well-being that can leave our dogs feeling great.

What is Canine Therapeutic Massage?

Often referred to as therapeutic touch, canine therapeutic massage utilizes a variety of techniques to manipulate the muscles and surrounding soft tissues to ease pain, soreness and stiffness. It also assists in healing. By applying various hand, finger, and forearm pressures on areas of the body, along with other actions such as kneading, tapping, circular motions and cupping, a canine massage therapist is able to ease muscle tightness, relieve stress and pain around joints, stimulate blood and lymphatic flow, and provide relaxation – all of which can improve a dog’s mobility, health, and sense of well-being.

History of Massage on Animals

Interestingly, the practice of massage on animals is not a modern concept. Historical evidence indicates that ancient cultures were aware of the benefits of massage. It was used to help the animals they relied upon for survival, including their domesticated dogs. The various forms of therapeutic massage seen today still utilize many of those early techniques.

In the mid-1970s, equine circles embraced therapeutic massage after it was used it on an older horse to help restore its mobility. The horse’s improvement was so dramatic that the use of massage became well-accepted at equestrian events and in professional horse racing. Today, therapeutic massage plays a predominant role. Treating a variety of soft tissue injuries in horses and improving their athletic performance.

A Natural Alternative for Dogs

Canine massage therapy has been a common fixture at dog shows and dog sporting competitions at both state and national levels for many years.

With the growing interest in natural alternatives to prescription medications for managing chronic conditions such as arthritis and anxiety, as well as recovery from injury or illness, therapeutic massage provides a non-invasive option for any dog –athletic or not – to help them to live more comfortably.

The Many Benefits of Canine Massage

Therapeutic massage for our canine companions offers many unique benefits. These benefits can make a big difference in their quality of life. They include the following:

• Eases muscle tightness
• Increases range of motion
• Balances muscle tone
• Enhances mobility
• Helps recovery from illness
• Promotes healing after injury or surgery
• Reduces stress
• Strengthens the immune system
• Improves mental well-being
• Helps anxious dogs to relax
• Can produce quick results
• Useful for dogs that resist handling

How Is Canine Massage Performed?

Typically, a canine massage begins with the dog in a seated position. While closely monitoring how the dog is responding to being touched, the therapist may start by gently massaging small areas along the spine. Areas that feel tight will receive extra attention. As the massage progresses and the dog becomes more relaxed, it is not unusual for a dog to voluntarily lie down. With the dog lying on its side, the therapist may start working on the shoulder, hip and leg areas.

If there is a specific trouble spot the therapist knows about ahead of time, this will also be addressed once that area is easily accessible and the dog is receptive to being touched there. Ideally, the therapist will be able to work the dog’s body on both sides. However, the progression of the massage will depend largely on the dog’s response throughout the entire process.

In most cases, once dogs experience a therapeutic massage and know that it tends to feel good, they relax more easily during the next massage. This allows the therapist to focus on specific problem areas or work areas more deeply. An experienced therapist will be able to assess how receptive a dog is and adjust the massage accordingly.

The Gift of Feeling Better

At Lone Tree Veterinary Medical Center, dogs can experience the wonderful gift of canine massage therapy. Our certified and licensed canine massage therapist with over six years of experience with dogs of all ages and breeds.

Massages are 30 minutes long and available on Wednesdays by appointment. Your dog’s massage will be customized to its specific needs. You can be present with your dog during the entire massage appointment.

Book Your Dog’s Appointment

If you want a massage for your dog to relieve pain, ease soreness, promote relaxation, or reduce anxiety while boarding with us, we can help. Give us at 303-708-8050 and we’ll schedule your dog’s session. We love making your special friends feel better!

A Pet-Safe Valentine’s Day is simpler than you might think. To keep your pet safe and out of the emergency room, we’ve put together essential Valentine’s Day pet safety tips.

Flower Arrangements

Flowers and Valentine’s Day go hand in hand. Selecting the perfect flower arrangement is already challenging, but it becomes even trickier when considering which flowers could be harmful to your pets.

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Keeping your cat calm during vet visits can be challenging. But with some preparation and care, you can make the experience less stressful for both of you. Below are tips to make the visit to the vet more tolerable.

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Keeping your dog calm during vet visits doesn’t have to be stressful. In fact, there are several steps you can take to make your next trip a little easier for both you and your pet.   

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Many dog owners have heard of kennel cough–especially those who board their dogs or take them to daycare facilities. Fewer, however, may know what kennel cough actually is. At Lone Tree Veterinary Medical Center, we’re here to help you understand kennel cough and to what extent it is a concern. 

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Just as humans, our pets can experience separation anxiety. It affects dogs, cats, birds and other small pets. If not addressed, a pet’s anxiety can develop into chronic, lifelong behavioral problems. These problems negatively impact a pet’s ability to interact appropriately with people and other pets. They can also jeopardize the pet’s relationship with its human family and, ultimately, its own well-being.

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