Posts in Category: Seasonal Pet Care

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, autumn also brings many familiar tasks, including preparing our yards for winter, cleaning the garage, and holiday decorating. During this busy time of year, don’t forget that these activities can also present some hazards to a curious pet.

The team at Lone Tree Veterinary Medical Center is here with some helpful tips on making this fall season wonderful and enjoyable, instead of one marred by a serious pet emergency. Here are some basic fall pet safety reminders for all of our pet-loving friends.

It probably comes as no surprise that “get healthier” is the most popular New Year’s resolution among Americans. Holiday meals and parties, cookies at the office and at Grandma’s house, and extra treats from friends and neighbors can add up over time, causing a run on gym memberships and diet cookbooks come January 2nd. 

Pets, too, can suffer the ill effects of overindulgence, including the health and mobility consequences that go along with extra weight. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be difficult to keep your furry friend fit and trim during the holidays.

A little bit of planning, a commitment to your pet’s well being, and the support of your Lone Tree Veterinary Medical Center team will go a long way toward making sure your best pal feels and looks its best all year long.

Spring is a notoriously fickle time in Colorado. One day, we’re enjoying temperatures in the 60s, and the next day we’re hit with a snow storm! This variation between cold and warm weather can make it easy to ignore your pet’s parasite prevention. Unfortunately, a little spring snow isn’t enough to keep fleas and ticks at bay for long. Although they may seem inactive during a cold spell, it only takes a few 50 to 60 degree days for parasites to become active again.

While fleas and ticks can be found anywhere outdoors, they are most likely picked up by a pet after they’ve dropped off of another animal onto the ground, grass or a shrub. Even if a pet doesn’t go outdoors, it can still be exposed to these parasites when they’ve hitched a ride indoors on someone’s clothing. Unfortunately, they’re usually not noticed until they’ve bitten your pet and started to cause itching, skin rash and hair loss problems. Or, as with a tick, you’ve discovered a little round bump on your pet that wasn’t there a few days before.        

Our pets rely on their paws to transport them everywhere they need to go and in all types of weather, and it is easy to assume that their paws can withstand whatever Mother Nature throws at them. Unfortunately, cracked pads, frostbite, chemical burns, and more present numerous hazards to the well-being of our pet’s paws, especially, this time of year. With this in mind, the team at Lone Tree Veterinary Medical Center would like to walk you through the basics of winter paw protection for your furry loved one!

Adorable Anatomy

Paw pads are some of the cutest parts of any pet, but they also serve many important functions. Pads provide cushioning and shock absorption by protecting the ligaments, tendons, and bones from the impact of walking and running. They also provide insulation from hot and cold surfaces, as well as traction when a pet traverses across varying types of terrain. As if that’s not enough, paw pads also protect our pets against bacteria, parasites, and other nasty contaminants present on any surface or terrain they come in contact with.  

Over time or as a pet matures, the surface of the pads will become more tolerant to heat, cold, and rough surfaces. That doesn’t mean, however, that they don’t need some additional protection and care during the winter months, especially, when exposed to extreme cold, ice, and chemical de-icers.

As the summer progresses and temperatures continue to rise, it’s important for pet owners to take their pets’ well-being into consideration when it comes to heat-related dangers. Warm weather doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun in the sun with our pets; rather, it means that we need to be aware of the risks and plan ahead for their safety and well-being.

Hyperthermia in pets, also known as heat stroke, is one of the biggest warm weather risks facing pets in the summertime. Unlike humans, who can sweat through their skin, a pet’s only means for cooling their bodies is through oral panting and the small amount of sweat released through their paws. Knowing how to prevent hyperthermia in our pets is the first step toward making sure our furry loved ones stay cool and safe all summer long.

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It’s no secret that water is vital to the existence of humans and animals, as well as  most other living creatures. Water makes up about 70-80% of a pet’s total body mass and is critical for the proper functioning of each and every cell and system.

Even a small loss of a pet’s fluids can disrupt the body’s delicate balance and result in dehydration. If not corrected, dehydration will impair the body’s functioning and quickly become a medical emergency.

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Spring is just around the corner and it’s the time when our thoughts naturally turn to outdoor activities. Looking forward to hiking, biking, gardening, and being out in our yards with family and friends, are some of the best things about the coming warmer days.

As you’re planning your yard projects this spring and summer, your friends at Lone Tree Veterinary Medical Center would like remind you of the often ignored, yet, extremely important topic of metal lawn edging and the risks it poses to pets. Let’s discuss pet safe lawn edging that will help keep your pet safer and still dazzle your landscaping niche.

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Winter isn’t here just yet, but many of us have already begun thinking about our cold weather preparations. You may have started digging out your coats and sweaters, beginning the process of winterizing your home, yard, and car, and perhaps even entering the planning stages for holiday and winter celebrations and get-togethers.

This slow transition to cold weather is the perfect time to consider winter pet safety. Keeping pets protected during the icy months is vital to their safety, comfort, and overall health. Continue…