Broad Ripple Animal Clinic Blog

Archive for the ‘Educational Handout’ Category

A visit to the swimming pool, the local creek, or the ocean helps us stay cool during the “dog days” of summer.  But what about our canine companions – how do we keep them cool?

Mrs. Jones was frantic! Just an hour before, her dog Snickers was playing in the yard. Now he was listless and having trouble breathing.

Rushing him to the nearest veterinary clinic, a concerned veterinary technician informed her that Snickers’ temperature was over 106 degrees – he was suffering from heat stroke. Luckily for Snickers – and with the help of a quick thinking owner and veterinary technician – he recovered.

Every summer, in cities all over the country, hundreds of dogs find their way to the family veterinarian after spending just a few hours in the hot sun.

It’s important to remember dogs don’t sweat like we do. Cooling themselves by panting, dogs use the moisture evaporating off their tongue as a means to lower their body’s temperature. Anything overwhelming this natural cooling system leads to heat stroke. With more families away from home during the day, our dogs are often left outdoors where it may be difficult to find shady, cool places and water to drink.

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There is an email that has been circulating through pet lovers’ mailboxes since as early as 2001. This particular email warns pet owners about a product called Cocoa Mulch. This email “rumor” has been investigated multiple times, and while parts of the email are in fact “rumor”, the warning itself is very valid.

Commercial mulch products that contain cocoa bean shells are popular in many areas. It is known for its fine texture and sweet aroma, but that sweet smell translates into a dangerous temptation for dogs. Cocoa mulch contains two ingredients also found in chocolate: theobromine and caffeine. These ingredients can make your pet very ill, displaying symptoms such as: upset stomach, bouts of diarrhea, acting jittery, or even beginning to display seizure activity. Theobromine is toxic to dogs, if ingested in a large enough quantity.

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If you’ve got four spare minutes in your day, you can help take the stress out of nail trims for your dog! Just four minutes, three to four times a week and your dog will soon be on his or her way. If you continue with these steps, your dog will become more comfortable with this process and won’t run or hide when you clip nails at home or go to the veterinarian or groomer. Read the rest of this entry »

Does your barking dog drive you crazy? Does it seem like the more you try to get him to stop, the worse it becomes? Don’t worry…you’re not alone! This is one of the most common behavior complaints made by dog owners.

Why does your dog bark?

*Dogs bark to warn other dogs of their territory.

*Dogs may bark when separated from their family.

*Dogs sometimes bark when anxious, afraid or frustrated.

*Medical problems, especially as your dog ages could also contribute to barking.

In many cases, we inadvertently make our barking dog problem worse, by yelling or constantly telling them to be quiet when this happens. There are several ways to prevent a barking problem, as well as methods to correct unwanted barking. Read the rest of this entry »

Dr. Elizabeth Murphy

by Dr. Elizabeth Murphy

When your dog or cat was very young, it probably seemed as if there were huge changes in size and development every day or every week.  Once adulthood arrived, you may have even breathed a sigh of relief that life with your pet was more peaceful and predictable.  The “senior” years and their changes may have arrived so gradually that you didn’t even notice, but changes can begin to occur in the later stages of life at the same fast pace that you noticed at the beginning. Watching for these changes can help you not only to understand what is going on with your pet, but also to be proactive about medical problems that commonly occur as pets age.  Please keep an eye on this blog in the coming weeks – several articles will be posted that will help you anticipate the good things that come with age as well as plan for the some of the inevitable difficulties. Read the rest of this entry »

Recent policy changes with most airlines has led to a certain amount of confusion when traveling with pets. Today, most airlines are not asking for a health certificate from people who are carrying their pets on board.

This change is probably part of a plan to make the boarding process more efficient. The fact of the matter is that if you are crossing state lines with your pet, within the continental United States, you must carry proper documentation. The legal requirement for documentation when traveling from one state to another is a valid health certificate and a certificate of rabies vaccination. Both certificates must be signed by a veterinarian. Read the rest of this entry »

Halloween and Trick-or-Treat is fun for people of all ages. Even dogs have been known to dress up and go trick-or-treating with their families!

Despite all the fun, we can’t let down our guard when it comes to our pets’ health. Halloween candy can pose a serious health risk to cats and dogs alike. Dr. David Lee, of Broad Ripple Animal Clinic and Wellness Center says, “If your pet gets into your Halloween candy, contact your veterinarian immediately.” Read the rest of this entry »

Every fall, our neighborhoods are overtaken by ghosts and goblins and other scary creatures for a night of fun and tradition. Children love getting dressed up in costume and going door-to-door to collect Halloween treats. There are all kinds of safety tips to protect kids on this night each year, but what about pets?

Our pets crave structure and routine. Anytime we can anticipate a change from our normal routine, we should take into consideration the impact this will have on our pets. Are you ready for Halloween this year?

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World Rabies Day was just a few short weeks ago. The purpose of this day, was to raise awareness of the fact that rabies is still present in our society and that our pets need to be vaccinated against this potentially lethal disease.

While rabies cases continue to exist predominantly in wildlife, our pets are still at-risk, especially cats. Why cats? Cats are curious stalkers and bats carrying rabies have exposed cats to this deadly risk…even indoor only cats! Most people can remember an instance when a bat has entered the home by way of the chimney, becoming trapped, unable to find its way back outside. It’s only natural that a cat’s instincts would kick-in when this happens, causing your mild-mannered house cat to pursue this tiny intruder.

Nationwide, rabies cases have dropped by 3.1% this year. But in Indiana the number of cases seen so far in 2009 has increased by 160%, reports the Indiana State Board of Animal Health. How does this impact you and your household? Read the rest of this entry »

A new virus has hit the dog population in many states, with Virginia being the latest to report the highly contagious dog flu, H3N8. While we haven’t seen it in Indiana yet, it’s important to learn as much as we can to prevent the spread of this virus.

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