Broad Ripple Animal Clinic Blog

Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

It’s high summer in the midwest and that means wave after wave of thunderstorms! Top it off with a nice round of fireworks for the Fourth of July weekend and your dog may be shaking for days. Have no fear, Brad Phifer is here to help you help your pets through these scary situations. He was interviewed on Indy Style this morning on WISH-TV. Click the link below for the interview:

What to do if your pet is afraid of thunderstorms…

Have more specific questions? Brad can be reached via email at b.phifer@bracpet.com

Here at Broad Ripple Animal Clinic and Wellness Center, we use a personal assessment tool with our team to better understand and communicate with one another. This method of self-discovery is called True Colors. We’ve been using it for several years and every member of the BRAC team has found it to be a valuable tool used everyday. We are so excited to let our clients know about a new book called Canine Colors. This book is actually more than just a “book” in that it contains everything you need to discover your personality, as well as your dog’s personality. Through a self-assessment, using a scientifically-based method you will discover your true character.

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So many pet lovers struggle with not only maintaining their own weight, but also their pet’s proper weight. Those beckoning eyes are so hard to resist when it comes to an extra treat….or two or three. How can you better manage your pet’s diet without feeling like you’re depriving them? According to BRACpet Fans, their secret seems to be green beans, among other things.

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by Elizabeth Murphy, DVM

Everyone knows that doing a crossword puzzle every day helps keep our brains sharp as we get older. But what about our pets? Well, taking your older dogs for a walk every day is the canine equivalent of getting them to do a daily crossword puzzle. Dogs “read” the environment on their walks by sniffing the ground or the closest lamppost for information on the other dogs that have passed by, such as their age, their gender, their health and even the amount of adrenaline coursing through their veins! Dogs have 200,000 olfactory, or smell, receptors, in comparison to the human number of 20,000, so they get a great deal of information from their environment, which their minds must then process and interpret.

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Did you know: Dental care has saved the lives of more pets than any other advance in the field of veterinary medicine in the last 25 years?

• Smaller dogs and cats live 15-20% longer if they receive dental care as needed throughout their life.
• Larger dogs live 10-15% longer if they receive dental care as needed throughout their life.
• Bad teeth and gum disease can trigger serious, even life-threatening health problems including heart, kidney, liver and joint disease.
• In human medicine, a link between gum disease and heart conditions has been well established. Research shows the same thing happens in pets. A recent study by Dr. Larry Glickman of Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine (JAVMA, Feb. 2009) showed that dogs with gum disease had more heart problems (study included 59,296 dogs).

If you’re not currently brushing your pet’s teeth, or you’ve had bad luck trying to brush in the past, we want to help get your pet’s dental care back on track! Give us a call at 317-257-5334 or 317-726-2711 to schedule a complete oral examination and we’ll teach you some stress-free ways to care for your pet’s teeth and gums.

The northeast was just hit by a blast of stormy winter weather this weekend, which reminds us that we always need to be prepared for emergencies when it comes to cold weather and our pets. It’s a very good idea to have a winter emergency kit prepared before getting snowed in. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s early December and the cold weather is about to hit the Midwest with a vengeance. Are you and your pet prepared for freezing temperatures, snow and ice?

Unless your dog is a Husky, Samoyed or Malamute, he’s probably not all that thrilled with winter weather and being outdoors for too long. Going on walks will be more challenging, but with a few precautions, you and your dog can continue to enjoy exercising outdoors.

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Dr. Christine Heinz has been chosen as the 2010 Nestle Purina PetCare Award! We are so proud of Dr. Heinz’s accomplishment, as it is a well-deserved recognition for her hard work as a veterinarian.

One American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) member veterinarian is chosen each year in recognition for their outstanding efforts to positively influence the lives of animals and people. This year, Dr. Heinz was nominated by one of her clients. This nomination was supported by two more client essays, telling the stories of their relationships with Dr. Heinz over the past few years.

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Broad Ripple Animal Clinic and Wellness Center is pleased to announce a new level of client service for our loyal BRACpet clients! We now offer a text messaging service for members of the BRACpet Club. What are the benefits to joining?

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The Iowa Department of Public Health has confirmed a case of people passing the H1N1 virus to their family pet. The IDPH issued the following statement today, “Two of the three members of the family that owns the pet had suffered from influenza-like illness before the cat became ill,” said IDPH Public Health Veterinarian, Dr. Ann Garvey. “This is not completely unexpected, as other strains of influenza have been found in cats in the past.” All members of the household, including the cat have recovered from their illnesses. Read the rest of this entry »