Tips on Flying With Your Pet

If you’re planning on traveling with your pet this summer, there many important things to keep in mind. Your pet’s first flight can be a somewhat traumatic experience, especially if they are used to sticking their head out the car window and enjoying the sights along the way.

 Here are some tips to help your pet have a safe flying experience:

 Book Early- Most airlines have their own pet policies, so it is important to find out what their rules are in regards to traveling with your pet.

 Visit The Veterinarian- It is important to make an appointment with your pet’s veterinarian for a check-up and make sure all vaccinations are up to date. Obtain a health certificate from your veterinarian dated within 10 days of departure.

 Buy A Carrier- Whether your dog is a Chihuahua or a Great Dane, there's a pet carrier to match. Carriers are available in both hard-sided and soft-sided. Soft-sided carriers are more suitable for carry-on and tend to fit better under the seat, but they're only permitted in the cabin only. To make sure the carrier will fit under the seat on your flight check the size restrictions of the airline in our Airline Pet Policies section.

 After you've purchased an appropriate carrier, write your dog's name on it and include identification tags with your home address and phone number as well as the address and phone number of someone who can be reached at your destination. Carry a current photograph of your pet as well. If he's lost during the trip, a photograph will make it much easier for airline employees or the local authorities to search effectively. Take

A Test Drive- Animals travel under less stress when they are accustomed to their carrier before they travel. In the weeks prior to your trip, put your dog in his carrier as often as possible for trips around town.


 Source: http://www.bringfido.com/travel/top_10_tips/

Disaster Preparedness Tips

You may have heard about, if you were not part of, the natural disasters that have happened around the world.  One thing we know for sure is that hey can happen at any moment, so it is important to be well prepared. 

Emergencies come in many forms, and they may require anything from a brief absence from your home to permanent evacuation. Each type of disaster requires different measures to keep your pets safe. The best thing you can do for yourself and your pets is to be prepared.

Here are 3 easy steps that will help you get started on disaster preparedness.

Step 1: Get a Rescue Alert Sticker to let people know pets are inside your home. 

Step 2: Arrange a Safe Haven in the event of evacuation.

Step 3: Keep an Emergency Supplies and Traveling Kits handy and make sure everyone in your home knows where it is kept. 

Source: http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/disaster-preparedness

OPEN HOUSE THIS SATURDAY AT SHAWSHEEN ANIMAL HOSPITAL

Come join us at Shawsheen Animal Hospital this Saturday April 5th from 10am to 2pm for our OPEN HOUSE!

Please be aware that we will not be seeing appointments this Saturday due to the festivities. There will be various giveaways and promotions.

We will have a dog trainer, Crazy Canines of Tewksbury available with an "ask the trainer" table, which will promote its new day care center for dogs. Representatives of Trupanion Pet Insurance will be on hand to discuss pet insurance plans and answer general questions about their company.

Microchipping will be available for $25 and will include the first year's registration. (A $15 savings off our regular price) Our trained dental technicians will offer complimentary dental evaluations to show clients the presence or absence of dental disease in their pet. The teeth will be graded on our scale of 1-4, and recommendations for care appropriate to the grade of dental disease will be given. A weight coach will be available to analyze a pet's weight and suggest lifestyle and diet recommendations based on the pet's condition. Paws 4 A Cure, a non profit organization that raises money to help fund life-saving veterinary care, often in cancer patients will be in attendance.

Kitty Angels of Tyngsboro, a no-kill shelter, is also expected to be on hand to offer cats for adoption. Auntie Dog of Tewksbury will be having a obedience seminar (weather permitting) at 11:30a.

We will have flea & tick product promotion and eduction.

 AM 980 WCAP Radio Station "The Voice Of The Valley" will be broadcasting live from Shawsheen Animal Hospital.

Today is Love Your Pet Day!

The month of February, seems to be all about love, and our pets are no exceptions. Today is Love Your Pet Day!  Give a special treat to your pet or just some extra cuddle time today.  We also share in your love for your pets!

Pets as Christmas Presents

Sometimes it may seem like a cute idea to give someone a pet as a Christmas present, but it’s important to give that some extra thought before you do it. Most pets that are given up lose their home because their owner loses interest in them or is unprepared for the responsibility of pet ownership. This is a huge problem seen among pet owners who receive their pets as “gifts.” Children especially are given the mistaken idea that pets are all fun and games, but they are not fully ready to take on the responsibility of feeding, walking, cleaning, and training their pet.

Instead of giving pets as presents, we recommend getting acclimated to the idea of bringing a new pet into your home. Bringing your children to volunteer at an animal shelter or babysitting the pet of a friend or family member can help. Children and potential pet owners (no matter their age!) need to be reminded that pets aren’t just cute; they are also hungry, need to exercise, and need to use the bathroom. They can be messy when they aren’t fully trained, and the training process can be difficult too.

Please, don’t adopt until everyone in your family is READY. 

November is Adopt A Senior Pet Month

It’s Adopt A Senior Pet Month! Senior pets need love just as much as young and spry pets do. Have you ever adopted a senior pet and how has it changed your life?

What is a Hotspot?

Question

My dog was recently diagnosed with a "hotspot." Can you tell me more about this skin condition?

Answer

“Hotspot” is a general term used to describe the angry reaction that your pet’s skin is displaying. It may also be referred to as “acute moist dermatitis.”
Hotspots have many causes, but are usually the result of self trauma and subsequent infection that occurs as your pet tries to relieve himself from a pain or itch. An underlying allergy is most often the cause of the pain or itch. Some breeds are more prone to seasonal allergies, so you may see hotspots at the same time each year.
There are three types of allergies that may lead to hotspots:

• Inhaled allergy (pollens, dust, molds)
• Insect allergy (fleas, bee sting, spider bite)
• Ingested allergy (food)

Please discuss treatment options, which may include thorough cleaning, antibiotics and anti-inflammatory agents, with your veterinarian.
For more information, see Library Articles Skin Problems in Pets, Allergies and Spring Allergies.

Originally published on Healthy Pet.