Corner Animal Hospital : Online Pet Pharmacy and Veterinary Service

Over the last 20 years it has been quite trendy to own some of the more unusual pets like birds and reptiles. Even though many of them make great pets, they are not as domesticated as dogs and cats. This leads to a significant amount of frustrating problems for their owners and us veterinarians.You have a responsibility to educate yourself on the needs of these animals before you purchase one of them. To think that you can take an animal from the wild and recreate a proper habitat for it in your house with little effort is sheer folly. Many of these animals are exquisitely adapted to their particular niche and don’t do well when taken out of this environment.

If you are not going to make their care a high priority in you life then you don’t belong owning one of them. In many cases the nutritional requirements are not known. We have an idea of what they need to eat, and try to replicate the foods they eat in the wild, but it is only an educated guess. Nature is very complicated, and these nutritional needs are very specific. This is particularly important in reptiles since they are dependent on their environment to a much greater degree than most any other animal.

Iguana’s are probably the most common reptile presented to us, due mostly to their popularity and the medical problems that affect them. By the time an owner brings them in for medical care the disease process is well entrenched and difficult to correct.

Sunday, September 28, 2008 (rain or shine)
Noon–4:00 p.m. (times to be confirmed)
Union Square Park, Manhattan

info@AnimalAllianceNYC.org

As anyone who has ever loved a companion animal can tell you, pets make people feel good.   In the past, however, there was no scientific evidence to back this up.   Well now there is.  Studies done in the last decade have proven that owning pets can be beneficial to human health in many ways.

As The Center for Disease Control’s website states, owning pets can lower people’s blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, as well as provide opportunities for exercise, outdoor activities and socialization.

There are other benefits as well.  A 2002 study released by the American Medical Association stated that children raised from birth in multiple pet households may be less likely to develop allergic illnesses, such as asthma, allergies and eczema.  Apparently, being exposed to the “germs” of dogs and cats early in life helps build the immune system.

A foundation called the Delta Society focuses exclusively on harnessing the power of the human-animal health connection.  Their mission is to unite Americans with mental and physical illnesses and disabilities with trained therapy animals.  A comprehensive collection of studies related to the health benefits of pet ownership can be found on their website (www.deltasociety.org).  These studies show that pets have helped people cope with a myriad of issues, from trauma to attachment disorders to autism.

Although veterinarians have probably always intuitively known that animals do people good,   The American Veterinary Medical Association now recognizes the importance of the human-animal bond, and has issued a statement supporting the health benefits of animal companionship for people.

So, pet owners take heart – the next time you wince at Rover’s vet bill or plop down a $50 bill for that kitty condo, look at it not only as a sign that you are a responsible pet owner, but as insurance for your future health.

Saturday, July 12, 2008

Shubert Alley, West of Broadway, between 44th and 45th Streets, between Broadway and 8th Avenue, Manhattan

BROADWAY BARKS 10! will help some of New York City’s shelter animals find permanent homes by informing New Yorkers about the plight of the thousands of homeless dogs and cats in the metropolitan area. Bernadette Peters and Mary Tyler Moore will host this star-studded dog and cat adopt-a-thon, and a galaxy of Broadway stars will join them onstage to present animals for adoption from New York City animal shelters and adoption agencies. BROADWAY BARKS will also feature an auction of celebrity-autographed memorabilia. Proceeds from the auction and other donations will benefit the attending shelters and organizations. This event is free and open to the public.

For more information, visit the BROADWAY BARKS! web site.

Raise money to rescue and rehabilitate puppy mill dogs. Join us for a fun afternoon winning beautiful gifts/baskets and treats for your dogs! Learn how you can help us stop puppy mills! Tasty desserts and beverages will be available.

Sunday, June 22, 2008
1:00–5:00 p.m.
St. Andrew’s Church, 40 Old Mill Road, Staten Island

Tickets are $25.
For more information or to reserve your tickets, contact Laura Amato at foundfreedom@nomoretearsrescue.com, or visit the No More Tears Rescue web site.

When you get a puppy, it’s a lot like having a new child. It is your responsibility to take care of it, protect it, and make sure it stays out of harm’s way. And just like a child, puppies and their immune systems are subject to plenty of diseases that we can help prevent by taking the right steps when we first bring our new puppies home.VACCINES

Once you procure ownership of your puppy, immediately go to a veterinarian for an examination. Veterinarians can determine how healthy your brand new puppy is and what kind of vaccinations he/she needs. By looking at the puppy’s breeding/vaccination report, a vet can determine if the puppy does or does not need to receive any more vaccinations. If the puppy’s never been vaccinated it will most certainly receive the necessary vaccinations during that first visit. Most veterinarians use multivalent vaccines when vaccinating your puppy. Multivalent vaccines combine several different disease antigens into one shot so your puppy doesn’t have to receive several shots. Puppies receive vaccinations to prevent them from getting diseases at ages when they are most susceptible. Make sure to set a schedule with your veterinarian regarding when your puppy should come in for another vaccination (or “booster” shot).

SPAYING OR NEUTERING

If your puppy is not spayed or neutered, ask your veterinarian what might be a good time to have it done. Spaying a female dog prevents her from having unwanted puppies from the future. It also prevents the probability of disease, such as breast cancer and uterine infection. Male dogs that aren’t neutered are more at risk for testicular cancer and prostate disease. A male dog that isn’t neutered also tends to be more aggressive towards people and dogs alike. As a general rule of thumb, it is best to spay a female dog before her first heat cycle, and for a male dog it is normally best to have him neutered at 6 months. Regardless, check with your veterinarian to know the optimal time for either.

WORMS

Worms are parasites that can grow in your puppy’s intestines and feed off nutrients that pass through them. These are nutrients that your puppy needs. As soon as you can, bring your veterinarian a sample of your puppy’s stool. Your vet can examine it for worm eggs to determine if your puppy does in fact have them. If your pet does have worms, the veterinarian will be able to determine exactly what kind of species they are and give you the appropriate medicine or “wormer” to help get them out of your puppy’s system. Even if the puppy does not have worms, he/she can get them by exposure to another infected animal’s feces. Make sure to clean up feces left by your puppy every week and pick up after it on walks.

These are only some of the basic health issues to keep in mind when deciding to get a puppy. You should generally make sure to feed your pup well and exercise it to keep its health and immune system strong.

So you just bought home your brand-new puppy. You know training it will take time and patience, and that overtime it will learn to obey your commands and not eat food off your table. But until it learns these things, you will have a lot of cleaning up to do. Here are some tips on how to keep your pup’s messes from getting out of hand.

PUPPIES CHEW ON EVERYTHING

Be it a piece of bacon or your designer-made shoes, it’s all fair game to a puppy. The fact of the matter is it simply doesn’t know better, and will be happy to tear apart everything in its reach. So before you go out and get your new pet, make sure everything you hold dear and don’t want slobbered on is put away in safe, hard-to-reach places. This goes for food, too. Keep human goodies away from table edges if you don’t want it chowing down on your dinner. But don’t think the puppy shouldn’t get to have any fun. Replace treasured items with disposable chew toys and give your pup an entertaining (and non-destructive) way to expend energy. Having chew toys around will also give you the opportunity to share in on puppy’s playtime.

SET BOUNDARIES

Puppies will go anywhere and everywhere they can as long as there is nothing blocking their way. Sure, you can eventually teach them to stay out of certain rooms and places, but before then you have to set physical boundaries to prevent them from peeing on your brand new rug. Make sure to set up portable fences blocking them off from places you don’t want them going. If they’re not allowed on couches, reprimand them whenever they try to jump on one. After these boundaries have been set you can teach them their limitations and eventually remove the fences. Until that time comes, though, a portable fence is a safe bet.

BE PREPARED FOR LEAVING YOUR PUPPY ALONE

You can’t be around every waking moment of the day to keep an eye out for your dog. Eventually you will have to leave it home alone, and when it’s home alone, it is a lot easier to get into messes without you telling it to stop. It’s a good idea to get some sort of cage or crate to keep the puppy in while you are gone to keep it from chewing the house apart. Leave food, water, a toy or two, and be prepared to clean up any messes it leaves when you get back. It’s also a good idea to give the puppy’s cage a solid surface to make cleaning up messes easy. Once your puppy matures, you don’t have to keep it caged anymore – but at the beginning, for the sake of your home and sanity, keep it out of destruction’s way while you are out.

Puppies are resilient. You will not be able to prevent one from never making a mess. But by making your house as puppy-proof as possible you can cut down the amount of cleaning up you will have to do during that first year or so.

With summer’s high temperatures, the heat can be deadly to your pets. It may be time to make some changes in how you care for your pets. This includes things such as more water and shade. Above all, you need to be watching for the signs of heat stress in your furry friends. Also in this warm weather, you may be tempted to take your pet with you in the car, but the interior of a car can reach 120 degrees in a matter of minutes — even if you’re parked in the shade. You might want to play it safe and leave your pet cool at home for the dog days of summer.

When it comes to keeping your pets safe from flea and tick infections, Frontline is the name to know. It is the #1 trusted choice for flea and tick control by veterinarians. With just one dose, your dog or cat will be protected from fleas or ticks for at least a month. Frontline will not only kill any currently existing fleas or ticks already on your pet in the first twenty-four hours it’s been applied, but it will keep them off, not only killing full-grown pesticides, but also flea eggs and larvae. It’s also waterproof, allowing your pet to swim and be bathed without losing Frontline’s capabilities. It can be used on kittens and puppies at ages as early as 8 weeks old. For complete flea and tick control, choose Frontline.

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It is important to train your dog once you’ve brought it into your life. However, many dog owners incorrectly believe that having a dog should be an easy ticket for love and companionship. Nothing is ever that perfect. When you first get your pup, you will watch it go through a variety of activities you consider “bad” or “wrong.”

Your pet might soil your floor. It might jump on couches after coming in from the rain. It might bite your friend’s hand when he/she goes to pet it. Your dog might do all of these things and more. But before you throw your hands up in defeat and let your new pet become your new worst domestic nightmare, consider training your pup to adhere to your rules your way. Here are a few pointers to help you get started :

A DOG IS A DOG

You are not working with a toddler, people. When you purchase a dog and want it to follow your rules, you have to remember you are training another species of animal with different instincts than the ones we have. If you want to discipline a dog you have to treat a dog like a dog. And since their ancestors are wolves, dogs think in pack-mentality – when a dog comes into your home, it sees all those within it as part of its clan, and every clan needs a leader. So make sure your dog knows you call the shots. Don’t back down or “feel bad”. Though it might feel like you are breaking your puppy’s heart, you are actually keeping it from taking control of your home. It is your job to make it clear that you are the “alpha dog.”

START EARLY, BE CONSISTENT

The more you coddle a young pup when you first get it, the more likely it’ll walk all over you when it is older. With that said, develop rules and terms of obedience early. Fence off rooms you don’t want dogs to go in and reprimand it when it tries to get past those boundaries. If you don’t want your dog on furniture, make it clear, and don’t give any leeway.  If you want your dog to follow a rule, you can never let it get away with breaking it. This is where consistency comes into play. By being consistent, you make it perfectly clear to your dog that there are certain rules it will never be allowed to break.

RESEARCH YOUR BREED

Like different people have different personalities, different dogs are more likely to act different ways.  Make sure you are certain that a prospective pet’s personality will go well with yours. Don’t pick a dog with an aggressive personality if you don’t want to be butting heads all the time, and don’t pick a servile dog if you want it to protect your home.

Don’t let this article overwhelm you – having a pet is a great experience and a lot of fun. Training a dog can be hard work, but by following these guidelines you can be sure to have a best friend for life.