Corner Animal Hospital : Online Pet Pharmacy and Veterinary Service

Dog lovers will enjoy the pictures, but the words that follow are pretty powerful…

A Dog’s Purpose (from a 6-year old).

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolf hound named Belker. The dog’s owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.

I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn’t do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.

As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker’s family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.

The little boy seemed to accept Belker’s transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker’s Death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, ‘I know why.’

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I’d never heard a more comforting explanation.

He said, ‘People are born so that they can learn how to live a good Life – like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?’  The Six-year-old continued, ‘Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don’t have to stay as long.’

Live simply.

Love generously.

Care deeply.

Speak kindly.

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure Ecstasy.

Take naps.

Stretch before rising.

Run, romp, and play daily.

Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.

On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.

On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.

When you’re happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

Be loyal.

Never pretend to be something you’re not.

If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.

ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY!

With Spring soon upon us, it’s time to start preparing for the upcoming heartworm season. Heartworm is caused by a parasite called dirofiliaria immitis. It is spread to dogs, and recently cats, by a mosquito. The mosquito is a necessary part of the life cycle.

Traditionally this disease only occurred in hot and humid states that were essential to mosquito breeding. The disease occurs throughout our country now, although heatworm preventive medications have had a significant effect in lowering the incidence of heartworms.

Dogs and cats of any breed can be infected, although we tend to see it more in large male dogs. Since it takes at least 6 months from the time a mosquito injects microfilaria into a dog until these microfilaria become adult heartworms, puppies must be at least 6 months of age before adult heartworms are present. Most dogs are diagnosed at middle age. Many dogs do not have any symptoms until heart failure progresses. This emphasizes the need for yearly testing.

Many products are available to prevent heartworm (some of them also treat intestinal worms so they can be of great value). These products are inexpensive, easy to use, and effective. They should not be used routinely unless your dog has a yearly heartworm test to make sure it is negative.

Heartworm infestation can lead to heart failure. Treatment can be hard on a dog, so it is of utmost importance to plan on preventing the problem with the low cost and readily available medications used for prevention, as opposed to taking a chance and treating only if the problem occurs.

At the Corner Animal Hospital, besides providing tests for heartworms, we also carry a full line of heartworm prevention medicine including:

• Interceptor
• Sentinel
• Heartgard

Contrary to popular belief, dogs and cats are not natural enemies and can actually become very close friends when living in the same home together!

Dogs bury bones in order to ensure that they will always be able to find food even if it is not readily available.

Like wolves, dogs dig because of an ingrained genetic behavior to excavate dens, look for prey, or create a cool place to rest. Excessive digging can also be a response to boredom.

A dog’s sense of smell is about 1,000 times better than ours. But they do need a good sense of smell and hearing because their eyesight is not as good as a human’s.

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.

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.

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.

Everyone loves their pets. They’re fun, cuddly, cute and always full of love. Through all the excitement of having a pet, it is important to remember that sometimes pets get sick too. Pets are as prone to disease as humans are and a sick pet can break your heart the same way that a sick child can. Since pet disease is a reality, it is important that you are prepared for your pet if they become sick.There are a few ways that you can be prepared for an ill pet. The first is to purchase pet health insurance. Veterinarian bills and pet medication can be expensive and having insurance will help you cover all the expenses. The second way to be prepared for your pet is to find an online pet pharmacy where you can easily purchase medication. There are a number of reasons why online pet pharmacies are a great resource :

• The most common illnesses with dogs include fleas, gingivitis, cataracts, and dehydration. Other common pet diseases include various skin conditions, joint pain, and ear infections. The range of illness that pets can have is extensive, so the selection of medication supplied in online pharmacies is also extensive.

• Online pet pharmacies also tend to offer discounted medication. This will help you save a significant amount of money, especially if your pet suffers from a chronic skin disease or other common problems. If you are spending hundreds of dollars on medication, you should be able to greatly reduce your spending by switching to an online pet pharmacy.

• If your pet comes down with a common problem, such as ticks or fleas, you can quickly and easily visit an online pharmacy to find the correct medication. You can compare prices and make your purchase all from the comfort of your own home. Once you have purchased the medication, it will be delivered right to your doorstep. No more waiting on line or driving to the store!

• Pet owners often complain that it can be difficult to find prescription pet medication. However, these medications can easily be found online at pet pharmacies. You will also be able to find different brands for the same prescription, which will allow you to be able to choose the brand that works best for you.

You never know if or when your pet might become sick. Make sure you are informed on pet disease and what you need to do when a problem arises. The best way to keep your pet from unnecessary suffering is to be familiar with an online pet pharmacy so you can quickly get your pet the medication that it needs.