Author: admin

Watch Out for Diabetes in Household Pets

Veterinarian cleveland ohio

Diabetes in domestic animals is on the rise, and has been for a number of years now. In part, this has to do with the quality of commercial pet foods. Another culprit is the sharing of misinformation about best feeding practices. Often, diabetes can creep into a pet’s system slowly, much like it does with adults. If your dog or cat leans on the heavier and lazier side, it’s definitely something to keep your eye on. Diabetes in domestic animals is manageable, but it can incur visits to an emergency animal hospital or 24 hour pet hospital. Additionally, the cost of insulin, needles, specialty foods, and more frequent checkups certainly does add up.
If you’re not familiar, the condition known as diabetes has a direct correlation to the amount of glucose sugar in the blood. The pancreas produces the hormone insulin, and diabetes sets in when the body is either not producing enough insulin or is not utilizing the amount being made.
Just as it is in humans, there are two different kinds of diabetes mellitus that develop in our domestic animals.

  • Type 1: wherein the body is no longer making insulin, thus requiring ongoing insulin therapy for the duration of the animal’s life. This is the type that dogs are most prone to develop.
  • Type2: wherein the body is still producing some amount of insulin, but it isn’t enough or perhaps something is getting in the way of the animal’s ability to properly absorb it. This is the type that cats are most prone to develop.
    Generally speaking, cats that are most prone to developing diabetes are between the ages of 8 and 13 and/or have either hyperthyroidism, pancreatitis, are obese and inactive.
    Dog breeds more prone to diabetes include (but are not limited to) Labradors, Schnauzers, Poodles, Golden Retrievers and German Shepherds. Diabetes tends to strike when dogs are between the ages of 7 and 9.
    If your pet seems unusually listless or extremely lethargic, take them to an emergency animal hospital immediately.
    Here’s a list of signs and symptoms to be aware of:

  • frequent urination
  • increased water consumption
  • increased appetite/no change in weight or losing weight
  • lethargy
  • deteriorating vision
  • dandruff, dull coat
  • cataracts (presents as whiteness in the eyes)
    Especially in cats, diabetes is preventable and often somewhat reversible if caught early and significant lifestyle changes are made. Local veterinarians should be able to help you get your pet onto low-carb foods with a daily calorie restriction that will help regulate an animal’s blood-glucose levels; you might want to avoid choosing a low cost vet for this since clinics often don’t have the capacity for blood work. If necessary, search online to find a vet that specializes in handling diabetes. Taking steps now will save you visits to the emergency animal hospital later.
    More.

  • Three Tips for Your Veterinary Social Media Presence

    Dog vet lambertville, nj

    We all know that these days, every business needs to have an online presence as one of their marketing strategies. Once your vet clinic has a professional website, you should start branching out and implementing different veterinary marketing ideas that are out there. One of the most effective (and most fun) ways to connect to your customer base and encourage its growth is to use social media. Here are three tips for doing it.

    Use the right ones
    There are a number of social media sites out there, and while you can be a member of more than one, you should limit your membership to only the ones that you can handle. Check out a few of the most popular ones — like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest — and see what their features are and how you’ll be connecting with your clients. Choose the ones you understand how to use and that offer the type of social media platform you can effectively work with.

    Engage your audience
    When you’ve chosen a few different social media sites to join, you need to make sure that you’re using them well and engaging with your clients. Post interesting content and things that your clients are going to want to click on and share (a wealth of cute animal videos comes to mind). If it isn’t interesting, people won’t care. Post different types of media like articles, videos, and pictures to mix things up.

    Be careful
    This is probably the most important tip on this list, and it bears repeating. Be careful. One typo or grammar mistake could spell disaster and quickly alienate or offend a lot of people at once, and very quickly. A common faux pas these days is not finding out what a trending hashtag is about before using it — like the Digiorno and the hashtag that referred to domestic violence debacle.

    Do you have any other veterinary marketing tips or tricks for social media? Let us know in the comments. Find out more at this site.

    The Importance of Tagging Your Animal Compation

    Pet tags engraved

    Anyone who has had a lost pet knows the pain, heartache, and sense of helplessness while your pet is away. The sense of loss, in addition to the fear that your pet is injured is indescribable. Americans truly love their animal companions, as such, it is important to do whatever is necessary to support and ensure you pet’s health, happiness, and safety.

    Aside from regular veterinary visits and check ups, it is important to make sure your animal companions have proper identification, and are wearing pet tags at all times. This safeguards your pet in the event they are lost, and significantly increases the likelihood they will be able to be returned to you safely. Aside from the standard cat tags dog id tags, microchip RFID tags are highly recommended.

    Information included on traditional pet tags include your animal companion’s name, your name, phone number, and city and state of residence. It is essential to use a phone number where you can easily be reached, such as a cell phone number. Though it is possible to include an address, there may not be enough room on the tag with the other information. Additionally, some people may not feel completely comfortable including their personal address on their animal companion’s tag, and may opt out of doing so. However, the other information should suffice.

    If your pet has an RFID or microchip tag, this should include the manufacturer’s name and phone number. Having an RFID tag in addition to a traditional tag further increases the chances of your pet being located and returned to safety in the event they are lost. Additionally, it is a good idea to have your pet wear their proof of vaccination, letting whomever finds them know they are current on their vaccinations.

    Pet tags can also be decorative and fun! Unique pet tags come in a variety of materials and colors, such as brass pet tags or reflective materials. Pet ID tags are extremely customizable, and can be designed to suit your pet’s personality and “fashion” sense, by complimenting their fur.

    Investing in a pet tag is a necessary and worthwhile investment. The peace of mind is priceless! More information like this: www.pet-tags.com