Independence Day - Not your Dog's Holiday

The Independence day holiday is fun and exciting for you and your family.  Outdoor cooking, family gatherings, warm summer weather and to top everything off at the end of the day, fireworks.  The happy day and the weeks leading up to the fourth, bring fear and panic to many family dogs.  The loud fireworks are insulting to the dog's sensitive ears and they do not understand that it is a celebration for their human caregivers.  To them it sounds like a war zone.   There are some things that you can do to help your pet cope with the holiday.

Don't take your dog to a public fireworks event or party.  You may think that your pet wants to be involved in the family celebration however a crowded, hot and noisy event will not be enjoyable to your dog. 

Be sure that your dog or cat has proper identification in the event that they escape during the stressful fireworks.  A well fitting collar with an ID tag and a microchip should be in place.  Also, check the yard and secure the fences and gate so that your pet can not escape if he gets startled. Don't leave your pet outside after dark when the fireworks will be in full display.  Try to get them out before hand so that they can stay safely inside during the noise of the celebration.   Create a safe place for your pet to hide indoors if they are fearful.  A place in the center of the home with a dog bed or crate may make the dog feel safer.  Having music or a TV playing in the evenings with the fireworks are booming may help distract from the sounds outside.  You can also engage your dog in play to keep their minds off of the sounds outside.

Exercise may help your pet diffuse some of the fear energy that they build up.  Take your pet on a long walk  in the late afternoon and get them very tired.  It will help them cope with the stress of the evening.   

If you have a fearful dog, try keeping your pet leashed with you in the house.  You may need to contact your veterinarian to see if you can get some calming medication for your particularly skittish pet.  Your veterinarian will help you to decide whether your pet needs some form of medication to help them cope with the stress of the day.

Enjoy your 4th of July celebration and remember to consider your pet.

Hot Dog - Summer in the City

It looks like it is finally summer in Michigan (for a few weeks anyway) and it is time to consider summer hazards that can face your pets.  We love the sun, sand and traveling to touristy locations, but there are many negative consequences for our pets if we don't think and act wisely.

Car Rides.  Please, please don't take your dog in the car unless you are going to take them immediately out of the car at your destination.  Every summer my mother discovers a dog left in a hot car at some shopping center and has to raise a fuss; (and she can raise a fuss) sometimes even getting police involved to save some pup that was left in a hot car.  She is the "hot dog" crusader for a good reason.  Many dogs (and children) die in hot cars each year.  The temperature in a car increases so quickly that only a few moments can create a life or death situation.  Also dogs can be forgotten in a car.  Place your purse or cell phone in the back of the car with the dog so you do not accidentally forget them.

Sun, heat and humidity.  As our temperatures approach 70 degrees or over, your pet may begin to feel overheated, especially if there is exercise involved.  When your dog begins to pant he is telling you that his body temperature is increasing.  He is trying to "sweat" off the excess heat by panting.  Be sure to offer water frequently, seek shade and don't continue to throw the Frisbee or the ball.  Dogs will often continue to play in the heat well beyond their limit.  Keep the summertime play to either short sessions, or try to do your walking and playing in the evenings when things are cooler.

Sunburn?  Yes, some dogs (and cats) will burn if left in the sun too long.  Dogs and cats with very short coats or  with pink ears or noses will burn more severely than darker skinned pets.  They do make doggy sun screen, but better to keep your "pink" pets indoors or in the shade to avoid sunburn.

Parasites.  Fleas, ticks, intestinal parasites and mosquitoes love summer and they also love your dog or cat.  Be sure to consult your veterinarian to get the safest parasite control products for your pets.  They should be protected against internal and external parasites all year long.  Nobody wants to cuddle up to a bunch of fleas and ticks running around on their pet.  Yuck!

Hot pavement.  Remember that your dog does not wear shoes!  Well, most dogs don't. (maybe yours does)  If your dog prefers to go barefoot, then keep him off the blacktop and cement when the sun is at it's hottest.  That asphalt can burn the pads of their feet.  Hot sand can also be an issue, so if you can't stand the heat on your feet, your pet probably can't either.

Overeating.  We all love a good picnic and so do our dogs.  Watch your guests are not feeding your dog from the table or he/she will end up with an upset stomach from the rich and tasty treats.

Enjoy your summer with your family and your furry family, but be sure to think ahead to keep your pets safe from the summer hazards.  Call us at Warren Woods Veterinary Hospital if you need any advice from our wonderful doctors and technicians.  We are always happy to help.  Have a safe and enjoyable summer.

Oh, and please adopt one of our kittens..............

 586-751-3350
https://www.facebook.com/WarrenWoodsVetHospital.

4 the Best Detroit....Once again shooting for FIRST

It is here again!  WDIV's Click on Detroit, 4 The Best contest.

Each summer the Detroit TV station WDIV holds their "4 The Best, Click on Detroit" contest to choose the best, or most popular businesses in the greater Detroit area.  Last year Warren Woods Veterinary Hospital worked hard to accumulate votes asking clients and friends to vote for us in the contest. Warren Woods Veterinary Hospital was happy to be awarded FIRST place in the "Veterinarians" category which included over 100 veterinary hospitals in the metro Detroit area. 

The worst thing about winning in 2104 is the pressure to try to hold on to that first place spot for this summer.  We asked all of our wonderful clients to vote, comment and vote again, over and over all summer long.  We hope that you are all up for this year's challenge as we try to pull off a second win.


Thanks to all of our wonderful clients, friends and Warren Woods Veterinary Hospital team members for making Warren Woods Veterinary Hospital one of the best in Detroit.  Also, thank you to WDIV for recognizing small business in the Detroit area with this contest.

Like Cats and Dogs

An interesting thing happened today at the hospital that brought to mind the fact that many people do not understand the complicated relationship between a cat and a dog.   While they can be best friends if properly introduced, it can be dangerous to introduce them too quickly or in an inappropriate environment.  This scenario has played out twice in the last few weeks at Warren Woods Veterinary Hospital.  We have several adult cats that are up for adoption, living at our hospital.  One of them has already "bounced back" because proper time and process was not put into introducing family pets.

Dogs have an innate prey drive and cats will fight if cornered, so when trying to introduce them to the same household, time and patients is the key to success.  It will often times take months to form a close bond.

Let's assume that we have an adult dog that has never had a cat in it's household and we are trying to bring in a new cat.  In this situation it is best to assess the dog's prey drive before any cat is obtained.   If your dog chases squirrels or rabbits in the yard and neighborhood cats, it is likely that he will chase a cat that is brought into your home.  Some dog's have such strong prey drive that they will kill the animal when they catch it.  If you have a dog that has strong prey drive, you must be extremely cautious with your introductions.  You will want to muzzle your dog when you are first introducing him to the cat.

The best way to introduce any cat into a new home is by starting with a "safe room" that the cat can have all to himself.  His litterbox, food and water should all be there within easy access and quiet places should be provided for him to hide and take shelter.   People can visit, but other pets must stay on the other side of the door and pets are allowed to get aquainted only through the door.

Once the cat is acclimated to the new home (at least 2 weeks with most cats),  the door to the isolation room can be opened with the dog on a leash and sitting quietly while the cat explores.  The dog should not be introduced off leash to the cat until they can co-exhist in the same room with out fear or focus.  Focus means that they are too worried about each other to relax.  If they get to the point of quiet tollerance, then and only then are they allowed to be loose together.  They should be introduced (not forced)  in an area where the cat is near the "safe room" so it can get away and hide from the dog, if the dog decides to chase.  If you get into a chase situation, you will need to back up and start over with the supervise leashed incounters or more time in the safe room.  If there are too many of the chase scenes, you may lose the trust of the cat, forever.

 It often takes weeks or months to properly introduce an adult dog and cat, but if you take your time and use your common sense, it can be accomplished safely and create a lasting and loving cat/dog relationship.

The "Kennel Cough" Vaccine is for every dog!

If your dog likes to go for neighborhood walks, frequents the dog parks, visits the local doggy day care or gets bathed at the groomer, your dog needs a Bordetella vaccine every 6 months.  The vaccine against Bordetella is important to protect your dog against the hacking cough that is easily spread from dog to dog.

Bordetella bronchiseptica is a bacterium associated with the upper respiratory infection and cough that is commonly called "Kennel Cough" or canine infectious tracheobronchitis.  The bacterium may also affect cats and rabbits.  Bordetella is easily transmitted though the air or direct contact.  It may also live in the environment for some time.  In puppies or adult dogs with underlying health problems, Bordatella may cause severe infections and pneumonia.  In adult dogs, infections are usually treatable and will run its course in 10-14 days.

The vaccine that we use to prevent Bordetella is simple to administer as it comes in an oral form so it doesn't hurt at all!   The vaccine can be easily given by one of the doctors or technicians at Warren Woods Veterinary Hospital. Most dogs take the oral vaccine easily.  Be sure to ask the veterinary team at Warren Woods Veterinary Hospital if your dog has had a Bordatella Vaccine.

 Call us today.  586-751-3350.

4th of July - A dog's worst nightmare

The Independence day holiday is an exciting summer ritual for families.  Warm weather, outdoor cooking, family gatherings and to cap it all off, fireworks.  What could be better, right?  The family dog does not think so.  The weeks leading up to the fourth and the dreaded day itself brings fear and panic to many family dogs.  The loud fireworks are insulting to the dog's sensitive ears and the company coming and going, is a canine nightmare.  There are some things that you can do to help your pet cope with the holiday.

Don't take your pet to a public fireworks event.  You may think that your pet wants to be involved in the family celebration, however a crowded, hot and noisy event will not be enjoyable to your dog.

Be sure that your pet has proper identification in the event that they escape during the stressful fireworks.  A well fitting collar with an ID tag and a microchip should be in place.  Also, check the yard and secure the fences and gate so that your pet can not escape if he gets startled.  Don't leave your pet outside after dark when the fireworks will be in full display.  Try to get them out before hand so that they can stay safely inside during the noise of the celebration.   Create a safe place for your pet to hide indoors if they are fearful.  A place in the center of the home with a dog bed or crate may make the dog feel safer.  Having music or a TV playing in the evenings with the fireworks are booming may help distract from the sounds outside.  You can also engage your dog in play to keep their minds off of the sounds outside.

Exercise will help your pet diffuse some of the fear energy that they build up.  Take your pet on a long walk  in the late afternoon and get them very tired.  It will help them cope with the stress of the evening.  

If you have a fearful dog, try keeping your pet leashed with you in the house.  You may need to contact your veterinarian to see if you can get some calming medication for your particularly skittish pet.  Your veterinarian will help you to decide whether your pet needs some form of medication to help them cope with the stress of the day.

Enjoy your 4th of July celebration and remember to consider your pet.

Flocking to the Motor City Bird Breeders Show

We spent the better part of Saturday gathered with like minded bird admirers at the Motor City Bird Breeders Show.  The show is a room with a variety of avian species including many parrots, canaries, finches, budgies and even a few fish.   Yes, fish were there also.  Just a few tables filled with plastic bags of fish that were for sale, so I guess it was the bird and fish show.

There was a parade of interested patrons walking through the hall browsing the different tables buying birds, toys, cages and accessories.  There was an awesome raffle of donated items including a few small birds for the raffle participants to attempt to win.  I was accompanied by two of my wonderful technicians, Nicole and Beth.  We handed out business cards, pens, informational handouts and answered many questions about our hospital and about various pet bird issues.  We had a great time bird and people watching.

The show is held twice each year so if you missed the show Saturday you can join us again in October.

  Watch our Facebook page and website for information.