Tundra’s Tips

Meet Tundra our resident pal! Being the baby girl of the owner, she has it easy around here as she loves to lay around and check out whats going on! Tundra has learned a lot while hanging out here and has some great monthly tips and discounts to share with all the other pets out there! Check back each month for a new article with great information and a coupon for your next visit!

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Obesity Awareness Month in October  (and Adopt a Dog Month)

Everyone is talking about it, and it dose not just happen to humans, but your pets too! October is the National Pet Obesity Awareness Month, and Adopt A Dog Month!

Everyone knows that eating healthy, proper meal proportions and daily exercise is the best way to a healthy weight, but did you know that applies to your pet too? Excess weight in your pet can lead to pet obesity and other health issues can arise from the extra weight. The “human parallel” in the extra weight your pet is carrying often effects your pet more than it would a human. As seen on, http://www.hillspet.com/weight-management/pet-weight-compare-to-human-weight.html , a Chihuahua who is only 2 pounds overweight is equivalent to 62.5 pounds overweight in a human. Knowing this can only help us understand the extra toll on your pet’s body. Understanding the risks and how to stay healthy or loose weight are the right tools to a healthy pet.

Obesity in a pet can come from over eating, lack of exercise, or health issues, however, no matter how it has happened; it needs to be reversed to prevent unnecessary health problems. “Obesity has been reported to be the most common nutritional disorder in dogs, with an estimated prevalence of approximately 25%”. A summary done by the AVMA describes just a few of the studied effects of obesity including hip displasia, lameness, chronic disease, longevity, and expiratory airway dysfunction (http://www.avma.org/avmacollections/obesity_dogs/summary.asp). If your cat is overweight they may not be able to groom themselves leading to hot spots and matting.

These are just a few health concerns related to obesity and are all equally important to be aware of.

So how do you keep your pet from becoming obese or how do you help your pet loose weight and manage their obesity issues? The first thing to keep in mind is that you should always take your pets to your Veterinarian for their yearly wellness exam! Your Veterinarian will be able to determine the proper weight your pets should maintain and how to help get them there if not already. Also, your Veterinarian, by doing the exam and blood work, will be able to help eliminate other health issues that may be causing the weight gain and or rapid weight loss including diabetes or hyperthyroidism. Your Veterinarian will be able to best advise how and when the proper time to do dieting, blood work, and exercise! Proper nutrition, not eating table scraps and daily exercise is the key to a healthy weight!

Hills by Science diet has started a Million Pound Pledge for all those pets out there that do need to loose weight! Go to: http://www.petfit.com for more information!!

And remember: A healthy pet is a happy pet!

OCTOBER IS ALSO ADOPT A DOG MONTH!

There are millions of pets who are abandoned, abused, and homeless looking to find the right person to adopt them into their homes and lives. We hope that with proper education, spaying and neutering your pets, and the right hearts, that one day we can put a stop to homeless pets! This month: Adopt a new pet and receive a Complementary Healthy Pet Exam with proof of shelter new pet adoption AND receive $5 off coupon for vaccines for your NEXT visit!

COUPONS:

**Complementary Healthy Pet Exam with proof of shelter new pet adoption AND receive $5 off coupon for vaccines for your NEXT visit!

**Come in for an obesity related exam and receive a full exam and diagnostic blood work at a discounted price of $75!!