What's New!
Pets and Parasites: What You Don't Know Could Hurt You
Illness and potentially fatal disease get transmitted to pets by parasites every day, EVERY Day. Protecting YOUR pet is critical to his/her overall health and to prevent him/her from becoming a statistic. The most common are fleas, ticks, mosquitoes and intestinal worms. Fleas transmit tapeworms and Bartonellosis; ticks transmit Ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and bacteria that cause Lyme Disease; and mosquitoes transmit West Nile Disease and Leishmaniasis and the dreaded Heartworm which results in life threatening Heartworm Disease. Intestinal worms cause serious gastrointestinal problems which can be life threatening. Take the quick quiz below to see how much know about Pets and Parasites!
We recommend year round Heartgard Plus® for heartworm and intestinal parasite prevention for dogs; year round Revolution® for heartworm prevention and intestinal parasite prevention for cats; and year round Frontline® for flea and tick prevention for dogs and cats.
PETS AND PARASITES: A QUICK QUIZ(answers)
1-In Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hampshire 11-15% of cats tested by veterinarians are infected with Heartworm Disease. TRUE or FALSE
2-25% of Heartworm Disease cats are INDOOR ONLY cats. TRUE or FALSE
3-There is no approved treatment option for Heartworm Disease in cats. TRUE or FALSE
4-Intestinal worms (whipworm, hookworm, roundworm) are passed from pets to humans. TRUE or FALSE
5-10,000 HUMAN cases of roundworm are reported in the U.S. each year. TRUE or FALSE
6-Zoonosis (disease or parasite that can be transmitted from animals to humans) can cause infections in the skin, eyes, brain, intestinal track, liver and lungs of humans. TRUE or FALSE
7-Ticks that carry Lyme Disease are found everywhere, NOT just by the seashore, including the woods and well cared-for backyards. TRUE or FALSE
8-Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hampshire have a significant number of dogs with Lyme Disease each year. TRUE or FALSE
9-Fleas can live in your house or car for weeks for weeks until they mature and find a pet to live on. TRUE or FALSE
10-Mites burrow into the skin, resulting in intensive itching and scratching, often followed by skin infections. TRUE or FALSE
PROTECT YOUR PET IN AUGUST AND IT MIGHT BE FREE!
Natick Animal Clinic has teamed up with Merial Limited, the manufacturer of Frontline® Plus and Heartgard® Plus, to offer a special promotion. If you purchase Frontline Plus or Heartgard Plus during August 2010 at our hospital, you will automatically receive a free Merial Scratch Ticket. If you receive one of the winning tickets, you would be one of the 25,000 winners nationwide! Your Prize: Your Frontline Plus or Heartgard Plus purchase is FREE! Instantly! Limited quantities, so please act fast.
Where Tick-Borne Diseases Are Found
The following maps highlight the number of reported positive cases of Lyme disease in dogs across Southern New England. Because so many dogs go untested for tick-borne diseases, the actual number of dogs infected by ticks is likely many times higher than what is shown here. For more information on Lyme and other tick-borne diseases, visit dogsandticks.com.
2010 Mystery DNA Dog Contest
GUESS THE BREED OF OUR "MYSTERY DOG"!
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Gromit
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Do you have a dog of mixed breed? Ever wonder what his ancestry is? You'd be surprised!! We've created a fun way for you to see how unpredictable it can really be. Enter a guess about the correct breeds in our Mystery Dog's DNA and you could win a FREE DNA TEST for YOUR DOG! Entries are accepted August 1st through August 31st , 2010. Enter as many times as you like. Entries accepted online at mysterydogguess@natickanimal.com or in person at Natick Animal Clinic. Watch our website for our announcement about Gromit's DNA results AND the Contest Winner.
See Gromit's NECN interview here!
(Only one winner will be selected, entries must be in writing on an entry form or in email, received before 9/1/10. Multiple correct entries will result in a drawing for one winner, Mystery Dog owner / family not eligible to enter).
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DNA Testing Now Offered
Find Out What's In Your Mix!
Where does your get his curly tail from? Why does he love digging holes in the backyard? A mixed breed dog is a cross between two dogs of different breed, and its ancestry can influence him in surprising ways. Obvious and not-so-obvious physical traits plus behaviors like digging, herding and barking all come from the various breeds in a dog's family tree.
With more than one set of breed characteristics mixed into your pet's genetic imprint, your pet's doctor can help you unravel the mystery of your pet's ancestry through a blood sample taken at your pet's veterinary office. A DNA test can determine the make up of a mixed breed dog by testing for more than 170 breeds in the database available through our Wisdom Panel screen.
Along with your customized report, you will have access to online resources to help you learn more about your dog's breeds. Speak to a Natick Animal staff member to learn more!
During August 2010, you can have your dog DNA tested for a special promotional price of $130.00 (a $50 savings!)
Traveling with Your Pets
Traveling with your dog or cat can be a very enjoyable experience. Below we have provided some helpful information to make your trip in your truck or car a safe one for both you and your pet.
Restraining Your Dog or Cat in Your Car: Unable to brace themselves against swerves and turns, animals in cars and trucks can be thrown against dashboards, windows or floors. A slam on the brakes at 30 mph means a 50 pound dog could lunge forward with a force equivalent to being pushed by almost nine 170 pound men, safety researchers have calculated. Loose cats and small dogs can climb under seats interfering with the driver's ability to operate the gas and break pedals properly, climb onto the driver's lap and impede his/her ability to steer or become agitated and confused and cause biting or scratching injuries to the driver or passengers.
The American Automobile Association (AAA) estimates pets moving about in cars as the third worst distraction while driving. A recent survey by the Royal Auto Club found that nearly all drivers who traveled with their pets had been distracted by them at least once, and about 11 percent of those drivers admitted the distraction almost caused a crash.A tiny lapse in focus on the road is all it takes.
For your safety and your pets; buckle him or her into a special pet seatbelt or carrier. Automobile pet restraining devices can be purchased at most pet stores and are inexpensive. Crates or sturdy pet carriers are also an effective way to restrain pets, especially cats, in cars. Make sure to secure the crate/carrier so it does not shift in the event of a sudden stop. Barriers can also be used to keep dogs in the back seat and are sold in pet supply stores and catalogs.
Drivers should not allow pets to sit in their laps or in the front seat. Pets riding in the front seat can be thrown into the windshield if the driver has to make a sudden stop. In Massachusetts, it is against the law for an operator of a motor vehicle to allow anything in or on the vehicle that "may interfere with or impede the proper operation of the vehicle..."
Protect your dog's eyes and ears. If your dog rides in the back of a pickup truck or convertible or is allowed to stick his or her head out the window, this can cause injuries, resulting from debris hitting your dog's eyes and ears. Also paws stepping on power window buttons can close the window on your dog's neck.
Other helpful hints for car travel with pets:
- Bring a collapsible dish and some water.
- Carry a first aid kit in your car.
- For long road trips, give yourself and your pet a rest stop every two or three hours.
- Avoid leaving pets in a car alone to avoid the risk of theft, tow and heat exposure injuries. A hot car can act as an oven in the winter, holding in the heat and causing the animal to overheat causing death.
- Refrain from smoking in your vehicle while your pets are present.
My Best Friend III
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Have a great furry 4 legged friend? Or one with feathers, scales, a shell or quills? We'd love to hear from you with a Pet Tribute! Celebrate your pet(s) in our My Best Friend 2010 DVD! We are looking for photos and a few words about your pets who are still an active part of your family; and those from the past whose memories come alive just by saying their names. 2010 is our third edition of this commemoration of our clients' pets and as you can imagine, it is a huge production; therefore while the DVD will be released in September 2010, we are requesting photos and tributes from our clients beginning APRIL 15th! The deadline for submissions is JULY 5th, 2010. Each participating client will receive a complimentary DVD of all the commemorated pets, a truly beautiful audio visual experience.
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You can email us (mybestfriend@natickanimal.com); mail in to (My Best Friend DVD, Natick Animal Clinic, 121 W. Central Street, Natick, MA 01760); or stop by with one or more photos along with your written tribute and we will make your pet part of our "Pet Tribute Corner" at Natick Animal Clinic. If stopping by with your tribute and photos, please place those in an envelope labeled "My Best Friend DVD".
