Sidewalk Salt

Did you know that ice melt and sidewalk salt can be dangerous for our pets? It can be abrasive to their sensitive paws and can also be toxic to them if they lick it off! It’s important to always wash your pet’s feet with mild soap and warm water when they've been outside, and use pet-safe ice melt when possible.

Christmas Tinsel Safety

Did you know that tinsel could be deadly for pets? The colored foil that looks so pretty hanging up with our Christmas lights has sharp edges that could cut our pets internally if they swallow it. We recommend avoiding tinsel entirely for safer and healthier options!

Pet Treat Recipe: Pumpkin Ice Bites

Want your dog to have a delicious and safe holiday treat? Here's a simple recipe you can make at home:

Blend 1 cup of canned pumpkin with 1 cup of plain non-fat yogurt and freeze in an ice tray. Dogs can be given these one cube at a time (outside, because they can be a little messy for carpet!). 

This mixture can also be stuffed into a Kong or rubber stuffable toy and frozen. That will allow hours of dog entertainment!

National Cat Week: Protect Your Cat This Season

As the days start getting shorter and cooler, your outside cat, as well as other cats in the neighborhood, may be looking for warm places to spend the night. A common place for cats to go for warmth is under the hood of cars, because engines retain their warmth long after the car has been driven. If a car is started under these circumstances, great injury, or even death, can occur for the cat. Protect your outside cat, and your neighbors’ cats, by knocking on the hood every morning before you start your car. 

Today is National Pet Obesity Awareness Day

Is your pet over their healthy, ideal weight? Today is National Pet Obesity Awareness Day, a day set aside for pet owners with overweight pets, or pets that are headed toward obesity. Just as a reminder, it’s important to get your pet out doing active things, and make sure they’re eating a good diet! Being at their ideal weight can help them live a longer, healthier, and happier life!

October is Adopt-A-Dog Month

Have you considered adding a new canine companion to your family? October is Adopt-a-Dog month, the special month set aside by the ASPCA to recognize pet adoption as a wonderful way to get a new pet. When you rescue a homeless pet, you’re not only giving an animal a new family and saving their life, you’re also giving yourself a reason to feel proud of your efforts to the homeless animal community.

Halloween Safety Tips

Attention, animal lovers, it's almost the spookiest night of the year! The ASPCA recommends taking some common sense precautions this Halloween to keep you and your pet saying "trick or treat!" all the way to November 1.

1. No tricks, no treats: That bowl of candy is for trick-or-treaters, not for Scruffy and Fluffy. Chocolate in all forms—especially dark or baking chocolate—can be very dangerous for dogs and cats. Candies containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can also cause problems. If you do suspect your pet has ingested something toxic, please call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.

2. Popular Halloween plants such as pumpkins and decorative corn are considered to be relatively nontoxic, but they can produce stomach upset in pets who nibble on them.

3. Wires and cords from electric lights and other decorations should be kept out of reach of your pets. If chewed, your pet might suffer cuts or burns, or receive a possibly life-threatening electrical shock.

4. A carved pumpkin certainly is festive, but do exercise caution if you choose to add a candle. Pets can easily knock a lit pumpkin over and cause a fire. Curious kittens especially run the risk of getting burned or singed by candle flames.

5. Dress-up can be a big mess-up for some pets. Please don't put your dog or cat in a costume UNLESS you know he or she loves it (yup, a few pets are real hams!). For pets who prefer their “birthday suits,” however, wearing a costume may cause undue stress.

6. If you do dress up your pet, make sure the costume isn't annoying or unsafe. It should not constrict the animal's movement or hearing, or impede his ability to breathe, bark or meow. Also, be sure to try on costumes before the big night. If your pet seems distressed, allergic or shows abnormal behavior, consider letting him go au naturale or donning a festive bandana.

7. Take a closer look at your pet’s costume and make sure it does not have small, dangling or easily chewed-off pieces that he could choke on. Also, ill-fitting outfits can get twisted on external objects or your pet, leading to injury.

8. All but the most social dogs and cats should be kept in a separate room away from the front door during peak trick-or-treating hours. Too many strangers can be scary and stressful for pets.

9. When opening the door for trick-or-treaters, take care that your cat or dog doesn't dart outside.

10. IDs, please! Always make sure your dog or cat has proper identification. If for any reason your pet escapes and becomes lost, a collar and tags and/or a microchip can be a lifesaver, increasing the chances that he or she will be returned to you.

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/pet-care-tips/halloween-safety-tips.aspx

Today is World Pet Day!

Today is a day to acknowledge the diverse roles that animals play in our lives – from being our companions, supporting and helping us, to bringing a sense of wonder into our lives.

Pet Behavior

Does your pet often misbehave around guests, whether by jumping up on people, or even showing aggression? The holidays are swiftly approaching, so it is the perfect time to start pet behavior counseling or training! Ask us for our recommendations to help make your pet a well-behaved greeter of your holiday house guests this season.

Play With Your Pet

Does your pet often get brushed to the side when you’re family is busy at home? Your pet craves attention from you, and would love to spend a little time playing and bonding with you. Make your pet’s day today, and give them a little play time with the people they love the most

Over-the-Counter Medications & Pets

Human medicines are designed for human bodies, not for animals. Even when our pets are ill or uncomfortable, offering them any kind of human medicine is dangerous and could even be fatal. It’s important to seek veterinary care right away when your pet is sick, so they can be administered medicine that was designed for THEIR body instead.

Pets & Camping Safety

Camping with your pet can be a fun adventure, but also a dangerous one! It’s important to be fully prepared for bringing a pet with you into the woods BEFORE you go. Make sure your pet is up-to-date on all parasite prevention, and be sure to pack plenty of food and water. If you’re filtering your water, don’t forget your pet needs filtered water too! And most importantly, check campground rules where you’ll be staying, because some campgrounds don’t allow pets because of the danger of large wild animals, like bears! Make sure you keep your pets and family safe, and have a great trip!

Pets & Swimming

Does your pet like to swim? Many pets enjoy the water and love to jump in the pool on hot summer days. Don’t forget that it’s just as important to supervise your pet while swimming as it is to supervise your children. Pets especially may accidentally swallow pool water while swimming, causing them to consume harmful and sometimes toxic chemicals. Instead of letting your pet swim in your family pool, consider getting them a kiddie pool filled with water for them!

National Pet Fire Safety Day - July 15: Prevent your pet from starting fires

Extinguish open flames: Pets are generally curious and will investigate cooking appliances, candles, or even a fire in your fireplace. Ensure your pet is not left unattended around an open flame and make sure to thoroughly extinguish any open flame before leaving your home.

Remove stove knobs: Be sure to remove stove knobs or protect them with covers before leaving the house – a stove or cook top is the number one piece of equipment involved in your pet starting a fire.

Invest in flameless candles: These candles contain a light bulb rather than an open flame, and take the danger out of your pet knocking over a candle. Cats are notorious for starting fires when their tails turn over lit candles.

Beware of water bowls on wooden decks: Do not leave a glass water bowl for your pet outside on a wooden deck. The sun's rays when filtered through the glass and water can actually heat up and ignite the wooden deck beneath it. Choose stainless steel or ceramic bowls instead.

Pet proof the home: Take a walk around your home and look for areas where pets might start fires inadvertently, such as loose wires and other potential hazards.

Keep your pets safe

Keep pets near entrances when away from home: When leaving pets home alone, keep them in areas or rooms near entrances where firefighters can easily find them.

Secure young pets: Especially with young puppies, keep them confined away from potential fire-starting hazards when you are away from home, such as in crates or behind baby gates in secure areas.

Practice escape routes with pets: Keep collars and leashes at the ready in case you have to evacuate quickly with your pet or firefighters need to rescue your pet.

Consider using monitored smoke detection services: As an added layer of protection beyond battery-operated smoke alarms, smoke detectors connected to a monitoring center help save pets who can't escape when left home alone.

Affix a pet alert window cling: Write down the number of pets inside your house and attach the static cling to a front window. This critical information saves rescuers time when locating your pets. Make sure to keep the number of pets listed on them updated.

June is National Pet Preparedness Month

June is National Pet Preparedness Month so it’s important to think about your pet’s disaster preparedness plan as well as your own. We recommend setting aside the food and medication that your pet could need for several weeks, as well as a first aid kit for your pet, just in case. This is also a good time to make sure that your microchip is registered to the proper contact information, including a cell phone in case your family is forced to evacuate your home. We offer First Aid Kits at Raining Cats & Dogs Pet Boutique so stop in today to check them out! We want to help you to all that’s necessary to ensure that you and your pet will be reunited if you’re separated. 

Vaccination Clinic

There will be a Discounted Walk-In Vaccination Clinic on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Ketchikan Veterinary Clinic from 5pm to 7pm. Vaccinating your pet against disease is one of the most important aspects of pet health care and will help ensure a long and healthy life. Call us at 907-225-6051 for more details about our discounted walk-in vaccination clinic.

Boarding

Going away this summer and can’t take your pet with you? Let them stay with us! We’re now accepting summer boarding reservations, so be sure to schedule your pet’s visit early. Our caring and compassionate staff is here to help insure your worry free travels...while your pet relaxes and enjoys their vacation.

Boarding/Doggy Daycare

Going away and can’t take your pet with you? Don’t worry…we now offer boarding! We’re happy to keep your pets in a safe, friendly environment with our new boarding and doggy daycare service, which includes a veterinarian on-site. Space is limited so call the clinic at 907-225-6051 for more information.

Pets & Potting Soil

If your indoor cat likes to play in potting soil – be sure to put them on a parasite preventative because 15% of potting soils harbor round worm! Roundworms can be a health risk for humans so bring in a fresh fecal sample to be tested and get your pet is on a parasite preventative today!

Pets & Heartworm

Warm weather means the return of mosquitoes and the heartworm disease that they carry. Because a single bite from a mosquito could transmit the deadly heartworm parasite to your pet, it’s important that your pet stay on a heartworm preventative at all times. We can’t prevent the mosquitoes from biting, but we can prevent their harmful effects. We would love to discuss heartworm prevention for your pet!

National Pet Day

Today is National Pet Day! It's a day to celebrate the joy pets bring to our lives and to create public awareness about the plight of many different kinds of animals awaiting a forever home in shelters all across the nation. No matter what kind of pet you own, they are a part of your family and deserve to be spoiled today.