http://www.nknoxvet.com/blog/client/index.cfm The North Knox Vet en-us Sat, 04 Sep 2010 16:32:24 -0400 Fri, 07 Aug 2009 14:15:00 -0400 BlogCFC http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss office@nknoxvet.com office@nknoxvet.com http://www.nknoxvet.com/blog/client/index.cfm/2009/8/7/Flea-Season-is-upon-us Fleas are entering their most active time of year. The bulk of flea infestation in the East Tennessee area is now through the middle or end of October. Make sure your pets are protected by using a veterinary approved flea preventative such as Advantage or Frontline. Be very careful of the flea preventatives that are available at stores such as Hartz, Sargents, or Bio Spot. Contact us today for more information on how to protect your pet. General Tips Fri, 07 Aug 2009 14:15:00 -0400 http://www.nknoxvet.com/blog/client/index.cfm/2009/8/7/Flea-Season-is-upon-us http://www.nknoxvet.com/blog/client/index.cfm/2007/4/18/BEWARE-OF-COUNTERFEIT-FLEA-AND-TICK-PRODUCTS Make sure that you are buying authentic flea and tick products, and not counterfeit, by buying your products from licensed Veterinarians. The companies that make Frontline and Advantage sell only to veterinarians. The counterfeiters have repackaged certain quantities of product destined for foreign markets in forged cartons, with potentially mislabeled dosages and incorrect labeling. These illegitimate product packages may not contain all the US EPA-approved product information on dosing and safety instructions. Also beware of Frontline or Advantage being sold in anything other than the original package, i.e. syringes. Consumers who have purchased FRONTLINE from a source other than a veterinarian and/or who have concerns regarding the products authenticity can go to Frontline.com/epa and click through product images that will show how to identify authentic packaged product. A good safeguard to ensure the integrity of products such as these is to purchase them from a reputable source. The best way to be confident about the source of Frontline and Advantage products is to purchase them through your veterinarian. "Veterinarians are in the best position to recommend proper flea and tick care for pets, because they can take into consideration such factors as the weight and health of the animal," said Dr. Link Wellborn, DVM and President of the American Animal Hospital Association. If you have concerns about the product you have purchased from a pet store, catalog or pet care store you may call Merial (makers of Frontline) at 1-800-660-1842 or Bayer (makers of Advantage and Advantix) at 1-800-255-6826. Much of the above information plus more can be found on the Frontline website at Nofleas.com, or Advantage at Nofleas.com/Press-Release.asp North Knox Veterinary Clinic 4700 Central Ave. Pk. Knoxville, TN 37912 865-687-2515 Tips Wed, 18 Apr 2007 11:23:00 -0400 http://www.nknoxvet.com/blog/client/index.cfm/2007/4/18/BEWARE-OF-COUNTERFEIT-FLEA-AND-TICK-PRODUCTS http://www.nknoxvet.com/blog/client/index.cfm/2006/11/14/Holiday-Tips-for-Pets Here are some useful tips to help your pets through the Holidays. These Tips were found originally at : http://www.sniksnak.com/holidays.html. Holiday Safety Tips for Pets: New Year's brings in a brand new year filled with the promise of hope, prosperity, health, and happiness. But be alert to any pet hazards such as fun noise-makers and confetti which can very easily pose a serious threat to your pets' sense of well-being and health. Noise-makers can frighten your pet causing the pet to bolt out an open door window, or leap to a percarious area in search of safety. Confetti can be ingested, wreaking havoc to the digestive tract. Caution: Those adorable holiday costumes for your pets may be cute at get-togethers or in family photos, but pet owners should be wary of costumes which have rubber bands to keep them securely in place on the pet. If rubber bands are accidently left on the pet after the fun of dressing up is over, the pet could chew off and swallow them, causing choking and/or intestinal injuries. And, too, the bands can become embedded into the pet's flesh. Valentine's Day is a day of romance and love, renewing old friendships and making new. Please don't forget the hidden dangers to your pets in those wonderful boxes of candy gifts and lovely bouquets of flowers your beloved one gives you. Check here for a listing of toxic and non-toxic plants. Don't leave the candies out - most animals love the sweet taste, especially chocolate. Chocolate is often fatal to animals, especially cats, if consumed in a large quanity and/or over a period of time. Easter has its hazards of pets nibbling the colorful Easter "grass" used in baskets and other decorating. The goodies tucked in the baskets can create havoc to a pet's digestive system as well - chocolates, teeny Easter toys, plastic items, etc. St. Patrick's Day brings the jolly Irish out in us all. Remember during your festivities, animals and alcohol DON'T mix. Alcoholic beverages are toxic to our pets. July the Fourth in the United States brings picnics, backyard cookouts, family gatherings, and the sense of pride to be living in a free country with so many privileges most other countries aren't able to enjoy. But for our pets, the Fourth is also a day of terrible mishaps and even abuse related to fireworks. Please keep your pets indoors during the holiday and watch traffic at doorways. The sudden loud noises and flashing colors can cause your pet to run away in terror. A carelessly thrown firecracker or other firework could result in a disfiguring or maiming tragedy. And as old as time, there's always the evil animal abuser who gets his thrills from harming those who are smaller, weaker and totally defenseless. Make sure all pets are inside during the night the youngsters are Halloween trick'r-treating, especially black pets, to avoid the heartbreak of hideous "pranks." In fact, during the entire month of October, all black pets should be kept indoors. The safest thing for both you and your animals is to keep them indoors unless you are supervising their outdoor activities with them on a leash. On the night of Halloween trick'r-treating, keep your pets away from the doors leading to the outside. Place them in a secluded room away from the noise and activity of the trick'r-treaters. As you are greeting your guests, the animal could become frightened and make a rush for the door as you are handing out the treats. The foil wraps on candies can cause internal injuries if swallowed - the foil can be like a razor as it is swallowed and ingested. Keep all candies and their wrappers in a secured place. Other holiday treats, alcoholic beverages, rich, fatty food scraps and bones can be harmful or toxic to pets. Keep your pet on his regular diet and caution visitors against giving your pet "special treats." Supervise all candles - pets are attracted to the bright "lights" in a darkened room. Not only could they receive serious burns, but they could knock the candles over, spilling hot wax onto furniture and carpeting. Don't leave candles unattended for their sake and for the obvious fire hazards. All other decorations should be carefully placed so that the pets can't pull or scratch off any small pieces to swallow. Cover or tack down electrical cords. Pets' highly sensitive noses pick up scents before humans can. Therefore, don't be surprised when Fluffy and Fido are underfoot in the kitchen while Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday goodies are being prepared. Watch those hot containers filled with turkey and ham drippings. The pets can easily tip them over causing severe scalding and burns to themselves. Don't feed pets the cooled drippings either. Human seasonings aren't good for pets, plus the fact that the rich stock and drippings can easily upset pets' digestive systems. Though it's so tempting, don't give your pet large quanitities of cooked turkey and ham during the holidays. Again, human food is too rich; overfeeding of human food can cause additional health problems and feeding human food will often lead to unsatisfactory eating habits when given pet food at their regular mealtimes. Consumption of human food can also result in pitiful begging, an aggravating habit hard to break, when the family sits down for meals. BONES ARE DANGEROUS! Please, please don't feed your pets bones, especially poultry bones. Poultry bones splinter easily - each year thousands of pets are treated for consumption of splintered bones, causing pain and sometimes death. Increased activity and visitors during the winter holiday season can upset your pet's routine. Try to keep your pet on his regular schedule for feeding and exercise and be sure the pet gets plenty of love. If you are planning to take your pet with you when visiting friends and relatives during the holidays, be sure to contact them in advance to find out if your pet is welcome. Because of the excitement during the holidays, it might be best for you and your pet to board your pet or hire a reputable pet sitter. The lovely bubbling holiday lights are moderate to lethal toxicity, depending on the amount of fluid (methylene chloride) inhaled or ingested. Please do not use angelhair (spun glass) - low toxicity; can cause irritation of the eyes, skin and gastrointestinal tract. Artifical snow and snow flock also has low toxicity - dry particles are inert; however, toxicity from inhalation can occur if spayed directly in the mouth. Hang your treasured ornaments higher on the Christmas tree. Use wooden, medal, resin-cast or the like on the lower branches in case curious little paws want to play with bright and colorful ornaments. Tinsel isn't toxic, but if ingested, intestinal obstruction and choking are potential problems...please don't use. The beauty of the fireplace colors (fire salts) is breath-taking on a cold winter's evening - moderate toxicity; symptoms are gastrointestinal irritation with vomiting and a variety of other manifestations, including convulsions. Resist the temptation to tie ribbons around pets necks for the holidays. The pets can tighten ribbons resulting in choking or hang themselves if the ribbon is caught on an object. Keep gift ribbons and bows out of sight to prevent chewing and swallowing. Replace metal ornament hooks with tightly knotted fabric 1/4 inch ribbons, light-weight twine or yarn to slip easily over the branches of the tree. Keep all pets securely indoors during firework displays. The frightening noise and the danger of exploding fireworks are hazardous to your pet. A number of Christmas season plants are poisonous to pets if nibbled or eaten: ivy - moderate to very toxic, all parts; holly - moderate to very toxic, especially the berries and leaves; mistletoe - very toxic, all parts, especially the berries; Christmas greens such as balsam, juniper, cedar, pine and fir - all parts have a low level of toxicity; hibiscus - may cause vomiting or bloody diarrhea if ingested; and poinsettias - leaves and stems low in toxicity. This is not a conclusive listing...there are many more toxic plants. An additional listing of both non and toxic plants can be located here. It's wise to keep plants out of your pets' and children's reach. Tips Tue, 14 Nov 2006 08:52:00 -0400 http://www.nknoxvet.com/blog/client/index.cfm/2006/11/14/Holiday-Tips-for-Pets http://www.nknoxvet.com/blog/client/index.cfm/2006/10/12/Top-Ten-Cold-Weather-Tips This information taken from the ASPCA Website. Brrrr it's cold outside! The following guidelines will help you protect your companion animals when the mercury dips. Keep your cat inside. Outdoors, felines can freeze, become lost or be stolen, injured or killed. Cats who are allowed to stray are exposed to infectious diseases, including rabies, from other cats, dogs and wildlife. During the winter, outdoor cats sometimes sleep under the hoods of cars. When the motor is started, the cat can be injured or killed by the fan belt. If there are outdoor cats in your area, bang loudly on the car hood before starting the engine to give the cat a chance to escape. Never let your dog off the leash on snow or ice, especially during a snowstorm Dogs can lose their scent and easily become lost. More dogs are lost during the winter than during any other season, so make sure yours always wears ID tags. Thoroughly wipe off your dog's legs and stomach when he comes in out of the sleet, snow or ice. He can ingest salt, antifreeze or other potentially dangerous chemicals while licking his paws, and his paw pads may also bleed from snow or encrusted ice. Never shave your dog down to the skin in winter, as a longer coat will provide more warmth. When you bathe your dog in the colder months, be sure to completely dry him before taking him out for a walk. Own a short-haired breed? Consider getting him a coat or sweater with a high collar or turtleneck with coverage from the base of the tail to the belly. For many dogs, this is regulation winter wear. Never leave your dog or cat alone in a car during cold weather. A car can act as a refrigerator in the winter, holding in the cold and causing the animal to freeze to death. Puppies do not tolerate the cold as well as adult dogs, and may be difficult to housebreak during the winter. If your puppy appears to be sensitive to the weather, you may opt to paper-train him inside. If your dog is sensitive to the cold due to age, illness or breed type, take him outdoors only to relieve himself. Does your dog spend a lot of time engaged in outdoor activities? Increase his supply of food, particularly protein, to keep him and his fur in tip-top shape. Like coolant, antifreeze is a lethal poison for dogs and cats. Be sure to thoroughly clean up any spills from your vehicle, and consider using products that contain propylene glycol rather than ethylene glycol. Visit the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center more information. Make sure your companion animal has a warm place to sleep, off the floor and away from all drafts. A cozy dog or cat bed with a warm blanket or pillow is perfect. Tips Thu, 12 Oct 2006 17:20:00 -0400 http://www.nknoxvet.com/blog/client/index.cfm/2006/10/12/Top-Ten-Cold-Weather-Tips