Christmas Critter Chat

Happy Christmas from the Critter chat team

Susannah, Jo, Melanie and Debbie from Agnes Coast Vet Clinic would like to extend their very merriest Christmas wishes to you and your furry (and feathered) families.

It’s that time of year again… Christmas presents, food, family, and over indulging with food and drinks– don’t you just love it!! We thought we would use this critter chat edition to discuss some very important issues that affect our pets at this time of year!!

With all the delicious food and extra scraps at this time of year, be careful to monitor how much your pet is actually eating. Overfeeding of your pet is a common problem and is a serious health concern. Be attentive to your pet’s intake of tit bits this Christmas, especially from visiting relatives and children. If you do feed your pet leftovers, be aware that fatty ham and bacon, as well as other fatty foods and creamy deserts are not a healthy food option for your pet. Foods that have a high fat content can cause a life threatening intestinal condition called Pancreatitis. Its so tempting to spoil our pets at Christmas but overfeeding is not the kindest treat for them – a better option is a run on the beach or a Christmas toy to play with.

Another very important issue at this time of year is the potential over heating of your dogs. The temperature has risen and with these long hot days extra precautions need to be taken with your pet. Did you know that a dog can die within 8 minutes of being locked in a hot car? So if you are shopping or running errands in town, leave your dog at home. And if you are leaving them in the back of a ute, then:

1 Park your vehicle in a shady spot

2 Leave some water in a bowl

3 Check your pet every 15 minutes (the shade moves!)

The other way dogs will commonly overheat is exercising in the heat of the day. So if it’s too hot outside for you to go for a run, then it’s too hot for your dog as well. Keep in mind that most dogs will run and chase a ball endlessly, even if they are getting way too hot.

A topic that has differing opinions with pet owners is whether clipping your pet is an effective tool in keeping them cool through summer. Many people believe that it is unnecessary to shave or clip your pet’s hair as they assume their coats provide natural insulation. A dog’s coat is made up of an outer reflective coat and a softer undercoat. The outer shiny coat does reflect external heat, but the undercoat traps body heat and can cause a dogs body temperature to rise rapidly with any sort of exercise. In our extreme climate the undercoats insulation properties are often more a hazard than a help. Daily brushing, or stripping of the coat will reduce this undercoat, but many people find clipping a faster and easier option. Older dogs particularly feel the benefits of clipping.

Many of our clients who regularly give their dog a haircut give us very positive feedback. Comments like “my dog is much more active and happy”, “the haircut has my dog acting like a puppy again”, “he’s panting less and much more comfortable” are regular feedback.

Something to remember - you wouldn’t like to walk around with a woolly jumper on in the middle of summer and neither does your favorite pet friend!! Joanne from our clinic is an experienced dog clipper and is happy to discuss with you a new summer style for your pet.

To all our clients and their pets, we would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a safe, healthy and happy New Year. Susannah would also like to send out a special thanks to everyone for their support, and being so welcoming to ‘the new vet’ this year.