Senior Pets

Older pets tend to have a tougher time if the weather changes. If you’ve noticed your senior pet struggling to go up and down stairs, or having trouble rising up after a nap, they may be having an arthritic flare-up. We can prescribe them anti-inflammatory medications to help them feel younger again.

Hey Bloggers!

This is Dr. Speas. 

We  are starting a blog for everyone to ask pet health questions and to have a forum for good pet care.  I hope the interchange of ideas will be interesting and insightful.  We will keep it light and I won't speak Latin!  This is new to me so we will see how it goes!  Any comments will be greatly appreciated.

First off, we are having a "What you need to know about your pet's teeth" seminar at the pet hospital on Tues, Feb 15th at 7pm.  Please RSVP at 818-248-3963 as seating is limited.  We will discuss how to check your pet's teeth and gums for signs of disease.  We will cover  what techniques are best to clean the teeth.  How to evaluate  gingivitis and peridontal disease (sorry, that's latin for gums and around the tooth) and the best home preventative measures that pet owners can use.  See you there!

That's all for now!

Hero Saves Poisoned Dog

Boarding Pet of the Month

Crescenta Canada Pet Hospital is proud to honor Spencer Vonderheide as our Boarding Pet of the Month! Spencer is an eleven year old Shih Tzu. He visits us frequently and his favorite thing to do is greet all the other pets. Party on Spencer!

Featured Pet of the Month

Crescenta Canada Pet Hospital is proud to honor Major as our Featured Pet of the Month! Major is a 2 year old retriever. He is a first time boarder at Crescenta Cañada Pet Hospital’s Pet Paws Inn and Spa. Major is a fun, floppy lovable dog! Major’s favorite thing to do while staying at our inn was to carry his toy around.

Tip for Dogs with Dry Skin

Here’s a tip for dogs with dry skin...bathe them less often, and make sure to brush their coat in an effort to rid the skin of dander. When you do bathe your pet, make sure to use a shampoo and rinse made for their special needs. Do not use a shampoo or conditioner made for people. If you would like some help picking out a dog safe shampoo and conditioner, please bring it to our attention at your next visit.

How to Make a Pet Bed from Recycled Sweaters

Dog and cat beds can be very expensive at your local pet boutique, and they tend to look either too generic or too froufrou for my taste. My chihuahua, Gertie, needed a new one, and I was looking for something simple and handmade that wouldn't break the bank. So I looked around at the raw materials I had available, and my endless stash of thrifted wool sweaters called out to me. Perfect!
I pulled a pile of leftover sweater scraps from other projects in a color assortment I liked and went to town with my scissors. Here's how:

Here's the pile of sweater remnants I'm going to reincarnate as a dog bed...

• Cut your pieces into strips. Mine ranged from 1 inch to 2 inches depending on the thickness of the sweater (1 inch for thicker ones, 2 inches for thinner). You may want to make a test swatch before you cut up all of your strips to check the gauge and thickness of your fabric. Cutting thinner strips yields more square footage, but you'll want the bed to be nice and thick so it's comfortable. See what works best for you.

...and here they are after cutting into strips and rolling into balls.

• Begin crocheting the circle. With a jumbo hook, chain 2, then make 5 single crochets into the second chain from the hook.

Begin the circle by chaining 2 and working 5 sc into the 2nd chain from the hook.

• Do not join but continue around, increasing every stitch for the second round, every other stitch in the third round, every third stitch in the fourth round, and so on. Work in this manner until your circle is the size you want the bed to be. (Note: When working with sweaters, I join by simply overlapping two strips for a few inches, twisting them together, and continuing on with the new one. The joining method I used in the T-shirt rug project doesn't work so well for sweater knits.)

Join two strips by overlapping a few inches and twisting them together.

Making Progress!

• Make the sides. Now you can stop increasing, and work the next round even (one stitch in every stitch), working in the front loop only to create a sharper edge at the turn.

Working in the front loop only for the first round of the sides helps create a sharp turn where the bottom meets the sides.

• Work several more rounds, until you have achieved your desired height (after the first round of the sides, revert to working in both loops). When the bed is tall enough, work a few slip stitches to blend into the edge, and finish off. Weave in your tails.
  
  Optional: Make a pillow. Use some more sweater scraps to stitch up a pillow for the bed, and stuff with poly-fill or still more sweater bits. You could also crochet another flat circle piece to cushion the bottom of the bed. Your choice!
  
  Now find a sunny spot for the bed and invite your best friend to try it out. And hey, you deserve a nap, too!

http://www.craftstylish.com/item/41168/how-to-make-a-pet-bed-from-recycled-sweaters

New Year's Resolution

Does your New Year’s Resolution involve getting your pets behavior in check? We can provide advice regarding the correction of problems such as excessive barking, chewing, spraying, scratching, digging, house soiling and aggression. Make 2011 a great year for you and your pet!

Click below to view a pet behavior video from The Rachael Ray Show.

Heartworm Reminder

 Did you know that heartworm is a disease you can prevent your pet from having?  Heartworms are a constant threat to your animal, which is why our hospital recommends heartworm screening and prevention for your pet.  The most common signs of heartworm disease in cats are coughing, vomiting, breathing difficulties, weight loss and lethargy and are often mistaken for other conditions such as asthma, pneumonia and digestive problems. In fact, the most common clinical signs of heartworm disease in cats actually resemble bronchial asthma. The only way to know for sure is to have us examine and test your pet. This pre-emptive approach can spare your pet the pain of this often fatal disease.

Anti-freeze Dangers for Pets

Be mindful of dangerous chemicals normally used during the colder seasons, especially anti-freeze. Pets actually love the taste of anti-freeze and will sneak a taste any chance they get. Wipe spills or puddles and keep this poisonous liquid away from pets.  Even a teaspoon of anti-freeze can seriously harm your pet. Signs of anti-freeze poisoning include drowsiness, lethargy and depression. Even if you don't experience harsh weather, be mindful of chemicals you may have in your garage or within reach of your pet. Keep pets safe and away from danger this season.