| Good Samaritan Veterinary Hospital Newsletter |
| The News from Good Sam February 15, 2017 |
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| Piper and her purple kitty pajamas! |
February is National Dental Health Month and Good Sam is celebrating with a 15% off Dental Special! Call today and book a dental cleaning or an evaluation for your furry kids! (510) 357-8574.
There's still time to take advantage of the Good Sam Welcome Back Special! We understand how difficult it can be to keep up with all of the demands on your time and how quickly that time seems to fly by. Start the New Year out right by catching your pet(s) up on their wellness exams! We are offering one free exam per household for one existing patient who hasn't been seen in over 18 months (prior to June 2015).
This offer expires on February 28th, 2017.
Set up an appointment today! (510)357-8574
Yesterday was National Pet Theft Awareness Day. Here are a few tips:
- Make sure your pet has current ID tags and consider micro-chipping.
- Never allow pets to run at large and always supervise pets outdoors.
- Keep a clear, current photograph of each of your pets.
- If your pet goes missing, immediately contact your local animal control and distribute posters with your lost pet's photograph and your contact information.
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| Contact Us |
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| 14100 E. 14th Street San Leandro, California 94578 510-357-8574 www.goodsamvet.com |
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Home Dental Care for Your Pets
Maintaining a healthy, clean mouth for your pet is one of the most important preventative healthcare measures you can take. We know that messing with a mouth full of sharp teeth can be intimidating, but if you start slow and have some patience, you will be helping your pet to live a longer, healthier life.
Brush your pet's teeth as often as possible. Ideally, teeth should be brushed every day, but we understand how busy everyone is. Try to brush a minimum of 2-3 times weekly.
- Encourage chewing on appropriate toys and treats. CET chews which are coated with enzymes and antiseptics are available for dogs and cats here at Good Sam. Other treats we recommend include Greenies, Cheweez rawhides, and Hartz flavored oral chews. Look for treats that have earned the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) seal of approval.
- Rawhide can be good for the teeth as long as it doesn't bother your pet's stomach. We do not recommend real bones or cow hooves. These are very hard substances and can cause fractures to teeth.
- OraVet is a sealant that bonds to the tooth's surface to help reduce plaque and tarter. It is initially applied under anesthesia during a dental cleaning or at the time of a spay or neuter surgery. You can continue to apply weekly at home in conjunction with brushing.
- Dental diets have been formulated to help minimize tarter build-up. Good Sam carries a prescription diet called T/D which may be recommended if your pet has a high degree of tarter. Over-the-counter diets include Hill's Oral Care, Iams/Eukanuba Dental Defense, and Friskies Feline Dental Diet. Look for diets that have earned the VOHC seal of approval.
We just can't stress enough how important good dental health is to your pet's comfort and longevity. Dental disease can lead to infections in the bloodstream,which will effect major internal organs. With February being Dental Health Month, this is a great time to get on track with a dental regime for your beloved furry kids. We're here to help. Just give us a call with any questions or concerns.
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How to Get a Cat Into a Carrier
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| Make the carrier a calm and happy space for kitty. |
One of the reasons many cat people are reluctant to take their fluffy ones to the vet, or anywhere, is because most kitties fight tooth-and-nail to avoid the dreaded carrier. Much of the stress and angst associated with kitty outings can be minimized by helping your cat get accustomed to the carrier at home, on her own timetable, and in a non-threatening manner. Here are 8 steps to getting your cat into the carrier, and living to tell the tale:
- Purchase the carrier well in advance of your kitty's scheduled outing. Set it up in an area where she spends time. Place some comfy bedding inside and prop or tie the door open so it can't accidentally close.
- Entice kitty to the carrier with some food. Place her bowl as close to the carrier as he is willing and add a special treat to the bowl. As he becomes more comfortable start moving the bowl closer and closer to the carrier.
- Next, place the food bowl inside the carrier, right at the entrance, so your cat can reach it without having to actually step inside.
- Now it's time for further enticements. Put a few favorite toys and treats into the carrier at random times. The idea is to associate pleasant, fun, yummy things with the carrier. Consider placing some catnip inside. Spraying feline pheromone, such as Feliway, several times a week can help to reduce stress and anxiety.
- After several days of eating her food just inside the carrier, try moving the bowl further inside. Move it a few inches toward the back each day until she's standing completely inside as she eats.
- The next step is patience, patience, patience! What you're now waiting patiently for is the sight of your kitty hanging out in his carrier, and hopefully napping there. This could take several weeks - or even several months. Continue to put meals, treats, toys and other fun stuff in the carrier.
- Once your cat is feeling at home in her carrier, try closing the door for a very short time with her inside. Make sure to let her out before she becomes anxious. Slowly extend the time in the carrier by 30 seconds to a minute during each practice session. When you can close the door for significant periods of time without upsetting your cat, you can start bringing her along on short car rides, getting her used to being in a carrier without visiting the vet.
- Once you've reached the point where your kitty is spending time on his own resting, playing and eating in his carrier, you should be able to take him somewhere without a lot of trauma and drama!
Each time you return home, go right back to providing meals, toys and treats in the crate so he continues to associate his carrier with goodness. Ideally your cat will come to view his carrier as a comfy, safe space.
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Good Sam Welcome
Back Special!
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Start the New Year out right by catching your pet(s) up on their wellness exams. We are offering one free exam per household for one existing patient who hasn't been seen in over 18 months (prior to June 2015). This offer expires on February 28th, 2017. Call today to book an appointment. (510) 357-8574
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Offer Expires: February 28, 2017
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Good
Sam
Dental
Special
15%off!
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Save 15% on our dental services, including pre-anesthetic blood work, for the month of February! Call today to book a dental cleaning, or evaluation. (510) 357-8574
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Offer Expires: February 28, 2017
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