The ominous hissing, the mournful meows, the defensive scratching or biting, the upset bowels — feline stress is just plain unpleasant for cats and you. Many cats get stressed when it’s time for a veterinary visit. Thankfully, there are ways to help cats relax and enjoy the ride — yes, even in the car. Here’s what you can do.

"You want me to go where?" Many cats are frightened of traveling in a car.

1. Transport your cat in a carrier

Putting cats in a carrier on the way to and from the veterinary clinic is extremely important. Cats are often startled by loud noises or other pets, and, if you’re carrying your cat in your hands, you might not be able to hold on if he/she abruptly tries to get away. Also, cats that are allowed to roam freely inside the car face the risk of more severe injury should there be an accident.

2. Choose a hard-plastic carrier with a removable top

Some cats might resist being put into a carrier. But removable tops make getting cats into—and out of—the carrier easier. Simply undo the screws or latches, lift off the top, set the cat in the bottom, and replace the top. This eliminates the need to force the cat inside, which makes the cat — and you — more relaxed.

3. Make the carrier a favorite place

Some cats come to love their carriers. When cats see their carriers as safe, enjoyable places, they’re happy to go into them and feel more safe in scary places, like the car. Use these strategies to create crate-fondness in your cat:

• Leave the carrier out in your house so your cat can access it at any time.

• Make the carrier inviting by putting a favorite blanket or toy in it.

• Every now and then, lay a few treats inside the carrier.

4. Head to the veterinary clinic for “happy visits”

Does your cat seem to bristle at the thought of visiting the veterinarian? Then take it on a few stress-free trial runs. Call the veterinary hospital to ask if the schedule would allow you and your cat to stop in for five or 10 minutes. You won’t be making a medical visit, but rather a mock appointment that allows your cat to experience all the steps of a routine visit without the physical examination. This free-of-charge “happy visit” gives your cat the chance to get used to the sounds and smells of the hospital, meet the veterinary team members, and eat a few treats all while enjoying the safety of its carrier. After some canoodling, you and your cat will head back home.

If a car ride alone puts your cat in a tailspin, entice your cat into its carrier and start by going for a test drive around the block. Continue to take a drive every now and then, gradually increasing the amount of time you and your cat spend in the car. Remember to reward your cat with a treat for being a good passenger. Eventually, you’ll work your way up to doing a drive that will allow you and your cat to make a “happy visit.” Positive reinforcement is the best way to modify feline behavior, so making car rides and veterinary visits pleasant will help decrease your cat’s anxiety.

Source: Kerry Hillard Johnson, FIRSTLINE, veterinaryteam.dvm360.com

At Animal Hospital of North Asheville, we recommend that you cover your cat’s carrier on three sides with a towel before you enter the waiting room and position the carrier to afford your cat privacy. Although we have a waiting room exclusively for cats (no scary dogs), most cats appreciate the towel because it keeps them hidden from the unfamiliar surroundings. We will also use the towel to provide a hiding place for your cat while on the exam table. Please share any individual preferences that your cats has, so we can further reduce any stress that cat may feel during the visit. Thank you for partnering with us to provide the best care for your pet.

Recently, Procter and Gamble, owner of Iams and Eukanuba, issued a recall on certain dry pet foods. AHNA immediately identified and contacted all owners of pets who we knew were fed these dry foods to warn them of the recall.

Below you will find a link with more information on the recall as well as a list of UPC codes included in the recall.

http://www.iams.com/iams/en_US/data_root/html/recall_message.html

By: Dr. Plankenhorn

It’s a hot, steamy day. The clouds build, and you hear rumbles of thunder in the distance.  For most of us and our pets, there’snothing to fear. But for animals with storm phobia, it’s time to panic. A “phobia” is a persistent, irrational fear of a stimulus, and can manifest in many ways, from anxiety and trembling all the way to destructive behaviors. At the onset of a storm, some dogs hide or seek out their owner. Others tremble, salivate, or pant. In the more extreme cases, dogs can cause damage in their attempt to be “anywhere but here,” digging up carpets and walls, breaking windows, or even breaking nails and teeth trying to escape.

There are many factors in thunderstorms that can trigger the anxiety response. The sound of thunder is the most obvious, but it is thought that dogs can also sense changes in atmospheric pressure or buildup of static electricity. These factors make it more difficult to desensitize dogs to storms, but it still can be done.

Dogs with mild thunderstorm anxiety often respond well to being indoors; noise distraction such as radio or television can help also. Others do well with having a “safe place” available, which can be a closet, their crate, or another quiet small place. The bathroom may be a good spot, although one of our patients turned on the tub water in his anxiety during a morning thunderstorm, which led to thousands of dollars worth of water damage by the time his owner got home from work. Another technique is to have a “storm party,” pairing especially yummy treats or a favorite toy with the storm. Give the treats almost continuously as needed to distract the dog from the storm, which teaches the dog that storms can be associated with good things instead of fear.

Dogs will often destroy household items when they are frightened during a thunderstorm.

During the off-season, dogs that experience most of their anxiety associated with the sound of storms can be desensitized using CD of rain and thunder. Starting with the least threatening sound (usually rain), reward the dog with a yummy treat if he is calm and relaxed while the CD is playing softly in the background. Gradually increase the volume and intensity of the sound during each session, and reward the dog if he remains relaxed. If he becomes anxious, reduce the volume to a level that doesn’t cause anxiety. These sessions should last no more than 5-10 minutes, and should be done daily if possible. Do not leave the CD on all the time, as this will likely worsen the anxiety.

Other non-drug therapies that can be used include DAP (Dog Appeasing Pheromone), which may reduce anxiety to some extent. It is available in a diffuser, spray, and collar.  Anxiety wraps and storm capes can also be useful. Storm capes are designed to reduce static electricity buildup in the fur during the storm, and anxiety wraps claim to help the dog feel more safe and nurtured. These therapies do not take the place of behavior modification, but may be a helpful addition.

For many dogs with storm phobia, medication is the best way to manage the anxiety.  For milder cases, medication given before the onset of the storm is adequate. Some dogs do best with a maintenance drug every day during the thunderstorm season, allowing them to have lower overall anxiety and reactivity to storms.

Contact the Animal Hospital of North Asheville if you think your pet needs help with thunderstorm anxiety.  We’re here to help keep your pet healthy and happy!

Be aware of the foods that could harm your pet.

No matter how much they beg, (and no matter how cute they look when they beg), there are some foods that should never be fed to pets. Below you will find a list of the top toxic “people foods” to avoid feeding your pet. These are not the only foods toxic to your pets. There are other foods that, if ingested in large quantities, will make your pet ill. The following list details the most common and the most toxic foods to avoid.

If you suspect your pet has eaten any of the following foods, please note the amount ingested and contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.

Alcohol

Alcoholic beverages and food products containing alcohol can cause vomiting, diarrhea, decreased coordination, central nervous system depression, difficulty breathing, tremors, abnormal blood acidity, coma and even death.

Avocado

The leaves, fruit, seeds and bark of avocados contain persin, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea in dogs. Birds and rodents are especially sensitive to avocado poisoning, and can develop congestion, difficulty breathing and fluid accumulation around the heart. Sometimes ingestion of avocado may even be fatal.

Chocolate, Coffee, Caffeine

When eaten by pets, chocolate, coffee and products containing caffeine can cause vomiting and diarrhea, panting, excessive thirst and urination, hyperactivity, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures and even death. Dark chocolate is more dangerous than milk chocolate. Baking chocolate is the most dangerous.

Grapes & Raisins

Grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure. In pets who already have certain health problems, signs may be more dramatic.

Macadamia Nuts

Avoid feeding the entire nut and any cookie or candy which contain Macadamia nuts. These nuts have caused weakness, depression, vomiting, tremors and hyperthermia in dogs. Signs usually appear within 12 hours of ingestion and last approximately 12 to 48 hours.

Milk

Because pets do not possess significant amounts of lactase, the enzyme that breaks down lactose in milk, milk and other milk-based products cause them diarrhea or other digestive upset.

Moldy or Spoiled Food

Never feed your pet moldy or spoiled food. Make sure that the lids on your garbage cans are tightly closed at all times.

Onions, Garlic, Chives

These vegetables and herbs can cause gastrointestinal irritation and could lead to red blood cell damage. Although cats are more susceptible, dogs are also at risk if a large amount is consumed.

Raw/Undercooked Meat, Eggs and Bones

Raw meat and raw eggs can contain bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli that can be harmful to pets. In addition, raw eggs contain an enzyme called avidin that decreases the absorption of biotin, which can lead to skin and coat problems. Feeding your pet raw bones can result in choking, or sustaining a grave injury should the bone splinter and become lodged in, or puncture, your pet’s digestive tract.

Salt

Large amounts of salt can produce excessive thirst and urination, or even sodium ion poisoning in pets. Signs that your pet may have eaten too many salty foods include vomiting, diarrhea, depression, tremors, elevated body temperature, seizures and even death.

Xylitol

Xylitol is used as a sweetener in many products, including gum, candy, baked goods and toothpaste. It can cause insulin release in most species, which can lead to liver failure. Ingesting xylitol can result in vomiting, lethargy, loss of coordination and seizures. Elevated liver enzymes and liver failure can be seen within a few days.

Yeast Dough

Yeast dough can rise and cause gas to accumulate in your pet’s digestive system. This can be painful and can cause the stomach or intestines to rupture. Because the risk diminishes after the dough is cooked and the yeast has fully risen, pets can have small bits of bread as treats – but never moldy bread. However, these treats should not constitute more than 5 percent to 10 percent of your pet’s daily caloric intake.

For a more comprehensive list of pet toxins, please visit: http://www.healthypet.com/PetCare/PetCareArticle.aspx?art_key=655a2b98-fe3f-4162-b9e4-af262ec76c7c

Information in this article was taken from the ASPCA website and the WebMD website.

The Fourth of July and its accompanying celebrations can be a traumatic experience for pets. A little preparation can go a long way toward making sure that they are safe and happy when the festivities begin.

Eliza Mazzaferro, MS, DVM, PhD, DACBECC, director of emergency services at Wheat Ridge Veterinary Specialists in Colorado, says the Fourth of July is a busy time because of the inherent risks the holiday poses to pets. The most common culprit: fireworks.

“Pets get anxious and break out of kennels, jump through windows and get lacerations, and when loose, can get hit by cars,” Mazzaferro says. “We have also seen where people toss a firework or firecracker into the air, and the dog jumps up, swallows it, and the firecrackers cause severe damage to the internal organs.”

Obviously pet owners should prevent their dogs from swallowing firecrackers, but even the noise can injure their stomachs; in large breed dogs, Mazzaferro has seen an increased incidence of bloat or GDV (gastric dilation and volvulus), where the stomach twists. This occurs when dogs are nervous or excited, which happens during firework anxiety.

You can tell if the noise is affecting your pet if they tremble, bark, howl, try to hide, or get so anxious that they attempt to break free from their enclosures. In these cases, Mazzaferro recommends staying with them to help calm them down, rather than leaving them home alone. It’s a good idea to keep them inside, making sure that they don’t chew anything in their excited state.

“Moving things that can be destroyed or are harmful is beneficial,” Mazzaferro says. “However, in very anxious pets, I have seen them bite through a metal cage and injure their teeth and gums, and also jump through plate glass windows. They try to escape the noise, not knowing that it is outside. I have seen dogs chew through doors and dry wall, so just keeping them confined to a room or a dog crate is not always foolproof to prevent injury.”

In such extreme cases, it may be wise to have a prescription for anti-anxiety medication from your veterinarian. Testing the medication before the holiday is a good idea to ensure that it has the appropriate effect.

In case your pet does run away, it is important to be sure their collar has a tag with the current phone number on it. Mazzaferro suggests that all pets be microchipped, and that the contact information it contains is current as well.

“Too frequently, we see pets brought in by Good Samaritans having been found injured, and we attempt to contact the owner with the information provided by the microchip company, and find that the numbers are not current or have been disconnected, and we cannot reunite the pet with their owner,” she says.

Other problems for pets that occur around the Fourth of July include pets getting wounded during fights at backyard barbecues with other animals, or eating table scraps like corn cobs, ribs, hot dogs or shish kabobs that can cause gastrointestinal upset (vomiting and diarrhea) or even pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas. Cats can get an obstruction in the stomach or intestines that can be life threatening without surgery. To keep pets safe, partygoers should not put their plates or drinks on the ground where pets can reach them.

Barbecues can also attract bees and wasps. Allergic reactions to insect stings can cause swelling of the face, hives, itchiness, vomiting, diarrhea, and in the worst case scenarios, respiratory distress and collapse. If a pet shows any of these signs, they need to go to the nearest veterinary hospital for treatment.

Finally, summer heat can create health issues. Mazzaferro stresses that pets should never be left in a car under any circumstances to avoid heat stroke. She also suggests walking or exercising pets during the coolest part of the day, with plenty of shade, and access to water every 20 minutes to avoid heart exertion. If your pet is tired, collapses, or starts making increased breathing sounds, stop the activity, have your pet rest in the shade with cool water, and have them evaluated by a veterinarian.

By taking these precautions, you’ll ensure that both you and your pet enjoy a happy Fourth of July!

This article was written by Jen Reeder for the AAHA Healthy Pet website