Good Morning Everyone!  It’s that time of year again and everyone is getting wrapped up with the hustle and bustle of the Holiday Season.  You may have started your Christmas shopping, started preparing for your delicous Thanksgiving Dinner, making plans and setting dates, or visiting Dr. Parr and the staff for an appointment with your beloved pet.  Did you know that while your sitting in the exam room, you can save money on your visit today? Let me fill you in….

While your sitting in our exam room, put down your magazine and check out our Facebook Page on your smart phone .  While your visiting, Check-In at Tender Care and save $5.00 on your purchase of $50.00 or more! 

Our way of saying were “Thankful” for you! Enjoy the Holiday Season!

Love, Ben and Everyone at Tender Care

www.facebook.com/tendercareanimalclinic

Good Morning!!  Before I retreat to a warm towel for a morning nap on this rainy day, I wanted to remind everyone that our Client Appreciation Day is just 10 days away!  We hope everyone can join us on Saturday, October 29th for a day of fun!  This year we will be hosting our FIRST ever 5K Run/Walk!!

Place:  Scott County Park/Brooking Park

Time: 5K Registration begins at 8 a.m.   Race Time: promptly at 9:30 a.m.

Join us under Shelter #3 around 11 a.m. for Live Music, Games, Food and Free Prizes!!!

***Dress up your pets for a Costume Contest at 12 noon***

***Dog Training Demo at 12:30 p.m.***

Other vendors attending are:  Dog Gone Proud-behavior specialist Lisa Hollander, Happy Spot Pet Resort-Julie, Just Tina’s Pooch Parlor-Groomer Tina Wright.

We hope to see everyone there!!!

Hello Friends!  I sure have enjoyed the nice weather we’ve been having latley, but I’ve heard some warm weather is headed our way.  The kids are back in school, and fall is around the corner, but that doesn’t mean some pesky bug friends of our have made their exit for the time being.  That’s right, fleas are still kickin’,  keeping your pets itchin’ !  While I was surfing the web one day, I ran across a good Q & A session about fleas. Take a look and remember to keep flea prevention on your pet year round!!

Only one in 100 fleas is ever seen by a dog owner.

Q.  I rescued my 6 lb. Maltese about 3 weeks ago. When I got her she had some fleas (about 10-15) so I immediately applied Frontline Plus and bathed her 5 days later. I walk her outside twice a day and every day she comes in with 2 or 3 fleas crawling around on her. I try to pick them off as soon as we come in so they don’t bother her or get on anything in the house. A few times, I have found one dead on the kitchen floor. I know the Frontline eventually paralyzes them but is this something I should worry about? Is it normal for her to pick up fleas so often?

Nicole
Walnut Creek, CA

A.  Let’s cut straight to the answer to your final question: yes, it is common to see a few fleas on dogs who have suffered very heavy flea infestations. And yes, I believe that your dog was very heavily infested when you adopted her.

10 -15 fleas is not a heavy flea infestation. However, you state that you saw 10 – 15 fleas. That means there were many, many more. I’d estimate that only one in 100 fleas ever is seen by an owner. With 10 or 15 visible fleas, it is safe to say that your dog was living with a population of fleas that was actively reproducing.

This means that there are probably hundreds of thousands of flea eggs in the house. Frontline Plus is effective against flea eggs, but nothing can neutralize all of them. That means that plenty of eggs are eventually turning into pupae (which nothing can kill), and then hatching into adults. I suspect that this is the source of the fleas you are finding now. I think it’s less likely that your dog is picking the fleas up on her walks.

No product instantly kills adult fleas. Therefore, it’s normal to find dying fleas on pets who have received a high quality flea preventative. I imagine that you will continue to find fleas here and there until all of the pupae in the house have hatched. This could take a few months. However, if you stick with the flea preventative for the long haul, you are not likely to suffer another major infestation.

posted on the dogster.com

Happy HOT Afternoon to you folks!!  It looks like we are in for some really HOT days coming our way! I’m not going to lie, I’m a pretty lucky cat who gets to chill in the A/C most of my days, but I do know that my friends who spend most of their day outside need a little extra care when its super hot!  I did a little research and found some interesting facts about dogs and cats and how we deal with heat, and also a few tips for making it easier on them.     Take a look and keep cool out there everyone!!

*The problem with panting: Compared to their owners, dogs have very few sweat glands. There are some in the paw pads, so dogs do sweat from their feet and from other relatively less furry regions of their bodies. But the primary way dogs cool off is by panting.
 
*Panting is very rapid, shallow breathing that enhances the evaporation of water from the tongue, mouth and upper respiratory tract. Evaporation dissipates heat as water vapor.
 
*Panting can reach frequencies of 300 to 400 breaths per minute (the normal canine breathing rate is 30 to 40 breaths per minute). Yet it requires surprisingly little effort. Because of the natural elasticity of the lungs and airways, panting does not expend much energy nor create additional heat.
 
And that’s a good thing, because dogs are very easily overheated, prone to heat stroke in hot weather, especially when the humidity is also high, which minimizes the effectiveness of panting.

*Drink up: The average daily water intake for a dog is about 3 ounces for every 5 pounds of body weight, so a 25-pound dog would drink about a pint of water per day under average conditions. The amount goes up if the weather is hot, the dog is exercising or both. Depending on whether or not a pet eats canned or dry food, up to half of a pet’s daily water consumption can come from food.

The long days of summer are a great time to have — or be — a pet. But this glorious season for outdoor activities is not without its hazards. Knowing what to look out for is half the battle.

Heat risks. Cats have enough sense to nap on warm afternoons, but dogs do not. If you let them, they’ll go where you do, even if it’s too hot. Dogs are not good at keeping themselves cool, and they rely on us to keep them out of trouble.
    The fastest way to get your dog into trouble is to leave him in the car. Even a few minutes in a car on a warm day can kill a dog, so it’s best never to take a chance.
     Limit exercise to the coolest part of the day, no matter how happy your dog is to participate when it’s warmer. Even in the cooler part of the day, watch for signs of trouble: Glassy eyes and frantic panting indicate a dog who needs help.
          Remember that older, obese or snort-nosed dogs are less heat-tolerant, and that all dogs                     need constant access to shade and an endless supply of cool, clean water.   
Information from www.veterinarypartner.com

In an effort to help people in our community who are going through difficult times, Tender Care has established the ANGEL FUND to provide emergency care for pets. Any client whose pet  is in danger of being euthanized for a treatable condition because of their inability to afford veterinary care is eligible for these funds. Pets will be selected by a vote of the staff at Tender Care. The employees at Tender Care are voluntarily donating money to establish this fund because of the number of pets we see whose care is suffering due to the poor economy. Donations don’t have to be monetary: food, blankets,cat litter, and unused medication are all welcomed! The need in our community is great-If you can afford to give even a little to those who are less fortunate, we welcome your contribution!

We know how much you love your pet. That is why we strive to provide the best veterinary care in the Georgetown area. Our highly trained doctors and friendly, helpful staff will take great care of your loved one. We care for dogs, cats, and small exotics and provide a wide range of services, from checkups to surgeries.  You love your pet; we love to keep your pet happy and healthy.

                                                                               Love, Ben

Welcome to Tender Care Animal Clinic!