Posts in Category: The Great Outdoors

If you’ve got an adventurous dog who’s ready to hit the hiking trails with you, our team at Bowman Veterinary Hospital has some helpful hints to make your outdoor explorations safe and fun for you and your canine companion.  

Responsible pet owners go to great lengths to keep their pets safe–fenced-in yards, leashed walks, collars and ID tags, etc. However, despite our best efforts, accidents can and do happen. All it takes is one door accidentally left open for a four-legged escape artist to make a break for it.

For most pet owners, the thought of a beloved dog or cat going missing is truly frightening. The only thing worse is the possibility that you may never see them again. Fortunately, pet microchipping is an easy and effective way to increase the chances of reuniting with your missing pet.

If you are the owner of a curious canine who will eat just about anything, then you are not alone. Dogs scarf up whatever is in their midst, and in some cases the cuisine can be both gross and questionable. Such is the case with flies and other insects. At Bowman Veterinary Hospital, we get asked about whether flies are safe for pets to eat, especially if they have been sprayed with Raid or another bug spray.

Since spring is the high season for flying things, our team is here to discuss what to do if your dog ate a fly (or another insect).

Those who have lived in the Sacramento metropolitan area for any length of time know that unexpected encounters with sneks, called nope ropes when especially unwelcome, are a part of California living. 

Some sneks are a little more scary than others, though, and in our neck of the woods, shake snakes with their little rattles are the big nope rope to watch out for. Bowman Veterinary Hospital wants all of our cattos and doggos to stay safe and healthy, and so we thought we would share our favorite snek safety tips so you and your fluffers can avoid a heckin big scare:

Having a green thumb and owning a pet are not mutually exclusive but growing certain plants, trees, flowers and shrubs does require careful consideration in (and around) a pet’s environment. This can mean that certain plants are off-limits, but the sacrifice is usually well worth it. 

Since a pet poisoning is one of the scariest experiences for pets and their people alike, it makes sense to eliminate all the possible risks inside the home and around the property.

If the title of this blog sounds a bit like “how can you stop the rain from falling”, we get it. Snakes are instantly captivating (from a distance), but cats cannot help messing with them. 

Many cats find it endlessly amusing to swat at and pounce on them, and their super special owners are “lucky” to get a snake trophy from time to time. It might seem impossible to train cats to distinguish venomous snakes from harmless ones. A better strategy would be to reduce (or eliminate) any snake encounters. 

So, how can you keep your cat safe from snakes? 

Equipped with extra joints and mobile jaws to swallow prey larger than their heads, snakes have earned the reputation of terrifying predators. While many varieties aren’t venomous, and some aren’t longer than 10 centimeters, snakes generally inspire dread and fear.

Unless you live in a place where they don’t exist, such as Hawaii, New Zealand, Iceland, Ireland, Greenland, and other small islands throughout the world (which we don’t), it may be a challenge to keep your pet safe from snakes at home.

It’s high time for all of us to be outside enjoying the sights and sounds of Mother Nature. Our cats and dogs also enjoy this season to embrace the sunny days and outdoor recreation. Yet, summer poses some risks to our pets that you may not consider, until there is an emergency. 

To avoid having a scare, the team at Bowman Veterinary Hospital is here with some tips for summer safety for cats and dogs. Let’s take a closer look!

Having unsightly holes throughout the lawn and garden can be discouraging. Especially after you have gone to the trouble of planting your Victory Garden. 

Dogs that dig are a common problem among pet owners. Digging is not only destructive but it can also lead to your dog escaping under the fence or digging up something toxic.

To help stop your dog from digging, the team at Bowman Veterinary Hospital is here to offer some suggestions and tips. 

Ah, nature. There is nothing quite like it. From the beauty of the forests to the endless array of wildlife living amongst us, nature is a wonderful place to relax and kick back with our four-legged friends. 

Nature, of course, does come with a price sometimes, and that is especially true when your dog encounters a skunk. If that’s never happened to you, consider yourself lucky. But if it does, what should you do when your pet gets skunked? The team at Bowman Veterinary Hospital is here to let you know what to do next.