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The holiday season is upon us, and the days between Thanksgiving and New Year’s promise to hold many celebrations with family and friends – and, of course, our pets. That’s because a full 70% of American pet owners consider their pets to be family members – making holiday pet safety a must this holiday season.

The holidays can present some very real risk for our pets. From rich holiday foods to seasonal decorations, visitors, parties; it’s important to be aware of how to keep our pets safe this time of year. 

Bowman Veterinary Hospital shares some of our best tips for holiday pet safety, and how to avoid a trip to the animal emergency room this year. 

Are you ready for the big feast and festivities this Thanksgiving? What about your pet? Pets are definitely family and the holidays are something we love them to be a part of. There are some concerns, though, when it comes to Thanksgiving foods, decor, and other items your little fur friend may get in to without precautions taken.

Here are some of Bowman Veterinary Hospital’s favorite tips for making Thanksgiving safe and happy for your pet companion.

The holidays we celebrate throughout the year bring us a lot of joy, but because of the potential hazards to pets, some pet owners may have to participate on the sidelines. There are ways around feeling like this, and with a quick and easy approach to Halloween pet safety, pets and people alike can enjoy the spookiest time of the year together.

Your dog’s daily walk is a cornerstone of their routine. Not only does walking provide them with much-needed exercise; but being outside in the fresh air and interacting with the world around them is important for dogs and people alike. 

This simple activity may seem like a no-brainer, but not everyone views dog walking in the same way or has the same goal in mind. By following some basic dog walking etiquette principles, you can maintain good relationships with your neighbors, the environment, and your dog.

September is National Happy, Healthy Cat Month. While at Bowman Veterinary Hospital we don’t necessarily think we need to wait a whole year to celebrate your kitty, it’s a nice excuse to spoil her rotten! So what can you do to help make sure you have a happy healthy cat in September and beyond?

Keeping Your Cat Healthy

Being in good health makes us all happier. Cats have basic medical and preventative care needs that we need to meet. These include:

Rattlesnakes are nothing to sneeze at. If you’ve lived in California long enough, you have probably either encountered a snake or know someone who has. Dogs are at particular risk for rattlesnake bites due to investigating grasses, shrubs, and other prime rattlesnake habitat with their noses.

Each year, the staff at Bowman Veterinary Hospital treats dogs that have been bitten by rattlesnakes. Protecting your pet means understanding their risks, preventing encounters whenever possible, and working with us to determine if the rattlesnake vaccine is appropriate for your pet.

If your pet was injured and needed emergency hospitalization to survive, could you afford to have them treated? Today, advances in veterinary science have afforded pet owners and pets a very high level of care, but it comes at a price. Estimates show that pet care costs average $1800 per year, which can put a significant financial strain on many families. 

Of course pet owners want to take the very best care of their furry friends – they’re members of the family, after all! This is where pet insurance comes in. Just as human health insurance is designed to offset our own health care costs, pet insurance can ease the burden of an unexpected injury or illness in our pets. But, is it worth it? Bowman Veterinary Hospital explores. 

In a perfect world, our dogs wouldn’t need to be leashed, rather they would joyfully, and safely, accompany us as we go about our daily tasks. As this is clearly not the case for the vast majority of us, the daily leashed walk has become an important part of dog ownership. 

Retractable leashes may seem like a good choice for an owner who wants to give their dog a sense of freedom, but the risks involved with this type of leash are considerable. 

The star that rises and sets with the sun during the high summer is known as Sirius, or the Dog Star. Forever shining brightly in the constellation Canis Major (Big Dog), Sirius was perceived by ancient people as bringing about the hottest temperatures of the year, giving way to the famous expression “the dog days of summer”.

What this means for your dog is probably more fun and games played outside. Without an approach to their safety and wellbeing, however, they could wind up getting sick or injured this summer. But not on our watch!

Kitten season is in full swing, and June often marks the height of this phenomenon. This feline population boom fills animal shelters with healthy kittens who all need loving homes, and has prompted Animal Humane to designate June ‘Adopt a Cat Month’.

With that, your team at Bowman Animal Hospital is celebrating cats and cat care, and encouraging our pet loving friends to consider adopting a cat!