Posts Tagged: Pet Wellness

Pet ownership isn’t all cuddles and walks in the park. Being a responsible pet owner takes a little time and effort. Bowman Veterinary Hospital wants to know, do you know what it takes? Read on to learn if you’re a responsible pet owner. 

Decision fatigue is a real threat to our well-being. Anywhere we go these days, we’re faced with a sea of choices, and the pet store is no different. Whether you enter a boutique or a big box store, there are usually aisles of possible options for your pet. How do you even begin to know which products are the tastiest, and which ones offer the highest nutrition? We are here to help you navigate the aisles and your decision to get your pet the optimal nutrition.

The fun of the holidays goes down a few notches when we have to continually say “no!” to our pets. They can’t help wanting to taste whatever goodness we have heaped on our plates. Unfortunately, most of what we indulge in over the holidays is potentially dangerous for our pets to eat. Healthy pet snacks might seem like an impossibility this time of the year. However, these treats are not only available, they’re deliciously satisfying to hungry, curious pets. 

At holiday feasts, it can be hard to stop family and guests from slipping snacks to pets with pleading eyes. They may not realize, however, that these tasty handouts could be harmful.  

Lure the treat givers away from the family table and lead them to a tray of safe-for-pets, holiday treats instead. Once the treats are gone, they’ll know that puppy has had enough.

With amazing advances in medicine and technology, our pet population is living longer than ever before. While that is largely a good thing, it does come with some downsides as well. With an aging population, diagnosing cancer in pets is more and more common. About half of all disease-related animal deaths each year are as a result of cancer.

A cancer diagnosis isn’t always a death sentence, though. Bowman Veterinary Hospital wants our pet owners to be armed and ready when it comes to cancer in pets. A little knowledge is a good thing, and sometimes a good defense is the best offense.

You probably know that Bowman Veterinary Hospital strives to bring our clients the best and latest in what veterinary medicine has to offer. But did you know that we also do acupuncture for our animal patients? Pet acupuncture may not be a new practice, but we feel strongly that it brings an important and valuable option to the pets we treat.

It’s tick season in California. Ticks and mosquitoes and other hungry insects that feed on blood are looking for your pets. 

Once they’ve found a host, they can transmit bacterial diseases through their bites. The western black-legged tick transmits Lyme disease. There are many other types of ticks that can cause serious health conditions from infection.

While you’re out for walks on trails and in fields or even on the beach, ticks will crawl or jump onto your pet. Tall grasses and low bushes may be teeming with ticks, just waiting for your dog to walk by. 

Fleas are a nuisance that no pet owner wants to experience. Not only is a flea bite painful to our furry friends, but flea saliva will also irritate skin. If you see your pet scratching more than usual, fleas are the usual suspects. Bowman Veterinary Hospital is here to help you spot fleas and get rid of them quickly.

How Did My Pet Get Fleas?

If you only have one pet in the house and it has fleas, where did the fleas come from? If your animal is outside, you can be sure that another fur-bearing animal left fleas in its path. Fleas can be living in shadier areas of your lawn. A flea can also jump up to 12 inches, so if they’re in the yard, they’ll leap on your pets to grab a meal.  

The quality of your pet’s teeth may not be up there on the list of priorities, but when it comes to their health, it should be. Most pets over the age of 3 have at least the beginnings of dental disease. Untreated dental disease not only can lead to tooth loss, pain, and abscess, but it can also create health problems with the major organs of the body, like the heart and liver. 

The great news is that you can help protect your best friend with at home pet dental care. Your team at Bowman Veterinary Hospital is here with some tips to keep that beautiful smile healthy!

Thank goodness the holiday madness is over! It’s time to catch our breath, put up our feet, and relax, that is, until it’s time to get ready for Valentine’s Day. 

Whether you are planning an elaborate evening for your sweetie, or spending the night binge-watching your favorite Netflix drama, there’s no wrong way to celebrate a day of love.