Halloween Hazards

Halloween is such a fun time, and will be here soon!  Keep in mind, however, that Halloween may not be your pet's favorite holiday!  Here are some tips to make this spook-tacular holiday a little easier for your pets.

   1) Trick-or-Treating

Going out for trick-or-treating dressed in our best costume is always a great time!  Some of us even like to take our dogs with us, complete with their own cute costume.  But does your pet relish large crowds of strangers?  Or is it just a little too spooky for him or her?  Please take your pet's own personality in mind when deciding if trick-or-treating is right for him!

If you think your pet would have a good time with all the other ghosts and goblins about, please be sure to use a secure leash and collar or harness!  Keep to the sidewalks as well.  And of course bring a baggy with you for any messes your pet may need to leave along the way!

If your pet stays home, it can still be scary to hear the doorbell and groups of children enjoying the holiday.  If your pet gets nervous or scared when other people come to the door, find a secure place in the house for him or her to stay for the evening.  A crate or bedroom with a comfortable bed and a kong toy or busy bone will help make the night less stressful for your furry friend.  Make sure your pet is microchipped in case she accidentally runs out the door when trick-or-treaters come around!

 2)  Decorations

Halloween decorations really bring the ambiance of the holiday to a new level!  But many decorations may be hazardous to your pet.  Electrical cords for lights and moving decorations are dangerous if chewed on.  Small plastic goody-bag items such as spider rings and fake eyes can cause problems if swallowed.  Do you best to keep decorations and other items out of reach of your pets.    

3)  Candy

One of the best parts of Halloween is candy, of course!  However, if your pet happens upon your bag of treats, illness can result.  Chocolate and other sugary treats can be toxic to your pet.  Candy wrappers can also be ingested, potentially causing a stomach or bowel obstruction.  Keep your treats secure in a cupboard or pantry, where they can't hurt your four-legged family member!

4)  Black Pets Beware

It is a sad reality, but black-furred pets are targets for some mean-spirited activities around Halloween.  If you have a black cat or dog, make sure you take extra precautions on All Hallows Eve to keep them safe!

Please have a safe and happy Halloween!

 

Spaying and Neutering Your Pet

Perhaps the most common surgeries veterinarians perform, spaying and neutering are important for so many reasons!  

It is no secret that there is a pet overpopulation problem in our country.  The Humane Society of the United States estimates over 4 million cats and dogs are euthanized in animal shelters across the country each year.  That is a staggering number.  By spaying or neutering your pet, you are helping to decrease this number the most important way you can!

Females - The Spay

Ovariohysterectomy, or "spay," is the term used for the surgical procedure performed to remove the major reproductive organs from females.   During this procedure, the ovaries and uterus are removed.  This prevents the female from going into estrus, or "heat," and prevents pregnancy.

There are many medical benefits to spaying your dog or cat!  Female dogs have a heat cycle every 6 months on average.  Puppies can have their first heat cycle anywhere between 6 months and 1 year of age.  When a dog goes into heat, bleeding from the vulva occurs, which can be messy.  Cats can go into heat any time after 6 months of age, and they remain in heat until they are bred by a male cat.  During a heat cycle, females cats make loud, yowling noises, attempting to attract a mate.  Spaying your pet eliminates messy and irritating heat cycles, and prevents "accidental" pregnancy.

A patient being clipped for her spay surgery.

We all know October is "Go pink for breast cancer awareness month!"  Dogs and cats can get breast cancer, too!  The good news is that spaying your dog or cat prior to her first heat cycle drastically reduces the chances of mammary (breast) tumors later in life.  In dogs, 50% of mammary tumors are malignant, and half of those are life threatening.  In cats, upwards of 85% of mammary tumors are life threatening.  Check out this link for further discussion about mammary tumors in dogs and cats.  Having your female pets spayed early can prevent this awful disease.  Because of this, we believe dogs and cats should NOT have a heat cycle or pregnancy prior to being spayed.

After repeated heat cycles throughout the life of a female dog or cat, the uterine lining can change.  The changes that occur make the uterus more susceptible to infection.  An infection of the uterus, known as a pyometra, is a life threatening condition.  This condition is best treated through immediate, emergency spay of the animal.  This surgery is much higher risk than a usual spay, as the patient is sick from the infection, and the uterus can rupture, causing release of infection into the abdominal cavity.  Spaying your pet early prevents this disease!

Antiseptic scrub to prepare the skin for surgery.

Males - The Neuter

Orchiectomy is the medical term for the procedure more commonly known as a "neuter."  During this procedure, the testicles are removed.  In dogs, both testicles are removed through a single incision, while for cats, a separate incision is usually made for each testicle.  This dramatically decreases testosterone production, and eliminates the production of sperm.  Some testosterone is still produced in the body by the adrenal glands.  Neutered males are unable to make a female pregnant.

Non-neutered (intact) males can sense a female in heat from miles away.  When an intact male dog or cat senses a female in heat, their hormones drive them to find the female.  This leads to many dogs and cats getting loose and roaming, where they can become lost or suffer injuries such as being hit by a car.  Intact males are also more likely to urine mark their territories and get into fights.  Intact male tom cats have a particularly foul-smelling urine that they spray on vertical surfaces to mark their territories.

Doctor performing a spay procedure.

 
Male dogs have a prostate gland that can develop hyperplasia, infections, cysts, and cancer.  (Cats do not have a prostate gland.)   Intact male dogs are much more likely to have problems with their prostate as they age, which can lead to straining to urinate or painful urination.  Neutering male dogs reduces the risk of most types of prostate problems.  Neutering does not reduce the risk of prostate cancer in dogs.


Typically, healing time for a standard spay or neuter surgery is 10 to 14 days.  At Noah's Animal Hospitals, we ensure our patients comfort by providing pain medications for you to administer your pet at home.  During the healing process, ensure your pet does not lick the surgical incision, and do not give a bath for at least 10 days.  Some pets need to wear an elizabethan collar to protect their incision from licking.  

As always, if you have questions regarding these procedures or their benefits, talk to your Noah's doctor or technician.  We are here to help! 
 

   

Make Your Pet A Star!

Is your pet a star?  Does he or she like dressing up for Halloween?  This month, Noah's Animal Hospitals are sponsoring the Fox 59 Facebook Fan of the Day!

To make your pet a star, go to the Fox 59 Facebook Fan of the Day page to enter.  Change your Facebook profile picture to one of your pet in his or her best Halloween costume, and fill out the form on the bottom of the page for your pets chance to be a star (in Indianapolis, anyway)!

Here is our pal Peeps, with his loving owner.  Maybe he should enter?