The Importance of Pet Wellness Care

Pet wellness care is an integral part of every companion animal’s health program. The best thing you can do for your four-legged family member is commit to bringing them in to see their veterinarian annually or semiannually for an exam. At our animal hospital in Pittsburgh, we provide every pet with a personalized, complete wellness plan that focuses on preventing the onset of disease and raising their quality of life.

Ensuring a Healthy Start for Puppies and Kittens
Puppies and kittens are tougher than we give them credit for, but they can also be at a much higher risk for illness and infection than adult dogs and cats. Their immune systems are still developing, and if they are 6-8 weeks old, they have likely lost the antibodies they obtained from their mother’s milk.
Additionally, puppies and kittens are often born with intestinal parasites such as roundworms, which can be passed from the mother to her litter either while they are in the womb or nursing. Intestinal parasites can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and other issues in young pets. With blood and fecal testing, we can screen for these pests and offer various safe treatments to eradicate the intruders.

Setting a Health Baseline and Maintaining Your Pet’s Health
Another important benefit of annual/semiannual wellness exams is being able to establish a baseline of health. This allows us to compare your pet’s “normal” health status with proceeding exams, which can make it easier for us to detect unusual health changes sooner. Furthermore, our goal when your pet reaches adulthood is to maximize and maintain their health for as long as possible. Seeing them annually means we can monitor their condition and offer advice to improve it.

Detecting Disease, Parasites, and Congenital Issues
Routine wellness exams are the best opportunity we have for screening your pet. This includes blood, fecal, and urine testing, which can tell us a lot about what’s going on inside. Thanks to our capabilities, we can screen dogs and cats for heartworm disease, Lyme disease, intestinal parasites, bladder infections, diabetes, thyroid problems, and much more. 

Keeping Senior Pets in a State of Comfort
Like us, dogs and cats also experience the effects of aging, including arthritis, muscle weakness, vision and hearing loss, diabetes, heart disease, and more. We hope to prepare every pet for this stage of life with consistent wellness care and an eye toward the future. Weight loss, pain management, joint health, and immune system support are just a few important aspects of senior pet wellness care.

Winter Pet Safety in Pittsburgh

Is winter pet safety on your agenda this season? Make it a priority to ensure that your four-legged family member stays healthy (and cozy) in the midst of freezing temperatures. Pittsburgh winters can be tough, not just for humans but for our furry friends, too. Our animal hospital recommends that you take precaution and consider all the possible risks before letting your pet outside.
If you still have questions for your veterinarian, please contact us right away.

Prevent the Risk of Frostbite

Dogs and cats are just as vulnerable to frostbite as humans are. While a fur coat can offer some protection, it can’t fight off the cold indefinitely or prevent frostbite on the tips of the ears, the nose, and even on the paw pads. If you can’t handle the cold, then your pet can’t, either! Let them stay indoors with you—provide extra cushioning for their bed (if they have one) and consider getting a pet-friendly heating pad to soothe their achy joints (if they’re advanced in age).

If you do take your pet outside for a bathroom break, keep an eye on them and let them in as soon as they’ve done their business. For walks, get a sturdy coat that suits their size and shape so they can stay warm. Huskies and Alaskan Malamutes can tolerate the cold extremely well, but an extra layer of protection doesn’t hurt.

Snow and Ice are Dangerous for Pets, Too

Pets can sustain leg injuries from slipping on ice and melting snow (kind of like us). De-ice your driveway, patio, and any pathways around your house, and sweep away puddles wherever you can. It might be a good idea to keep your pet on a leash when you take them outside for a bathroom break, to ensure they don’t take off running.

When walking with your pet, lead them around ice and snow puddles. Rubber booties are also a helpful way to keep your pet from slipping on sheets of ice, thanks to the additional traction they provide.

Antifreeze and Sidewalk Salt

Antifreeze is known to be fatal for animals if ingested. It has a very sweet, syrupy smell and taste that curious pets can’t help but investigate. If you spill any antifreeze while readying your car for winter, clean it up immediately. Make sure your antifreeze container is tightly sealed and stored high on a shelf or in a closet where your pet can’t get to it. You can never be too careful with antifreeze.
In addition to being painful for pets to step on, it can irritate your pet’s paw pads and stick in their fur. Licking this salt can also burn their mouth or cause minor stomach upset. Check your pet’s belly and feet for pieces of salt and wipe them away before letting your pet inside. If you have a cat or two, clean salt residue from your shoes/boots so they don’t try to lick it off.

Your Car Could be a Temporary Home for Strays

Before you start your car in the morning, be sure to knock on the hood a few times and honk the horn just in case a cat has decided to shelter next to the engine. In harsh weather, strays will find any shelter they can against the elements, and under the hood of your car is as good a place as any to them. Keep this in mind and try to give these animals a chance at survival before turning the engine.

Thanksgiving Pet Safety in Pittsburgh

Thanksgiving has arrived once more, and it’s time for us to review our most important Thanksgiving pet safety tips. You don’t need to dread the holidays, but we do want you to be fully aware of the health hazards that could pop up when you’re not looking. Pets can be sneaky, especially during semi-chaotic holiday events. See our tips below and be sure to contact our animal hospital if you have any questions or concerns! Our veterinarians are always happy to help.

• If you and your pet are traveling for the holidays, make sure they’re wearing a collar with updated ID tags and have a microchip in case they get lost. Also, carry a copy of their medical records with you just in case.

• Is your pet an escape artist? Even if you’re not sure, there’s always a first time, especially when the front door keeps opening and closing as friends and family file into the house. Watch the door (and your pet), or, to be extra safe, keep them in a room with the door closed until the guest traffic has quieted down.

• Meat bones, chocolate, onions, garlic, grapes, raisins, and pumpkin pie filling are just a few foods that are dangerous for pets to eat. The easiest way to protect your pet? Don’t share any of your food with them! Their food and treats will do just fine.

• If you need to leave your pet at home while you head out of town, consider boarding them so all their essential needs will be met and they won’t be left alone.

• Does having lots of people around make your pet anxious? Distract them from the chaos of having guests over with the help of treats and toys, and give them a quiet place they can have all to themselves. If your pet is crate trained, they might prefer the comfort and security their crate or carrier provides. Check in on your pet regularly to make sure they’re okay.

• If you have kids over, be sure to supervise all their interactions with your pet. If your pet recently had surgery, is recovering from illness, or doesn’t like being around large noisy groups of people, keep them in a quiet room by themselves.

• Be sure to remind your guests not to feed your pet any table scraps. They might feed your pet something dangerous without knowing, and giving your pet handouts can foster bad eating habits.

• Discourage your guests from leaving their alcoholic beverages sitting where your pet can reach them (chair, floor, edge of table).

• Avoid decorating the tables with candles; flames are always a fire hazard in the home, especially when you have a pet or two prowling around. There are battery-powered options available!

• Tidy up; don’t leave food, bones, or plasticware sitting around where your pet can reach it; throw it away immediately.

• Guard the trash or put it where your pet can’t reach it (like out in the garage). Gobbling up food scraps and garbage can quickly upset your pet’s stomach, causing choking, or block their gastrointestinal tract.

• Keep your pet out of the kitchen if you’re cooking—you never know when you might drop something that could be harmful to their health.

Pet Breast Cancer Awareness

Like humans, female dogs and cats can also develop mammary tumors, especially if they have not been spayed at the proper time, or were spayed after reaching 2 years of age. Spaying and neutering have many benefits for the pet population, and preventing the onset of cancer is just one of them.

Our Pittsburgh animal hospital is dedicated to promoting spays and neuters as proactive treatments that help prevent various diseases and other issues in pets. Take a moment to learn more about pet breast cancer and how to lower your pet’s risks.

How At-Risk is My Pet?

Your pet’s risk of developing breast cancer varies depending on how soon they are spayed. If your pet is:

· Spayed before their first heat cycle (about 6 months old), their risk of developing a tumor is about 0.5%

· Spayed after their first heat cycle, the risk is 8%

· Spayed after their second heat cycle, their risk is 26%

As you can see, the longer a pet goes without being spayed, the more rapidly their risk for breast cancer increases. Having your pet spayed at about 6 months of age (or whenever your veterinarian recommends it with regard for your pet’s health) should drastically lower their breast cancer risks.

Is Pet Breast Cancer Life-Threatening?

According to the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, more than 25% of unspayed female dogs will end up developing a mammary tumor in their lifetime, and about 50% of these are benign, while the other 50% are malignant. Luckily, few of the malignant mammary tumors found in dogs are fatal.

Unfortunately in cats, more than 85% of mammary tumors are malignant and likely to spread aggressively throughout the body.

What are the Symptoms of Breast Cancer in Pets?

The most common signs of breast cancer in dogs and cats include:

· A noticeable mass felt under the skin of the abdomen is a sure sign of a mammary tumor

· Discharge from the mammary gland

· Broken skin (ulceration) over the mammary gland

· Breasts that are painful and swollen

· Loss of appetite

· Weight loss

· Lethargy and weakness

Can Breast Cancer Be Treated?

Pet breast cancer may be treatable, depending on when it is detected and whether your pet is a dog or cat. Treatment options include:

· Careful removal of the mammary tumor(s)

· Removal of the tumor(s) and the affected mammary gland(s)

· In cats, it is generally recommended to remove one or both sets of mammary glands and the local lymph node

· Chemotherapy is a possible option if it is recommended that you consult with a veterinary oncologist after your pet has had surgery

The Importance of Cat Exams

It’s comforting to know that in many cases, cats can live a good number of years. However, just like dogs, they can succumb to a variety of diseases or develop a debilitating problem later in life. To prevent or reduce the severity of these potential issues and to ensure the longest and happiest life for your pet, we strongly recommend annual physical cat exams at our animal hospital in Pittsburgh. This gives us the chance to evaluate your pet’s health and quickly address any problems that we find.

Signs of Illness in Cats
Pets don’t always make it obvious that they’re feeling unwell. Try keeping an eye out for these signs, and contact us immediately if you observe any of them in your cat:

• Decreased appetite
• Vomiting
• Changes in behavior
• Hiding more more often
• Crying/vocalizing more than normal
• Sneezing, coughing, or wheezing
• Drinking and urinating more often
• Going outside of the litter box
• Urinating less often and in smaller amounts
• Unable to pass stool
• Blood in urine

What Diseases Can My Cat Get?
Some of the most common health problems affecting cats include:

• Upper respiratory infections
• Kidney disease
• Hyperthyroidism
• Diabetes
• Lower urinary tract disease/urinary tract blockage
• GI problems such as diarrhea, constipation, and vomiting
• Parasites 

How Our Animal Hospital Can Help
Annual cat exams make it easier for us to detect possible health issues in your pet and treat them before they become more complex. Without regular checkups, their condition will likely get worse and be much more difficult to resolve later on.

Schedule an appointment with your veterinarian once a year so we can examine your cat from nose to tail, run blood tests to screen for parasites and monitor organ function, and recommend any treatments we think they’ll need. We also encourage you to ask any questions that come to mind about your pet’s care during your visit with us. Contact Always Compassionate Veterinary Care at (412) 882-3070 to request an appointment today!

Help Your Pets Beat the Back to School Blues

Pet Separation Anxiety in Pittsburgh

Going back to school isn’t just hard on the kids; it’s hard on your pets, too! All summer long they have their best friends home to play with them, and then when school rolls around again, all that changes. Pets don’t always understand that when their family goes away, they’ll come back. Cats and dogs live in the moment, and when the whole family takes off for work and school, many of them can suffer from separation anxiety.

What Does Pet Separation Anxiety Look Like? 

Different pets will respond to their anxiety differently. Some signs of separation anxiety include:
- Destructive behavior
- Barking and howling when left alone
- Attempts at escape
- Urination and/or defecation in the home
- Pacing (back and forth or in a circular pattern)

All of these behaviors could be caused by a variety of other factors, so it can be difficult to pinpoint it as separation anxiety. The key is to recognize that they perform these behaviors only when they are left home alone.


How to Soothe the Blues

Pets are creatures of habit and an abrupt change from summer fun to a lonely school year are enough to trigger separation anxiety. However, you can help your dog or cat adjust to this coming change in several ways including:

- Create distractions from your departure with toys and treats. A Kong filled with food or peanut butter, or a special toy that only get taken out when you’re about to leave can help turn the sad event of your leaving into a more positive one.

- Start taking your dog’s walks earlier in the morning before you have to leave for work or school and later in the evenings to simulate what a school week will be like.

- Add additional play sessions before you leave to start your pet’s day off with an engaging activity.

- Do not punish anxious behavior—it will only make things worse!

- Try not to make your departure and arrival back home a big deal. If your pet is excited to see you when you come home, do not indulge them until they have calmed down.

- If your pet has a hard time adjusting, even with all your efforts, please talk to your veterinarian about possibly anti-anxiety medications to help them remain calm.

Interested in more tips for relieving pet separation anxiety? Contact our animal hospital today at (412) 882-3070!

Fireworks, Thunderstorms, and Your Pet

Does your dog tremble and cling to you during thunderstorms? Does your cat vanish to their favorite hiding place during fireworks? Your pet is probably suffering from noise aversion. The condition is more common in dogs, and impacts roughly one-third of dogs in the US. Noise aversion is similar to our panic attacks, causing fear and anxiety that could affect your pet’s quality of life. 

Symptoms of Noise Aversion
Noise aversion can come in many forms, with either a mixture of some of the symptoms below or simply one.

- Restlessness (usually seen as pacing; can’t sit still)
- Lip licking
- Trembling or shaking
- Panting, without it being warm
- Hypervigilance
- Cowering or hiding
- Ears back or furrowed brow
- Freezing
- Abnormal clinginess to owners
- Refusal to eat
- Yawning
- Barking at the sounds or whining


Treating Noise Aversion
To reduce or even eliminate noise aversion in dogs or cats, it’s important to identify their triggers first, so you can better prepare for an onset of conditions. Some of the treatments involve:

- Environmental management – before a thunderstorm rolls around or fireworks begin, place your pet in an area of your home that is the most sound proof. This could include your basement, a bathroom, a closet (be sure to remove any chewable items like shoes, first!) or a bedroom.

- Behavior modification – essentially, this involves exposing your pet to sounds that terrify them in a controlled environment (with lots of treats!) so they can get used to the sound and begin to associate positive things with it (like treats—did we mention that?). This option requires guidance from a veterinary professional to ensure the desensitization happens gradually so as not to overly stress out your pet.

- Medications – in some cases, it’s best to use medication to keep your pet calm during thunderstorms, fireworks, or any other noisy event. Sileo is one option that has proven highly effective in dogs.

Talk to Your Veterinarian About Your Pet’s Fears
If noise aversion is severely impacting your pet’s quality of life and your relationship with them, talk to your veterinarian! He or she will be able to help you determine the best plan of action for reducing or even eliminating your pet’s noise aversion. Contact us at (412) 882-3070 to make an appointment!