Pets and Plants

Iris

Well seeing that SouthWestern Ontario has been having some great weather lately I have been doing a lot of gardening. While I have been spending time doing this I got to thinking about pets and plants.

I am sure that many are not aware that some of the plants that you have in your homes and in your gardens can be toxic and potentially fatal to your pet. Although there are many plants that are not harmfull there are just as many that are.

ASPCA list of TOXIC PLANTS:

http://www.aspca.org/site/FrameSet?style=User&url=../toxicplants/M01947.htm

ASPCA list of NON TOXIC PLANTS:

http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=apcc_nontoxicplants

If you pet has ingested any plant you should contact you vet immediately so that they can advise you and provide you with the proper treatment of you pet to help prevent a fatal outcome. If at all possible you should know the name of the plant, how much of the plant was eaten and the approximate time it was eaten at. if you are not sure of the name bring a piece of the plant along with you so the vet can try to identify it.

If you can't reach your veterinarian please contact the ASPCA Poison Control Centre:

http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=apcc

The best thing you can do is prevent this situation from happening is by planting only pet friendly plants in your gardens or by planting only those known toxic plants in areas where your pets don't have access.

The Lion Cut

Bob with his "Lion Cut"

One may ask... "What is a Lion Cut?". Well its the fancy name for a shave down , for our long haired feline friends, except the head, legs and tail are left long. Your beautiful longhaired cat suddenly is reminescent of its wild ancestor the lion, hence the name the "Lion Cut". To be quite honest I had no idea either until I owned a Himilayan with an extremely thick haircoat. Groomers I am sure love this concept which definetly beats brushing out mats and large amounts of undercoat in the spring. From my personal experience the lucky cat who receives this fashionable haircut also prefers this form of a spring cleanup as brushing out mats can be very painfull. OUCH!

Having lived with my Himi Bob (who has experienced the Lion Cut twice, most recently this past weekend) for the past 14 years I can say the hair and the brushing is never ending. I thought that when I first shaved him it would turn this already shy cat into a total recluse but both times he has amazed me. In both cases he has become more socialble ,affectionate and happy. Go figure! So it really doesnt bother me any to have him shaved down...besides the fact that it cuts down on the hair in the house!

So if you are thinking of getting a long haired cat in this crazy busy life that we all lead you may want to remember that the nice picture with the long beautifully well groomed coat that attracted you to the breed in the beginning will soon be replaced with that of a beautiful well groomed "Lion Cut", which may I add makes for a great conversation topic!

http://www.thecatgallery.com/himalayan_cat_models_page_8.html

Happy Victoria Day! Oh No...the dog hates fireworks!

Well it's that time of year again...the first long weekend in our spring/summer lineup!

This celebration in Canada is known as Victoria Day and I am sure many will be celebrating with food and drink and enjoying time with family and friends.

Another festivity that we also enjoy at this time of year is Fireworks. Unfortunately many of our canine friends do not share in the excitement. There are quite a few dogs out there who are nervous wrecks when it comes to fireworks. The sudden and loud sound, of fireworks, can turn a dog into a panting, pacing and drooling nightmare.

Luckily there are methods that can be used to help lessen the anxiety assosciated with the occurance of fireworks such as retraining with the use of CD's with fireworks sounds and using the newly available Dog Appeasing Phermones.

The following are a few links to check out on the topic. I hope you find them usefull.

Happy Victoria Day!


http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=1657&S=1&SourceID=47

http://www.spca.bc.ca/Animalbehaviour/fear.asp

http://www.soundsscary.com

A little bit about RVT's

Well being a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) and having worked, in the past, in a small animal hospital I know first hand how little the public knows about RVT's. That is why I wrote the following article...

Registered Veterinary Technicians…Nurses of the Animal Kingdom!

Have you ever wondered who looks after Felix and Fido when they have a visit to the vet?

Pet parents now, more than ever, have a special relationship with their animal companions. Nowadays more than 70-85 % view their pets as children. That is why it is so important for pet parents to know who is looking after their "kids" when they take a trip to their local veterinarians office.

Veterinarians are often seen as the main health care provider for pets. Behind every great veterinarian there is a full team of superb pet health care staff including:
Registered Veterinary Technicians(RVT), Veterinary Technicians (VT), Receptionists, Groomers and Veterinary Assistants.
Registered Veterinary Technicians (RVT’s) are an integral part of the health care team of many animal hospitals across Ontario. RVT’s are also found working in zoos, shelters, research facilities, veterinary teaching hospitals, medical laboratories, on farms, for the government, for animal drug and food companies and as educators in veterinary technology programs.

Veterinary Technicians are educated and trained at accredited colleges to perform such tasks as: anesthesia, dental cleanings, surgical assistance and monitoring, blood taking and IV catheter placement, nursing care, laboratory testing, xray taking and developing, nutrition and client education to name a few.

The title of RVT is obtained after a veterinary technician writes the National Veterinary Technician Exam successfully. RVT status is upheld by meeting continuing education requirements and membership in the Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians (www.oavt.org) on an annual basis.

In many ways Registered Veterinary Technicians are the nurses of the animal kingdom!

So the next time you take your beloved "fur kids" to the veterinarian ask who is a part of your pets medical team and accept nothing less than what you would expect for yourself.

Kristina Cooper, RVT
Ancaster, Ontario.

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Welcome to Krissy's Critter Corner!

A blog for pet lovers, those who work in the veterinary or animal field and anyone else who is interested.


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