What You Should Know About Pet Treats

Everyone enjoys showing their pet a little extra love by providing treats; it strengthens the bond between owner and pet, and provides an opportunity for fun and affection. But how do you know what type of treats to give your best friend, and how much is too much?

There are so many types of treats to choose from. Nowadays, you can visit pet bakeries, buy frozen dog deserts at the grocery store, make homemade treats from a pet cookbook, or purchase the prepackaged kind at the supermarket or pet store.

Small amounts of bite-sized tasty and nutritious treats can also be great motivators if you're trying to train your dog or reward positive behavior. However, the wrong kind of treats or too many, could cause health problems for your pet...

Counting Calories
Today, nearly half the pets in the United States are overweight. Obesity contributes to a wide range of health problems for our friends from arthritis to diabetes and heart disease. Since we are providing the food, it's up to us to keep our pets healthy by monitoring and controlling our pet's diet.

It's very easy to underestimate the number of treats given in a day. Some, because of extra fat and sugar used to make them taste good, are loaded with calories. A large dog biscuit or a handful of cat munchies can contain well over 100 calories.

Estimating how many calories your pet uses can be tough, but an average 20-pound dog probably burns about 700 calories per day. A few large treats and a leftover burger could provide enough calories for the whole day, without counting regular food. Try to stick with low calorie treats, or avoid treats altogether if your pet is overweight. Your veterinarian can tell your what the normal weight range is for your pet, and advise you about specific diets if necessary.

What About Leftovers?
Given the chance, most dogs and cats will hang around the dinner table, hoping someone will either slip them something tasty, or accidentally drop food they'll be happy to clean up. However, human food can easily upset your pet's stomach. It tends to be high in fat and calories and low in vitamins and nutrients. Human food is also very filling, and may result in your pet refusing her own, nutritionally balanced food.

If your dog or cat develops a taste for human food you may find it hard to feed him his own. Picky eaters become harder and harder to please, and the result could be more expensive foods, or more time spent in the kitchen planning and cooking your pet's meals.

Your pet is smart. If you food her from the table just a few times, you'll wind up with an animal who constancy begs at the table. This can become annoying and embarrassing when you have guests, so agree with the family never to share the table with your pet. If your pet is new to the household, train then to stay away from the table. If it's too late and they're already begging, try leaving the culprit in another room while you and your family eat, so no one will be tempted to feed him under the table.

Tips For "Treating" Your Pet

**Always buy teats made specifically for your kind of pet.
**If your pet eats at scheduled meal times, don't let her fill up on treats before meals.
**Give your pet healthy treats. You can buy dental treats that clean teeth; cat treats that prevent hairballs; treats with added vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and more.
**When you give your pet treats, add the number of calories in the treats, then subtract that from the number of calories she gets from her regular food for that day.
**Try to make sure that treats don't make up more than 10 percent of your pet's diet.

Open House Update -

Our 5th Annual Open House on September 17th was big success. If you didn't make it this year make sure you do next year so you can be part of the fun! We are always excited to open our doors to the public to celebrate the human-animal bond. Please visit our News page here on our web site to view photos taken. Due to your outstanding support of the 2nd Annual Good Samaritan Silent Auction we have twice the funding we had last year available to help homeless, adoptable pets. Thank You!!!

Pain Management
Pet's Don't Always Say "Ouch"

Anything that causes you physical pain - from a broken toe nail to major trauma - most likely will cause pain to your pet as well.

Pain is not something that your pet must merely suffer-it can affect his happiness and health. Acute pain becomes a serious veterinary concern as it places additional stress on important bodily functions like the hear, intestines and immune system. Uncontrolled pain can slow down a recovery process and if left untreated, potentially result in a deterioration of your pet's condition.

Recent Advances in Veterinary Pain Management

In the past few years, profound advancements have been made in veterinary care, ranging from flea control, dental and senior care, to complex cancer treatment protocols. Pain management is no exception. The veterinarian now has superior pain management drugs not available a short time ago. It is now possible to effectively control a pet's pain caused by surgery, trauma, infectious and noninfectious disease, as well as aging.

Pets Don't Always Say "Ouch!"

Pets may not display symptoms of pain or discomfort. Unlike us, they cannot communicate the need for pain relief. The following characteristics can be a sign that your pet is in pain:

1. Inactivity
2. Lack of appetite
3. Aggressive behaviors
4. Inappropriate vocalization
5. Untimely elimination

Pain Management With Elective Procedures

The pain your pet must suffer is something you and our professional staff can do something about. When you bring your pet in for a spay/neuter, dental cleaning or other procedures potentially painful to your pet, our professional staff may provide you with pain management options. This may include injection of a pain medication prior to or directly following surgery or oral pain medications that you can take home.

Pain Management With Major Trauma

You hope there is never major trauma with your pet. In these situations, pain management is not an option because it is a significant part of treatment. It is especially important to provide pain relief to critically injured pets, as a pet can actually cause further harm to itself if not treated for pain and pain relief actually provides more rapid stabilization of the injured pet, facilitating recovery.

Your pet is one of your best friends, providing you and your family with unconditional love and companionship. Pain management is not just an objective with our hospital, it is a COMMITMENT. Our overriding concern in dealing with our patients is to make them comfortable and feel better fast!

Blood Donor Program -

The Animal Emergency and Critical Care Center is always in need of blood donors. We especially need cat donors! If your pet meets the following criteria and you are interested in finding out more details about how you and your pet an help save lives, please call and leave a message for Dr. Kristina Cox (Phone 753-2223).

STAFF HIGHLIGHTS

CONGRATULATIONS!
Dr. Sabra Thomas and Jamie Spaulding both celebrated their 5-year anniversary of employment here at WVC. Thank you for all your hard work!

NEW EMPLOYEES -

We would like to welcome two new employees to WVC:

Joshua Clark is a new nurse who moved form Phoenix, Arizona. He has been working in veterinary medicine for 9 years.	Danni Gatti has joined our team as a receptionist. Danni moved here from Stockton, California and is studying Animal Science at OSU. Welcome to WVC!

HEALTH UPDATE -

Dr. Cathy Carter has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer. She will be undergoing necessary treatments over the next several months. Dr. Carter will continue to work but her schedule will vary depending on her health and doctor appointments. We ask that you please be flexible and understanding during this time. Thank you.

EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH RECIPIENTS

(left to right)
Lisa Miller - July 05
Joshua Clark & Veronica Nunez - August 05
Carolyn Tran - September 05

Willamette Veterinary Clinic, P.C.
650 SW 3rd Street
Corvallis, OR 97333
(541) 753-2223
(541) 753-5750 Emergency