hopeful henry

As we are fast approaching the biggest giving season of them all I wanted to remind our wonderful Tahoe pet lovers what to avoid as gifts for your furry family member this year. I would like to thank the folks at Pet Plan Pet Insurance for the following great advice. Speaking of pet insurance, if you’re looking for a practical gift for your pet owning friends pet insurance would make a nice gift!

‘Tis the season for friends, family and holiday feasts—but also for possible distress for our animal companions. Pets won’t be so thankful if they munch on under-cooked turkey or a pet-unfriendly floral arrangement, or if they stumble upon an unattended alcoholic drink.

Check out the following tips from ASPCA experts for a fulfilling Thanksgiving that your pets can enjoy, too.

Talkin’ Turkey

Dear Henry,
I’m new to the area and not sure about how to deal with the cold weather and my dog, do you have any tips for us?
Thank you,
Bethany

Purrfect timing for this question as it actually looks like we are going to get a winter this year! Here are some winter tips for all pets.

Keep your cats inside. During any time of the year, cats that are allowed to stray can become lost or stolen, injured or killed. They can also be exposed to infectious diseases, including rabies, from other cats, dogs and wildlife.

Every year around Halloween the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center gets flooded with calls from pet owners who are worried about what their pet has eaten. In order to avoid this worry and to help you prepare for the big night and weeks before we put together a list of the most common issues they encounter.

Don’t ignore flea and heartworm treatments

Dear Hopeful,

I know you're of the canine set, but I need some hints and tips to share with my feline friends.

Signed,
Meowwww

Dear Meowww,

Of course, always love to help friends of ALL animals! Here are my TOP TEN useful, and surprising cat tips:

Cats Dig Running Water

Dear Henry,
I am a business owner can you please explain the situation with “Service Dogs,” what is considered a service dog and what do I have to allow in my place of business which is a restaurant. I don’t want to get in trouble with ADA or the Health Department.

Thank you, Bob

Great question Bob!
This is an issue we get calls on all the time. I am going to be answering this question with information directly from the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, and Disability Rights Section.

Every year, countless dogs die in cars on summer days. Sometimes it’s not even that hot outside. Many times the window is cracked and the car is parked in the shade. The startling truth is that even in seemingly safe conditions the temperature inside your car can soar to life-threatening heights in just ten minutes – about the time it takes to run into the post office or the coffee shop or the pet store.

Even on a relatively mild day, your car can turn into an oven with frightening speed.

The last word you want to hear from your veterinarian is cancer.

As humans, we know that there are things that we can do to try to prevent some types of cancer. Well, there are some things we can do to decrease the chances of our pets getting cancer also.

Read on for the top five ways to reduce your pet’s cancer risk.

Have your pet spayed or neutered.

Dear Henry,

I’m a local and have noticed the bears are back! I’ve already seen cubs and a lot more sightings in my neighborhood when compared to last year. Could you cover some bear safety tips in your article for those who are new to area or visiting in one of the many vacation homes?

Thanks,
Ron

Thanks Ron,

Spring is back and officially stars this Saturday the 19th, and with the change of season upon us, our thoughts turn to Easter celebrations, spring cleaning and much-needed home improvement projects. Before you take on your springtime projects keep an eye on possible hazards that will affect your furry family members.

Easter Treats and Decorations

In honor of World Spay Day I wanted to share some myths and facts regarding spaying or neutering your pets with the hope it will encourage you to make the correct decision and have your furry family members spayed or neutered (females get spayed and males get neutered).

MYTH: It's better to have one litter before spaying a female pet.
FACT: Every litter counts.
Medical evidence indicates just the opposite. In fact, the evidence shows that females spayed before their first heat are typically healthier.

MYTH: I want my children to experience the miracle of birth.

With lots of snow we are getting lots of visitors to the slopes around the basin, and a lot of these visitors bring their dogs to enjoy the vacation with the family. Sadly some of these pups get lost which is extra stressful as they are not in a familiar location. We recently have had two visiting dogs who went missing for over a week, one was found, injured but is going to be okay, while the other was found but the extreme outside conditions got the better of his and sadly he passed the night he was found.

I like to start every year with this story, it is simple yet meaning full and will hopefully remind everyone that you can make a difference. When I’m having a bad day, feeling like what we do doesn’t matter or just isn’t enough, I re read this story and it reminds me that as long as we keep trying and never give up we are making a difference. If you have not read this short story, read it now and hopefully it will inspire you. If you have read it before, re-read it and get reminded of how much of a difference you can make.

The Starfish

First lets tackle the “to eat a Christmas Tree or to not eat a Christmas tree” issue. The tree itself is not particularly dangerous if a few needles are ingested, it will most like come right up via kitty or doggie vomiting. The bigger concern is the stagnant tree water as it is a breeding ground for bacteria and your pet could end up with nausea or diarrhea should they drink it. Speaking of the Christmas Tree make sure you securely anchor your Christmas tree so it doesn't tip and fall, causing possible injury to your pet.

‘Tis the season for friends, family and holiday feasts—but also for possible distress for our animal companions. Pets won’t be so thankful if they munch on undercooked turkey or a pet-unfriendly floral arrangement, or if they stumble upon an unattended alcoholic drink.

Check out the following tips from ASPCA experts for a fulfilling Thanksgiving that your pets can enjoy, too.

Talkin’ Turkey

Dear Hopeful Henry,
I read your article about Halloween safety, thank you for the information on the artificial sweetener now showing up in peanut butters. I was hoping you could advise on what other food items are bad for my dog.

Thanks,
Betty

Betty, so glad you found the information from last week’s article useful and your question is a great one. To answer your question with the most accuracy I obtained this list from the ASPCA Poison Control Center.