Safeguarding Your Furry Friends: The Importance of Microchipping

As we celebrate Chip Your Pet Month, it's the perfect time to talk about a tiny device that can make a monumental difference in your pet's safety and well-being: the microchip.

Why Microchipping Matters

Imagine this scenario: Your beloved furry friend dashes out the door during a moment of excitement or curiosity. Despite your frantic search efforts, they seem to have vanished without a trace. This nightmare is a reality for many pet owners, but microchipping can turn the tide.

1. **A Lifesaver in Lost Pet Situations**: Microchips are a permanent form of identification that can't be lost or removed like collars or tags. When a lost pet is scanned, their unique ID number links back to your contact information, increasing the chances of a happy reunion.

2. **Security Against Theft**: Sadly, pet theft is a reality, especially for certain breeds or valuable animals. A microchip adds an extra layer of security, deterring thieves and providing a means of proving ownership if needed.

3. **Complementing Collars and Tags**: While collars and tags are essential, they can fall off or be removed. A microchip acts as a reliable backup, ensuring your pet's identity is always accessible.

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The Microchipping Process

Many pet owners are curious about the microchipping procedure. Here's what you need to know:

- **Quick and Painless**: Microchipping is a simple process, often done during a regular vet visit. The microchip, about the size of a grain of rice, is inserted under the skin between your pet's shoulder blades.

- **Universal Scanning**: Nearly all shelters and veterinary clinics have microchip scanners. This universal compatibility means that wherever your pet ends up, their chip can be read, leading them back to you.

At Viva La Pet, we prioritize the safety and well-being of every furry friend. This Chip Your Pet Month, we kindly remind you to make sure your pets are microchipped and verify their chip info is up to date. You can verify the chip info by having your vet give your pet a quick scan.

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Good to note: In celebration or Chip Your Pet Month, many vets offer discounted microchipping all throughout the month of May.

Remember, a tiny chip can lead to immense peace of mind. Let's chip in for our pets' safety!

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*Disclaimer: Always consult with your veterinarian for personalized advice on microchipping and pet care.*

7 Intentions Your Pets Want You to Make

Like clockwork, it’s that time of year again - when we set new goals and try to improve our lives. If you're like us, your efforts to keep those resolutions are often less than stellar. So, we are dropping the term resolution and all the weight that comes along with it and taking some time to set intentions instead. Since Viva La Pet is For Pets & Their People, we’re sharing some of our pet-related intentions for the new year.

Here are some easy intentions that will improve your pet's health, happiness, and relationship with you. We guarantee many will benefit you as well!

Do a diet audit. Is your pet food high quality? Are the treats healthy and low calorie? Is your pet overweight? Is the portion size appropriate? Make 2020 the year of mindful consumption for both you and your pets.

Go for a brain workout - learn something new! Your pet's mental health should be a top priority, and learning helps keep their brains sharp. Join a training class, set aside 5 minutes for training every day, or teach them a fun trick. Wipe off your paws after a snowy walk, perhaps? Mental exercise will also keep your relationship strong. There are many facebook groups just for canine enrichment. The members share great ideas, most of which do not cost a penny!

FYI: January is National Train Your Dog Month!

Play more! Most of our pets would prefer tugs (playtime) over hugs. Buy them a fun, new toy and play with them. Toss a ball, laugh, and have fun - you'll both be glad you did. When we can’t get out to our favorite, local & independent pet store, we hit up Homegoods for inexpensive toys (which are on the “okay to destroy within 5 minutes” list because we only spent $2.99).

Treat your dog to an extra walk each day. January is also - Walk Your Pet Month - so let's try and get in one more walk - even if it's just a short potty break with a little sniff time. Or, vow to clean the litter box a bit more often. Viva La Pet can help you accomplish both!

Build your tribe by making a few new canine and people friends this year, it will be good for both of you. Visit a local park, walking or bike trails, training classes, or call friends and neighbors to schedule a cup of tea and a doggie playdate. On those frigid days, stroll through a pet store with your pup. Click the box below to see Viva La Pet’s e-book, Exploring Morris County With Your Pets! We have some pet-friendly, hidden gems listed there!

Schedule a wellness visit. Have your vet take a look at your pet every year; it's an essential step to staying healthy.

Last, and an extremely important step to take, create an emergency plan and an emergency fund. We never know when an emergency will arise. Having a plan in place as well a fund will make a stressful situation a little less overbearing. Viva La Pet is always happy to be listed as one of our client’s emergency contacts.

“There are years that ask questions and years that answer.” We wish you and your pets the best in 2020!

Tips to Help Keep Your Pet's Teeth Clean

There is a very clear connection between our pet's good health and their teeth. Just like us, our pets benefit from a professional teeth cleaning now and then. Some specialists offer anesthesia-free teeth cleanings.

However, in between cleanings there are a number of things you can do to help keep your pet’s choppers pearly white and their breath sweet.

Brushing - This is the very best way to keep your pet healthy. It will prevent bacteria build-up which can lead to tooth loss and infections including heart disease. Get a tasty toothpaste that is formulated for pets. You may want to start with a finger brush. Many pets find them a bit easier to accept over a toothbrush. After they are comfy with the finger brush, graduate to a real toothbrush, they clean better. Ideally, you should brush daily.

Wipes - Dental wipes are good for in-between brushing or if your pet isn't quite ready for actual brushing yet.

Treats - Dental treats can help clean teeth too. They should be used in conjunction with brushing. They are formulated to remove plaque build-up on teeth and will help freshen their breath too. Be sure to read the ingredients, as some treats include less than ideal ingredients.

Chew toys - There are many chew products designed to help remove plaque and tartar from your pet's teeth. They'll be so busy having fun, they won't even realize the toy is cleaning their teeth! Popular examples are toys like Kongs, Boshel Dog Ball, and some rope toys. Many cats love Kong's Cat Wubba Mouse toy for fun and teeth cleaning.

Diet - A natural, healthy diet helps too. Kibble actually does clean teeth a bit and there are some kibbles that are specifically formulated to do this. Many people swear that a raw diet and raw soft animal bones clean teeth very well. Be sure to do your research on any new food you decide to introduce into your pet’s diet. If you do switch their food, remember to do so gradually.

There are a few cons to the above choices. If your dog is a power chewer you'll need to pick treats and toys appropriately. The strongest toy on the market that I have found is called a Goughnut. Last, never give a dog rawhide (it's non-digestible) or hard bones like deer antlers (they can break your pet's teeth).

Always supervise your pet when using any of these treats, chews, or toys. Like any treat or toy, small pieces can be dangerous. Always look at ingredients to avoid things like cornstarch (corn is a common allergen), sugar, or excessive fat. And don't forget to count the calories in pet treats, they add up!

Just a few minutes a day can keep your companion's choppers clean!

ZOOMIES

Zoomies!

Most dog owners know exactly what the zoomies are. One minute your dog is standing next to you nice and quietly; the next Fido is running crazily back and forth at top speed. They may go in circles, jump over things, run into furniture, or chase their tails; and all the while looking as happy as can be.

Zoomies, or what we call them in our home, “pigging”, actually have a formal name Frenetic Random Activity Periods (FRAP). So why do zoomies happen and could they be dangerous?

Many dogs get zoomies after hopping out of the tub, if they've been inside too long, or when they want to play. However, sometimes they happen when a dog is a bit confused or slightly stressed, and they need to burn off excess nervous energy.

Zoomies are considered normal canine activity and watching our pups get the zoomies is doggone fun! They happen more in puppies or younger dogs, but many dogs keep zooming all their lives. If your dog has zoomies all the time, you might want to consider how much exercise your best friend is getting every day. If you feel your dog is zooming due to stress, try and remove the stressor.

That being said, zoomies are not a dangerous activity as long as they take place in a safe spot. Inside a dog could slip on a rug, fall down stairs, or knock over kids or elderly people. Outside it's imperative that your dog is in a fenced-in area away from traffic dangers. If they happen and your dog is unleashed in an open area, don't chase them, that makes them keep zooming. Stay calm and call them (hopefully you are consistently training them to come). Offer them a toy or treat to distract them so you can get them to a safe place to zoom.

Next time your dog gets that explosion of crazy energy, the zoomies, enjoy them, your dog is having a healthy and exhilarating moment.

See a video of “pigging” or more commonly referred to as the “zoomies” below.

Scratch and Sniff

Summer; the season of outdoor living. From hikes, walks and swims with your best friend, there's no better time than now to talk about poison ivy, poison oak and all of those plants that can give you a horribly uncomfortable rash.

Education: Poison oak, ivy and sumac have a sap that contains the oil that causes that red, itchy and bumpy rash. The oil, urushiol, is found everywhere on the plants, which makes it VERY easy for your cat or dog to brush up against a plant and spread it to you by way of direct contact or contact with your couch, your sheets, your rugs.... EEK!

Identify: By learning to identify the plants, you can keep your pets and yourself away from them and live itch-free for the rest of the season. "Leaves of three, let them be". Let that be your mantra as you trek through the summer months with your pup. Poison ivy, oak and sumac are clusters of shrubs or vines with groups of three green leaflets on the vines. Often, you'll see them as a ground cover or a fuzzy vine growing up a tree. Avoid all of that or pay the itchy price. (Some people are not affected by the oil!)

Treatment: What to do if your pet comes in contact with the plants? Tubby time! Wearing gloves, wash your pup using a mild dog shampoo, rinse and repeat. Be sure to throw the drying towels into the wash on a hot water cycle.

Extra: Yes, your dog and cats can get the itchy rash, but it's very unlikely. Their fur protects their skin from being exposed to the oil. The rash on your pet will look much like it does on humans and it's treated similarly. If you suspect that your dog or cat has the rash, please see your vet.

Finisher: Remember, "Leaves of three, let them be". If you cannot avoid the plants, wash, rinse and repeat. Last, if your pet gets the rash, don't panic and visit your vet.

Have a happy summer!

A mutt butt and poison ivy, next to harmless green ivy, growing up a tree.

See that fuzzy vine? That's a poison ivy vine!

Leaves of three, let them be. That's a ground cover of an itchy mess.