Helpful Resources

• Licensing
• Products to Support the Health of Your Animal
• Traveling with Pets
• Disaster Preparedness
• Common Pet Toxins

Licensing

The cities, villages and towns in Ozaukee and Washington counties all have specific regulations for pets that are housed within. For your convenience, we have provided links to the websites of the cities/towns/villages that have information regarding animal licensing.

Ozaukee County

• City of Cedarburg: http://www.ci.cedarburg.wi.us
• Town of Cedarburg: http://www.town.cedarburg.wi.us
• Town of Grafton: http://www.townofgrafton.org
• Village of Grafton: http://www.village.grafton.wi.us
• Village of Thiensville: http://www.village.thiensville.wi.us
• Village of Saukville: http://www.village.saukville.wi.us

Washington County

• Town of Germantown: http://twnofgtown.webs.com
• Village of Germantown: http://www.village.germantown.wi.us
• Village of Jackson: http://villageofjackson.com

Products to Support the Health of Your Animal

Food

We carry prescription canned and dry food for pets that have special needs when it comes to their diet. The foods include Purina, Hills and Royal Canin. Please note that all prescription diets need to be prescribed by a doctor. To learn more, please visit the company’s website by clicking on the icons below.

Dental Products

Dental care items such as tooth brushes, toothpastes, rinses, treats and chews are available to slow the progression of periodontal disease.

Basic Grooming Supplies

We have a selection of shampoos and ear cleansers on hand for your pet’s basic grooming needs.

Prescription Medicine

If your pet has been diagnosed with an ailment needing prescription medication, we have an on-site pharmacy that supplies most pharmaceuticals necessary for treatment. The icons below are only a sample of the products available at the clinic.

Parasite Prevention

To keep your pets parasite free, we provide a variety of flea, tick, and heartworm prevention that can be given orally or topically depending on the product. To learn more, please visit the company’s website by clicking on the icons below.

Traveling with Pets

Taking your pet with you on vacation or even just on short trips can be a great experience. Some pets, however, don’t enjoy traveling so make sure to plan your trip with your pet in mind!

• First and foremost, make sure your pet is healthy enough to travel. This includes being up to date on vaccinations, as well as heartworm and flea/tick prevention (apply approximately 3 days or more before travel for best protection). Research if certain vaccinations are recommended where you will be traveling. Keep in mind that International travelers may need their pet to get a rabies titer check at least 6-12 months before their departure date, not to mention any other paperwork that may take months to complete.
• Bring along the name, telephone number and fax number for your veterinary clinic, and find the name and telephone number of a veterinary clinic where you will be travelling in case of an emergency.
• Be sure your pet has a form of identification (collar with tags, microchip, rabies tag and/or license). It’s not a bad idea to take a photo and description of your pet in case he/she gets lost.
• Don’t wait to find out if the hotel/motel/bed and breakfast you will be staying at allows pets, and make sure to follow airline instructions for rules and guidelines. The same applies for trains, buses and ships; each form of transportation may have a different procedure.
• If driving to a destination, check with state laws about required paperwork to cross borders (i.e. health certificate, rabies certificate, etc).
• Make sure to pack everything your pet may need: food, medication, toys, bedding, bottle water (to ensure fresh/clean water), bowls for food and water, leash, crate, etc.
• If your pet gets anxious or car sick during travel, there are many options to assist with comfort. Supplements such as Anxiety Travel drops, Stress Away Tablets, Feliway and Dog Appeasing Pheromones (DAP) are a few products we have available. Sedatives and motion sickness medications are prescribed on a case by case basis, so please be sure to consult with one of our veterinarians. It may also be a good idea to condition your pet to taking car rides before going on a long trip to get your pet used to car rides.

Any questions or concerns can also be discussed with one of our veterinarians or veterinary technicians.

Disaster Preparedness

In a 2006 survey performed by the American Kennel Club® (AKC) 62% of pet owners would not follow mandatory evacuation orders if they could not bring their pets along.

Are you prepared for a disaster?

Create a Disaster Kit

For all Pets:

• 3-7 days supply of food, water and Medications
• Water and food dishes
• Medical Records (vaccination records as a minimum)
• Identification on the pet (collar with tags, microchip, tattoo etc…)
• Current photo of you and your pet to confirm ownership if you are separated from your pet
• Grooming items
• Blankets or pet beds
• Any miscellaneous items you think you might need, including but not limited to: Newspapers, paper towels, baby wipes, flashlight, radio, plastic trash bags, etc…)
• Large container to store all Disaster Kit items in, such as a Rubbermaid storage bin

Special Considerations

Make sure your Disaster Kit is in an easy to access area!

Plan Ahead

Refer to the following table for phone numbers and addresses of area hotels where you can stay with your pet during an emergency. Many human disaster shelters cannot take animals because of safety regulations. Develop a “buddy system” by calling relatives or friends out of the area to see if your pet could be housed there.

Practice Makes Perfect

Before a disaster happens to your family, practice what will need to be done in an emergency situation. Where will you meet? What phone numbers can you use to reach family members?

Also something to consider is that not all disasters are widespread. What would your family have to do if your house caught fire? The more planning ahead and practicing you do, the better off you are during an emergency.

For more information visit http://www.ready.gov.

Common Pet Toxins

There are several products, medications and foods that we, as humans, utilize or consume without thinking twice about a negative side effect. For dogs and cats, however, the same products that we use may have detrimental effects. If your pet should ingest any of the products mentioned below, or if there is a product not on this list you may be concerned about, call the clinic immediately during normal business hours. If the incident occurs while the clinic is closed, please call one of the local animal emergency centers. Please have as much information available as you can including the name of the product, the product label (if applicable), how much was consumed, and your pets current weight. Common toxins are listed alphabetically below:

Alcoholic Beverages

The culprit for toxicity in alcoholic beverages is ethanol, the product made from the fermentation of sugar. Ingestion by an animal can potentially result in vomiting, diarrhea, incoordination, difficulty breathing, tremors, abnormal body temperature, coma and even death.

Chocolate

Even though chocolate is a delicious treat for people, it can be very harmful to your pet. It contains theobromine and caffeine which if ingested by an animal can cause vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, increased urination, increased drinking, lethargy, increased heart rate, heart arrhythmias, seizures and death.

Ethylene Glycol (most commonly found in antifreeze)

Animals are attracted to this product because of its sweet taste. It is rapidly absorbed into the intestinal tract and can be very problematic, even in small amounts. For the average size cat a lethal dose can occur when only ½ a tablespoon of antifreeze is ingested, and for a 20lb dog 2 to 4 tablespoons of pure ethylene glycol can be fatal. Signs of toxicity can occur within 36 to 72 hours for dogs, and 12 to 24 hours for cat. Signs may include nausea, vomiting, trouble walking, depression, anorexia, increased water consumption, change in urination habits, seizures, coma or death. It is very difficult to treat successfully once signs begin, so it is important to start treatment as soon as you know your pet has ingested ethylene glycol.

Garlic and Onions

Eating these foods causes problems with an animal’s ability to transport oxygen in the red blood cells (called methemoglobinemia). Eating garlic may put your pet a risk for clotting problems which could result in internal bleeding. Animals can experience symptoms like pale gums, increased heart rate, faster breathing, weakness, lethargy, vomiting and diarrhea.

Grapes and Raisins

The ingestion of grapes or raisins by a pet can cause kidney failure. Signs include vomiting, lethargy, anorexia, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and changes in urination (increased amounts, decreased amounts, or lack of urine production).

Human Pain Relievers

Acetaminophen (found in Tylenol products or other over-the-counter pain relievers and cold medicines): Even though acetaminophen can be an effective pain reliever or fever reducer for humans, it has negative effects on animals. Ingesting acetaminophen causes decreased oxygen delivery in the red blood cells of cats and can have ill effects on the liver of dogs. Toxic signs include pale gums, difficulty breathing, depression, low body temperature, vomiting, weakness, coma and death. Note that some clinics may prescribe small doses of Tylenol to dogs so the level should not become toxic, but it should only be used under the direct supervision of a veterinarian.

Ibuprofen (found in medications like Advil or Motrin, or other human NSAIDs): These medications may be useful for pain relief and decreasing inflammation for humans, but when used in animals can have toxic side effects. If ibuprofen is ingested by a dog or a cat, ulceration in the gastrointestinal tract can occur which results in lethargy, abdominal pain, vomiting (possibly with blood), or bloody stool (that can appear red or black). Ibuprofen can also be detrimental for the liver and kidneys.

Household Plants

Poinsettias: Historically, it was thought that poinsettias were very toxic to animals, however with cross pollination and germination techniques the household plants have been modified and are now considered more of an irritant than a toxin. Household poinsettias can cause gastrointestinal upset (mainly vomiting and diarrhea), mouth irritation (burning sensation) and hyper salivation (drooling) when a pet eats the plant. Poinsettias that grow in the wild in tropical regions are found to be toxic.

There are many other plants that people enjoy growing in their home or around their yard, however if ingested by an animal may be detrimental to their health. If you pet chews on or ingests a plant, please call the clinic.

Peanut Butter

Rodenticide (mouse or rat poisons)

When poisons meant for rodents are placed in areas that are accessible to dogs and cats, ingestion by the wrong species can occur. The ingredients in the majority of rodenticides cause the production of vitamin K to be depleted, which in turn diminishes clotting factors throughout the body, thus called anticoagulative rodenticides. Bleeding from anywhere in the body, internally and externally, can occur. Signs that an anticoagulative rodenticide was ingested may include bruising on gums or abdomen (called petechia), lethargy, weakness, anorexia, vomiting, bloody stools (may appear red or black), blood in the urine, difficulty breathing, seizures or death. Since some rodents have developed a resistance to some anticoagulative rodenticides, a product that affects the central nervous system called bromethalin is used in some Tomcat products. Clinical signs of bromethalin ingestion may include vomiting, anorexia, low body temperature, behavioral changes (hyperexcitability, running fits, sensitivity to light/sound/touch), difficulty walking, hind limb paralysis, seizures and death.

Xylitol

Xylitol is used as an artificial sweetener in products like gum, mints, candies, baked goods and beverages. It is considered safe for humans, however consumption in dogs and cats can cause low blood sugar, liver damage, coma and death.

If you would like more information regarding common toxins for animals, please call the clinic.