Posts in Category: Exercise Nutrition & Obesity

Post-surgical care is important when it comes to proper healing and health. Healing can be a long process, and providing proper pain relief and nutrition can help tremendously.

While your pet patient is likely to have activity restrictions post procedure, Leon Valley Veterinary Hospital knows that post-op exercise has value. Encouraging safe pet activity after surgery can aid in recovery in a big way.

Knowing the Limits

Of course every pet and every surgical procedure are different. It is important to understand any post-surgical restrictions your pet has,  so that you can be sure exercise and activity is performed safely. 

After a surgery, your pet will be required to rest for a set period of time. In more complex surgeries, they may need to be crated to avoid movement. But eventually, your pet will need limited forms of exercise and activities to keep them healthy, encourage better recovery, and make them happy.

The team at Leon Valley Veterinary Hospital wants to give our pet owners some insight into how to safely exercise your pet after surgery. Movement is important to their healing and well-being, which is why understanding the right way to exercise and play post-surgery is so important.

Most of us know that peanuts and other nuts are something that we need to be careful with around our fellow humans, but what about dogs? Are things like peanut butter safe for your pet? What precautions should you take if giving your pet nut products? 

Dogs and nuts can make a great partnership, but at Leon Valley Veterinary Hospital we want you to know how to pamper your pooch safely.

The Thing About Dogs and Nuts

Nuts can make a terrific and tasty treat for your pet. The majority of nuts are safe for pets and nut allergies are uncommon.

There are a few exceptions, however, such as macadamia nuts, which can result in vomiting, fever, tremors, high heart rates, and incoordination when consumed in large quantities. Less common nuts such as English walnuts, ginkgo nuts, and horse chestnuts should also be avoided.

Leon Valley Veterinary Hospital is pretty sure that when it comes to the most enjoyable things in life, pizza and pets top the list. But do they go together? We would like to think so, but there are some things to take into consideration.

Anatomy of a Pizza

Baked dough, cheese, and delicious toppings  – what could be better than pizza? Our pets most likely agree, but pizza is not necessarily totally benign when it comes to our animal friends. 

When it comes to pizza and pets there are definitely some things to think about.

Breaking it down into its mouthwatering little parts, consider:

Conscientious pet parents are always on the lookout for ways to enhance the lives of their pets. We vow to take them on more walks, buy them the latest Furbo, and make sure to schedule a wellness exam every year. But what about the food we give them?  

Research shows that feeding your pet a high-quality diet is linked to better health outcomes and a longer lifespan. However, some diets are causing concern among veterinary specialists. In fact, earlier this summer, the FDA issued a cautionary statement that grain free diets may be linked to the development of a condition in dogs called dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). However, as of this fall, veterinary experts are linking the problem instead to boutique, exotic, or grain free diets. Stay tuned as we explore the possible link between grain free diets and heart disease.

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and you may be thinking about meals, family, and eating your fill of delicious foods. It’s natural to want to share in the fun with our furry family members too, but the holiday table is fraught with high fat, salty foods that are not the best for our pets.

Feeding our pets traditional Thanksgiving foods like turkey bones, table scraps, gravy, and stuffing can cause GI upset – and worse. Any sudden change in diet and consuming fatty foods can cause a painful and potentially deadly condition called pancreatitis.

With that in mind, we decided to put together a list of ideas for Thanksgiving fun for pets – that don’t include food. After all, a healthy pet is one of the best things to be thankful for!

Dogs love to be with us, and they usually have boundless energy. In fact, they could be the perfect exercise partner—as long as you pay attention to some basic do’s and don’ts of running with your dog.

The Do’s of Running with Your Dog

Do check with your veterinarian. Before starting any new exercise program, be sure to bring your dog in for a preventive care exam. It’s important to assess your dog’s fitness level and know how to avoid any joint or muscle injuries. Continue…

Weight loss is a tough subject, for humans and pets alike! It’s a challenge, especially when we realize we may have spent the winter months on the couch a bit too much, or perhaps eaten one too many desserts. But, for our pets (and for us!), losing weight can add years to their lives and make those years healthier and happier.

The most recent veterinary surveys tell us that over half of our nation’s pets are either overweight or obese. Extra weight may seem to make them extra snuggly, but in reality, overweight pets are at risk for serious and debilitating health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and high blood pressure.

Helping your pet to lose weight might be easier than you think. Below, our team gears up to answer the question, does my dog need a diet, or just more exercise? Continue…

If you’ve followed our blog over the years (and, of course, we hope you have!), then you probably know all about pet toxins. You might even have a list of all the no-no’s that can cause pet poisoning. Still, most holidays that involve lots of food go hand-in-hand with increased calls to the Pet Poison Helpline and visits to veterinary emergency clinics.

Along with gratitude, there’s no doubt that Thanksgiving is all about the food and lots of it. Because many pet owners still don’t know about some of the foods that are dangerous to pets, it’s important to remind everyone about these risks. Leon Valley Veterinary Hospital has some great suggestions on how to create a pet-friendly Thanksgiving to keep your furry friend safe this season – and throughout the year!

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As a group, domestic felines are interesting, sharp, and physically stunning, but they’re also typecast as a pet that’s easy to care for. Felines may be perceived as less demanding of attention or even affection, although scores of individual cats do, in fact, demand (and deserve) both. This is to say that cats are sort of, well, misunderstood. Perhaps the worst gap in knowledge is around cat nutrition.

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