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One of our staff recently started a food trial for their cat and didn't realise just how much prep there is involved. Here are some great tips on things to do when starting a food trial  1. Get your new food homeYour vet probably has a recommendation for food for your pet, this recommendation comes from years of schooling and personal experience. Plan to feed this diet and nothing else (unless suggested by your vet) for an average of 6 weeks. 2. Ask about treatsSome feeding trials have a specific kind of treat that can be given with it some do not. If your diet does not have a treat option many pets will accept single kibbles as treats during the day. 3. Get a new scoopEveryone has a trusty measuring cup or scoop they use to dish up their pets, ask your veterinary clinic for a new scoop or cup or clean your old one thoroughly. 4. Clean your storage containerNever put new food in a container that has had another food in it if you do transfer your food to a container. 5. Clean the bowlsScrub those bowls to start fresh. 6. Set a start day and keep a journalJournalling during a feeding trial or anytime before a vet visit can be incredibly helpful. It will tell your veterinary team so much information. Journal if there is a mistake in the feeding trial and grade how your pet is doing before and after. This also gives us a new start date if looking for a strict __ week program.
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 6 symptoms to look for in aging pets.Is your pet aging well physically but you think they may be having some cognitive dysfunction? Check out the six points below and if your pet is suffering because of any of them contact your veterinary team to see if they can offer some solutions. DisorientationDoes your dog stare blankly at walls, floors or out into space? Do they get stuck or have difficulty getting around objects in your home. Does your dog no longer recognize familiar people? Interactions with people and/or pets altered.Does your dog have a decreased intrest in petting? Spending more time alone or away from family members? Does your dog seem more clingy or fearful? Sleep/Wake Cycles AlteredIs your dog restless or waking at night? Does your pet vocalize at night? Has your pet been sleeping alot more during the day? House Soiling, Learning and MemoryIs your dog no longer signalling to go out? Is your dog having decreased ability to respond to learned commands like name, tricks, ect? Are you having a hard time getting your dogs attention or are they seeming increasingly distracted? Altered ActivityHas your dog no longer been playing with their favorite toys? Have they been less interested in exploration of areas or decreased interest in playing with family members? Are they showing repetitive behaviors like licking, circling or chewing? AnxietyHas your pet experienced increased anxiety when seperated from you? Do they seem more fearful or reactive to auditory stimuli? Do they have increased fear of going new places or even going outside? What to do if you answered yes to some of these questions...There are a few options out there for dogs at this point in time with Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome. It is said that if your pet is 12 -14 yrs old there is a 23% chance they will have CDS and that number increases with age to 41% of pets greater than 14 years old. So don't feel alone we are here to help your pet age gracefully so you can enjoy the golden years of their lives.
 Purina's Calming Care. Click photo for additional information. The mainpoints of Calming Care by Purina
How do you give it?Every box includes 30 individually packaged packets. Every day simply sprinkle the powder packet on your dogs food. When does it start working?You should give the packets for six weeks to see full efficacy but some dogs show progress before the six week timeline. In the case of one of our patients improvement was seen in about three weeks. TestimonialMy dog would spend its days staring out the window waiting for my return and barking at everything that passed by. Since starting calming care she spends her days playing with the other dogs instead of waiting for my return. She now seems happier in general which makes me happier too. Now we have started our old dog on it too to see if we can reduce his stress level from living with big dogs that he's not a huge fan of.
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March 2020
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Animal Medical Centre South59 East 3rd Ave
Dunmore, AB T1B 0L2 Available 24/7 for emergencies.
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