School is around the corner and so are the busses

It is nice to know that your pet will follow you to the bus stop, but it is very risky for your pet. Many drivers are rushing to get to work and may not always be paying attention. Keep your pet at home when you leave, that way you know that your pet will be waiting for you when you get back from school.

Ticks...not just a pretty face

 The ticks are out to win the war. It seems that we have had more ticks for a longer period of time this summer than ever before.

 Ticks are more prevalent than previous years due to the increase in deer population. Ticks also bring the rickettsial diseases such as Lymes. Lymes can cause so many problems that often we attribute to colds, but no...it's that parasite.

Stay tuned for more.

Garden Yummies

So that time has come when the gardens are plentiful. Your pets can eat veggies and it won't hurt. If you own reptiles or birds or potbellies or goats, this is the time to share. The fresh veggies can provide many vitamins and enzymes and amino acids that commercial foods do not.
Particularly your reptiles can benefit greatly from fresh produce. I suggest that you freeze some of the extras for this winter.
Freezing tends to keep the nutrients better. Also it takes less time and its easier to do. Freeze lots..you might use it also.

Good eating :)

On a different Note

Animal Hospital is trying to get food donations for ESOM. The Outreach for those Stokes County Citizens that need a little help.
We will have a barrel at the clinic and are taking canned and boxed goods for both People and Pets. If you come by and bring a donation, let the staff know and you will receive a discount off your bill.
It is time that we help our fellow Stokes folks.

Thank you ahead of time for your support. Dr. Cowan

In Plain View

Do you drive or walk past some place, that makes you wonder WHY they have an animal? If you answer yes, have you thought to contact animal control, or one of the societies that help animals?
Do it, don't close your eyes and drive/walk by, call animal control and request that they check that poor kid out. Give them your name, or don't, but make the call. Animals, like children, have to depend on humans to help them, if you do not care enough, then perhaps you are as guilty or as thoughtless as the person that has that animal.

Make the call, basically its free, but you may be saving the life of some poor animal that has no one to speak for them.
These kids are lucky..they have love and attention.

Fruits for the furry friends

Don't forget, as summer sizzles, that you can let your pet enjoy the occasional small piece of watermelon, banana, peach. The trick is keep it small. Too much of a good thing and diarrhea happens.

Keep everyone happy..minimize

It's the dog days of July

This is the time when it gets crazy. We're off and running trying to get some good vacation time in while the weather co-operates. Remember that your pets are also going through this cyclone. Don't run for miles at the beach with your best buddy: they are not wearing shoes, the sand is scorching and they can and will get burns on their pads. Its the same story on asphalt.
Wait til it cools down before you have your pet running with you.
If you are just laying around in the sun, remember that they have fur. You may think its great, they may be getting ready to have a heat stroke. Leave them at home or in the motel room.
Kitties also seem to go crazy in the summer. All those birds, mice and other critters. Make sure that you are always aware of where your kitties are and what shape they are in. Abcesses are not always easy to see and can cause a lot of pain and discomfort. Make sure that you are watching and observing how your pet is doing.
Birds: if you put their cage outdoors, make sure it is in the shade and that other birds are not able to contaminate. This can be a problem.

HAVE FUN AND ENJOY YOUR VACATION