PET TALK

Cathy, here’s the latest news from Longwood Veterinary Clinic...
Cathy,
Let’s Talk
PET TALK
ASK OUR VETS
Visit us online at
www.LongwoodVet.com
(407) 834-2526
Longwood Veterinary Clinic • 1080 W State Road 434 • Longwood, FL 32750
Dear DVMs,
What are pheromones and why
do cats want to leave their scent?
Cathy...
Your
-Alex M., Deltona, FL
October 2011
Dear Alex,
Newsletter
The sense of smell can have powerful effects on behavior,
memory, and even appetite. Pheromones are chemicals secreted
by certain scent glands in the body. Through smell, other individuals
of the same species can recognize these pheromones.
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Here is your Monthly Newsletter from your friends
at Longwood Veterinary Clinic. We look forward
to seeing you and Maximus the next time you
pay us a visit. Don’t be a stranger... prevention is
much better than treatment for your pet and your
pocket book! Look out for the great offers we
have for you this month!
And remember when you visit us... seeing YOUR
pet is THE most important part of our day!
Smell is an extremely important sense in cats, in some cases more
than sight. Leaving these pheromones not only marks their territory,
but has other effects on behavior as well. We have observed that
the pheromones that come from the glands on the face generally
have a calming effect on cats. It has also been noted that cats will
rarely urinate in the same places where they rub their face.
Dr. Rick Marrinson
Cathy Denison
Po Box 2515
Springfield, VA 22152-0515
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Cathy, Look On The Back Of This Newsletter For This Month’s EXCITING NEW OFFERS!
If you have a veterinary question you would like answered by one of our veterinarians, call our office
during normal business hours on 407-834-2526 or go to our website www.LongwoodVet.com with your
inquiry and you might just see yours in our next newsletter!!
Dear Cathy,
Referral Rewards
Thank You Note
Thanks to the following friends
for referring another pet owner to
Longwood Veterinary Clinic.
Your Reward is on its way!!!
Leeanna M. for Havok R.
Jannelle H. for Luna, Tater Tot and Tonks B.
Meet our ‘Pet of the Month’.
Samantha Wittbrodt is a “dreamy eyed” 11
year old Yellow Lab residing in Longwood. She
is a very sweet, calm girl, giving hope to all lab
owners that one day they will calm down.
Gail G. for Bella A.
Kathleen P. for Ollie and Rosie B.
Fall is just around the corner and while the weather gets colder, holidays come faster. We all start to realize that the year is ten
months gone, but here at LVC, things are still going strong. Ashi has a new baby brother and would love to tell you all about
him. We are also getting a new Pet Portal to make it easier for you to keep track of your pets’ needs.
Our fun-filled October newsletter is filled with tips for your pets during Halloween night, as well as interesting history on black
cat superstition and other nocturnal creatures. Check out our great offer on Feliway for your feline as it’s a great product to help
your cat during the constant door-ringing. Don’t worry – there’s a product for dogs, too!
Don’t forget to check out our Photo Contest! If you win, your pet will be pampered by our
kennel team for a day – they can’t wait!
Would you like a $25 gift card for Chili’s?
You would? Well just refer another pet owner to Longwood Veterinary Clinic and we will give
you a $25 gift card for Chili’s, and give the person you refer one too! Just give the vouchers at
the bottom of this page to people you know with pets and we’ll do the rest!
From all of us here at Longwood Vet Clinic, have a great month!
Dr. Rick Marrinson, Owner
Longwood Veterinary Clinic
Hahna P. for Cash M.
What?? You would like a reward too??
Our referral rewards program not only rewards you
but the pet owner you refer! Ask us for details.
Visit us online at: www.LongwoodVet.com
(407) 834-2526
“Care To Share” Program
“Care To Share” Program
As a friend of
As a friend of
“Care To Share” Program
As a friend of
Cathy Denison
Cathy Denison
Cathy Denison
This coupon entitles me to a $25.00 gift card for Chili’s Grill &
Bar after my first new patient appointment.
Appointment must be paid in full to qualify (407) 834-2526.
This coupon entitles me to a $25.00 gift card for Chili’s Grill &
Bar after my first new patient appointment.
Appointment must be paid in full to qualify (407) 834-2526.
This coupon entitles me to a $25.00 gift card for Chili’s Grill &
Bar after my first new patient appointment.
Appointment must be paid in full to qualify (407) 834-2526.
Longwood Veterinary Clinic • 1080 W State Road 434 • Longwood, FL 32750 • 407-834-2526
CATS AND STRESS
Unfamiliar environments, changes in routine,
traveling, and even a new addition to the family can
stress a cat. These stressful situations can lead to
behavioral problems that sometimes develop into
medical issues. To help reduce the level of stress,
cats naturally mark their environment.
These
markings are through visual, scent, and pheromonal
clues.
Cat’s have a natural need for free space,
privacy, and the ability to escape potentially stressful
situations. If these needs are imposed, your cat’s
behavior will usually become destructive towards
the home (environment). Some of these behaviors
include urinating inappropriately, scratching objects
seen as hazardous or new, over grooming, intercat aggression, and excessive shyness. If these
stressful situations continue long enough, your pet
can develop medical problems related to the stress.
These conditions include cystitis, alopecia, anorexia,
and obesity.
Ashi’s Antics
Are you enjoying the cooler days of
Fall? It’s starting to look nice outside.
Since I’ve been running almost as much
as I did in my old racing days, I can’t
say I’ve had a chance to cool off much
yet. Why have I been running around so
much you ask? That would be thanks
to my new baby brother, James Bond. It
is a tough job to keep a little kitten safe and well-behaved. This little
guy had a leg injury and was brought in to LVC. My mom debated but
she said she just couldn’t resist his little kitten’s cry. I’ve been babysitting him while mom is working, but let me tell you, it is no easy
task to keep this guy out of trouble! He shows no signs of leg injuries
anymore! I’ve been thinking that he actually had some turbo device
implanted in them instead. I see that James is finally sleeping now
so I’ll take this opportunity to stop here and grab a quick nap myself.
Enjoy all your fall festivities and make sure you read the article about
Halloween safety. Until next time… Ashi
What’s Happening In October
2nd - World Farm Animals Day
4th - World Animal Day
10th - Adriana’s Birthday
15th - Kristy’s Birthday
The best solution to these behavioral problems is
to reduce stress and make the pet familiar to their
environment. Cats naturally do this when they rub
their face onto objects. A pheromone scent is left
onto the object or area. The cat will smell this facial
pheromone next time they are around this object and
relate it to something familiar and safe.
There is a product that can help solve these stressrelated behavioral problems. This product is called
Feliway® Pheromone. Feliway® is the first synthetic
analog of the feline facial pheromone which
replicates the familiar properties normally produced
by a cat rubbing its own face on objects. It comes in
a spray and a diffuser form. By simply spraying the
pheromone onto a towel and placing it in the cat’s
carrier 20-30 minutes before traveling, it will make
the carrier have a scent of familiarity and will reduce
the stress that comes along with the site of carrier.
This pheromone is also useful for acclimating cats
to new environments like a new home or even
being hospitalized. In this situation the diffuser
might be more appropriate to use because its range
of coverage is around 750 sq.ft. These tools can
provide an effective, simple way to control and
manage unwanted feline behavior, keep cats relaxed
and their human family happy.
Look out for our special Feliway® offer on the back
of this newsletter.
Hello everyone,
16th - National Feral Cat Day
20th - Lauren’s Birthday
27th - Melissa’s Birthday
28th - Stephanie’s Birthday
Did you ever wonder why one of the favorite
symbols of Halloween is a black cat?
TEAM MEMBER
OF THE MONTH
Did You Know?
Did you know? … Owls are unable to move
their eyes within their sockets to a great extent,
which means they must turn their entire head to
see in a different direction. Because owls have
forward-facing eyes, they have well-developed
binocular vision.
Did you know? … Vampire bats have chemicals
in their saliva that prevent blood clotting, so they
can feed longer.
Holly Briggs
Did you know? … a spider loses a leg, it will
often grow another one.
Did you know? …Although there are about
45,000 snake bites each year in the United
States, only 7,000 involve venomous snakes. Of
those, only 10 people on average die as a result.
That’s just one-fourth the number of deaths from
bee stings.
Holly came from Illinois and joined LVC a
few months ago. She proudly completed her
technician certification in August and has been a
wonderful addition to our team. Holly lives with her
boyfriend and 3 Shi Tzus. She is looking forward
to experiencing the winter season in Florida.
Tip of the Month
Did you know? … The largest
pumpkin ever measured was grown
by Norm Craven, who broke the world
record in 1993 with an 836 lb. pumpkin.
IMPORTANT NEWS
We are soon getting a new Pet Portal for our website by
switching the host site to PetWise! The new portal gives
you an easy-to-use set up for appointment reminders,
prescription refills, and more! With this also comes an
easier way to check up on your pet’s medical history
while away from your computer through the new iPhone
app. For more information, or just to check out how the
new system looks, go to http://demo.petwise.me and
click on the word “login” on the left hand side of the
screen. Then log in as [email protected] with
“demo” as the password. Be sure that we have your
personal e-mail so we can send your log-in information!
SCAREDY CATS AND FRIGHTENED FIDOS
Halloween is a fun holiday, as long as your family stays safe. This
includes your furry friends. To keep your pets comfortable and safe,
instead of scared, keep these tips in mind.
1. Unless your pet really loves wearing a costume, skip it this year. Putting on a costume
can cause undue stress. If you are dressing your pet up, make sure the costume is safe.
There should be no parts that restrict his ability to breathe, see, meow, or bark. Also
watch closely for allergies to the costume material.
2. Costumes for pets, children, and adults often have small decorations on them. Make
sure that nothing is on your or your pet’s costume that could cause your animal to
choke.
3. During trick-or-treating activities, keep your pet in a separate room away from the
front door. All those costumed goblins and ballerinas can cause your pet stress. This
also will keep your cat or dog from escaping out the front door. Also, take care with
the jack-o-lantern; pets can knock them over and start a fire or burn themselves.
4. The most important concern is making sure this holiday is a treat and not a trick
for our dogs and cats. Unfortunately animals can be the targets of malicious pranks
on Halloween.
5. Remember that the candy is for humans only. Chocolate especially is very dangerous
for dogs and cats. The artificial sweetener xylitol is also harmful. If your pet does
ingest something toxic, call us or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888)
426-4435.
In ancient times, cats have been a symbol of magic and power. Witches
had cats as pets, but these cats came in all colors, not just black. During
the “witch trials” many innocent cats were killed along with the so-called
witches, because their accusers thought that they were the witches’
family. Even after the trials, people distrusted cats because of the stealthy
way they move, those yellow eyes and their calm demeanor during scary
times. Since most cats look dark colored at night, the black cat became
linked with witches and the night, thus becoming a part of Halloween.
There were many sayings about cats:
•
•
•
•
A ship with a cat on board is never wrecked, for the cat acts as
a counter-charm.
Honest as a cat when the cream is out of reach.
A cat that sits with its back to the fire is raising a storm.
If a cat rubs against you, expect good luck. If it yawns,
opportunity awaits.
Superstitions apart, we know how wonderful they are and it is impossible
to imagine our lives without having a kitty curled up on our laps.
THE PET PARENT SPOT
Cathy Contact us today!
Longwood Veterinary Clinic • 1080 W. State Road 434 • Longwood, FL 32750 • 407-834-2526 • www.LongwoodVet.com