Pet of the Month - VCA Animal Hospitals

Tanglewood
Tails
Happy
VOLUME 2,
ISSUE 4
Easter Every
Bunny...
From
the whole hoppin’
gang!!!
Meet The Contestants of VCA Tanglewood’s The Biggest
Loser Contest!!!
Gigi of Team VCA
Buddy Cochran
Start Weight: 17.6#
Start Weight: 59.3
Elvis Maurico
Start Weight: 12.2
Payton Robinson
Start Weight: 93.1
Iggy Simpkin
Start Weight: 18.8
Ask The Dr.
Answer by Ashlie Abbott, DVM
“I have been told my pet is chubby,
but I am not sure what he/she should
weigh. How can you tell if your pet is
overweight? What are the risks of
obesity?’
Did you tell yourself that you were
going to drink fewer sodas this year
or eat less pizza? Did you resolve to
make it to the gym on a regular basis?
Did you make a similar resolution for
your furry friend too? Have you let
these New Year’s Resolutions slip
away? Some may think that a chubby
pet is cute, and let’s be honest,
they’re probably right. But all that
added weight can be an unhealthy
burden. The most common problem
seen with overweight pets is joint
pain. That added weight puts
increased stress on the joints leading
to and exacerbating joint disease.
Weight loss can really help pets that
are suffering from osteoarthritis. Fat
is a vascular organ and the heart must
supply it with blood. The more fat a
pet is carrying, the harder the heart
has to work. This increases the risk
that it will wear out and fail earlier in
life. Overweight pets also have a
harder time breathing, which is
especially significant for pets with
heart disease or tracheal problems.
Obese pets are also more prone to
diabetes, certain cancers and even
skin conditions. The truth is, if you
think your pet is overweight, you’re
probably right. Recent statistics
estimate that more than 50% of the
US pet population is overweight or
obese. The best way to know for sure
is to bring your pet in for a physical
exam and discuss your concerns with
your veterinarian. So, it’s time to go
out there and get Fido to chase that
ball around; tease Fluffy with that
mouse toy she loves so much. Don’t
reward with treats every time. Pets
love affection just as much. Cut back
on the amount of food you are
feeding. Ask your vet about
prescription weight loss food. It is
easier to maintain a healthy weight
than to try to lose those extra pounds,
so start early and remember,
prevention is key!
Are you my
mommy?
Ever Heard the Saying, Multiplying Like...Kitties?
Well, maybe it’s not the saying,
but it certainly could be. While
it is impossible to determine the
exact number of cats and dogs
born in the US each year, the
ASPCA estimates that
6,600,000 cats and 6,040,000
dogs are born in homes
annually. However, this does
not account for feral cat births.
Approximately 5-7 million
companion animals end up in
animal shelters nationwide
each year. More than half of
these are euthanized due to
lack of space or resources.
Only 2% of cats and 15-20%
of dogs are ever returned to
their owners. While Austin has
achieved a nearly 100% no kill
status, we need the help of
responsible pet owners to
maintain this. The most
important thing you can do is
to spay or neuter your pet.
This simple procedure is less
expensive than caring for a
single litter of puppies or kittens
for a year. It reduces the risk
that your pet will escape or
wander and thus get lost,
injured, or end up in a shelter.
It eliminates the risk of
unwanted pregnancies thereby
reducing the number of pets
added to the homeless pet
population. Finally, spayed
and neutered pets are
generally healthier and live
longer lives. The second most
important thing you can do is
to microchip your pet. Most
lost pets that are reunited with
their families are identified
through tags or chips. While
tags can fall off, get worn, or
be mixed up, microchips are a
permanent form of
identification that is always
with your pet. These simple
steps can help keep our
shelters a kill free zone.
Austin Loves
Their Pets:
Check Out
These Great
Upcoming Pet
Friendly
Events
Around
Austin.
April
May
Summer
Austin Kennel Club Dog
Show will be held at the
Travis County Expo
Center April 13-14.
City Solve Urban Race,
a pet friendly event, will
start at Lavaca Street
Bar on May 4.
Sweat for Pets will begin
on June 2 at Pure Bikram
Yoga. Donations will
benefit Austin Pets Alive.
Animal Trustees hosts
“Petcasso-Animal Art
from the Heart” at the
AT&T Conference
Center on Sunday April
14.
The Austin Mini Maker
Faire will be open to
pets and takes place at
the Parmer Events
Center on May 5.
3rd Thursday Tiny Tails
Petting Zoo takes place
at the Downtown Book
People every 3rd
Thursday morning at
10am.
The Annual Buda
Weenie Dog Races will
take place at Buda City
Park April 27-28.
The Petco 5K9 Walk Run
will take place at the
Walter E. Long
Metropolitan Park on
May 11.
The Annual Austin Pet
Expo will be held at the
Parmer Events Center on
Aug. 3.
The Tail of Smoke Wolter; Pet of the Month
Smoke Wolter went missing from his
home at 11:30 on Wed night. He
had been out of sight for only about
20 minutes when he disappeared
from his yard. A neighborhood
search party was formed and they
looked for him until after midnight.
Though he was not found, his family
still had faith that he would return
home soon. They left his bed on the
front porch and waited. The next
morning his bed was still empty.
They resumed searching, put up
signs, and used social media outlets
to get the word out. Support from
family, friends, and even strangers
flowed in. However, a week passed
and still, no sign of Smoke. Faith
began to wain, but Smoke’s family
continued to pray for his safe return.
They even enlisted the help of a
local pet finder who believed that
Smoke was injured but alive at the
Ladybird Wildflower Center. The
area was searched with no luck.
Then, the phone call came. An
employee at the park had found
Smoke holed up in a cave. He was
frightened, in shock and unable to
walk. Four firefighters and two
workers at the center managed to
get him onto a stretcher and pull him
from the cave. He was promptly
brought into the clinic. It appeared
he had been hit by a car and left.
He had managed to crawl to safety
in the cave. His right rear leg was
ripped to the bone. There were
sores on his tongue where he had
clamped down on it. He was
dehydrated and shocky. However,
after only one night of
hospitalization, Smoke was eating
and walking on his own. He was
soon discharged. Though he will
have to undergo surgery to repair
his leg and continued treatments and
rehabilitation, his recovery has been
astounding. Certainly, no one can
deny his strength and will to survive,
but credit must also be given to the
positive energy of all those who
loved him and refused to give up
hope that he would return home.
His is a heartwarming story of the
bond between pet and family.
Smoke reunited with his sister,
Gypsy, after a long and lonely
week.
Spring Has Sprung...
It’s Rattlesnake season
again...ask us how you can
protect your pet!!!
Time for some Spring
cleaning? Schedule
your pets’ Spa Day
package today!!!
It’s that time of year
again...the time when
shelters are overrun
with newborn kittens in
need of homes. You
can help. Volunteer to
bottle feed, foster, or
even bring home a
brand new furry bundle
of joy.
In the event of an after hours emergency please call the
Emergency Animal Hospital at (512)892-8905.