What Does It Mean to Be a Responsible Pet Owner?

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What Does It Mean to Be a Responsible Pet Owner?

Pets are easy to love, but they need more than just love to survive, thrive, and live long and happy lives; they need proper care from a responsible pet owner.
But what exactly does responsible pet ownership entail?

How to Be a Responsible Pet Owner

Every aspect of responsible pet ownership starts with educating yourself about your pet’s needs and being prepared to meet those needs throughout your pet’s life.
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Establish Care With a Veterinary Clinic

When you get a new pet, one of the first things you should do is schedule an appointment with a veterinarian. Your new pet will get a wellness check and preventative care treatments like vaccinations.
Additionally, the veterinarian will talk with you about the benefits of spaying or neutering your new pet to prevent future medical and behavioral problems in addition to unwanted litters.

Meet All of Your Pet's Needs

In addition to veterinary care, pets need food, shelter, and plenty of water. They also need lots of exercise, socialization, and enrichment activities (toys, games, walks, training, and interaction) to keep their minds active, their bodies healthy, and their behaviors in check.

Set Aside Enough Time for Your Pet

Meeting your pet’s needs means making time to take them out for daily walks, exercise, and play in addition to planning their routine veterinary visits.

Budget for Your Pet

Meeting a pet’s needs can become quite expensive when you factor in wellness and preventative veterinary care, food, toys, supplies, grooming, training, medications, nutritional supplements if necessary, and sometimes even emergency care.
Add a line to your household budget for monthly pet expenses and start saving for unexpected expenses like a visit to the emergency vet – or consider purchasing pet insurance to help offset unexpected costs.

Get Permanent Identification for Your Pet

In addition to current, readable ID tags on your pet’s collar, we recommend getting your pet microchipped. A microchip is a permanent form of identification that greatly increases the chances of reunification should your pet become lost.

What Does It Mean to Be a Responsible Pet Owner?

What Does It Mean to Be a Responsible Pet Owner?

It’s easy to fall in love with a set of paws and a furry face at a local animal shelter or adoption event. Pets, however, need more than just our affection. Before you decide to bring a new pet home, be sure to consider the responsibilities of pet ownership and ask yourself whether or not you’re really ready to be a responsible pet owner.

5 Signs of Responsible Pet Ownership

1. You Have Enough Time

No matter what kind of pet you adopt, your new companion is going to require some of your time. You’re a responsible pet owner if you provide opportunities for daily exercise, active play, going for walks, taking baths, and more.

2. You Provide Your Pet With Life's Necessities

Responsible pet owners are fully prepared to give their pets everything they need to stay healthy and happy. This might include providing a special diet, toys for enrichment, harnesses and leashes, outdoor shelter, collars, microchips, pet beds, and more.

3. You're Prepared to Train and Socialize Your Pet

As a pet owner, it’s your responsibility to ensure your pet is safe around other people and other animals, and this requires training and socialization. It’s essential that if you’re not prepared to train your own pet that you seek professional help with teaching your pet the type of behavior that’s expected of them.

4. You Spay or Neuter Your Pets

Being a responsible pet owner also means preventing unwanted litter and overly crowded animal shelters. Whether you adopt a male or female dog or cat, you should have your pet neutered or spayed.
Spaying or neutering pets not only prevents pets from producing unwanted litters, but it also imparts a variety of benefits on your pet such as:
  • Preventing them from contracting contagious diseases
  • Reducing the risk of certain cancers of the reproductive system
  • Reducing undesirable behaviors (aggression, territory marking, wandering, and excessive vocalization)

5. You Can Provide Regular Veterinary Care and Save for an Emergency

Responsible pet owners have room in the budget to provide their pets with veterinary care. Before adopting a pet (or another pet), ask a veterinarian about the cost of regular wellness and preventative care. Additionally, you should have some money set aside in case of an emergency.

Establish Your Pet's Care With Our Mobile Veterinary Clinic in Tucson

We welcome you to establish your pet’s veterinary care with our convenient mobile veterinary clinic in Tucson. We’ll bring all the wellness, preventative, and sick pet care your new dog or cat needs right to your doorstep.
To learn more or schedule a new pet appointment, contact Desert Paws Mobile Veterinary Care today.

Cat Breeds for People with Allergies

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Cat Breeds for People with Allergies

Although no breed of cats is technically hypoallergenic, there is anecdotal evidence that suggests certain breeds might be less likely to trigger your allergies. It’s thought that these breeds produce fewer Fel D1 protein, which is a protein to which people are commonly allergic.
When choosing a cat with allergies in mind, remember that you aren’t allergic to the cat’s fur, but rather to proteins contained in a cat’s saliva, dander, and urine. So, it doesn’t matter whether you choose a cat with long hair, short hair, or no hair.

5 Best Cat Breeds for People With Allergies

We don’t recommend that people with severe allergies to cats bring one into their home. If you have mild allergies, however, you just might be able to live comfortably with a kitty of the following breeds.
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1. Balinese

This cat breed almost identically resembles Siamese cats except that they have long hair and bushy tails. Balinese cats are low shedders and are thought to produce less Fel D1.

2. Siberian

These cats are thought to produce some of the lowest levels of Fel D1 of all cat breeds. They have very thick, luscious-looking coats that usually don’t get too tangled or matted — especially with weekly brushing that’ll help remove dander and other debris, too.

3. Sphinx

This breed of cat is a hairless wonder. They don’t grow fur and have been one of the most popular choices for people with allergies, although they are not technically hypoallergenic. Sphynx cats do not require grooming but do need regular sponge baths to keep their skin healthy.

4. Russian Blue

This breed has a silvery-blue-colored double coat that traps dander inside, shielding you from allergens. Russian blues also produce less of the Fel D1 protein responsible for many cat allergies in people.

5. Selkirk Rex

This laid-back breed of cats is recognizable for its short snout. They have a wavy coat that limits your exposure to allergens. You’ll both benefit from regular brushing to remove dander and lose fur.
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Avoid Allergies at the Animal Hospital With Our Mobile Veterinarian

If you have allergies to dogs or cats, a visit to the veterinary clinic, where you’ll be around all sorts of dogs and cats, can be a very unpleasant experience. With Desert Paws Mobile Veterinary Care, you can get your new cat the care they need without visiting a veterinary clinic and suffering an allergy flare-up.
Our mobile veterinary clinic brings all the care your cat needs right to your doorstep. To learn more about our services or to schedule an appointment for your cat or dog, we welcome you to contact us today.

Everything You Need to Know About Parasite Prevention in Tucson

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Everything You Need to Know About Parasite Prevention in Tucson

In addition to vaccinations, proper nutrition, and exercise, an essential component of every pet’s wellness and preventative veterinary care is parasite prevention.

Why Is Parasite Prevention So Important for Pets?

There are several different types of parasites that can harm your pet’s health – and even put the health of your human family members at risk. So, it’s important to protect your pet’s from pests like fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, ear mites, and intestinal parasites like hookworms, whipworms, and roundworms.
Parasite prevention is especially vital to your pet’s ongoing health and wellness. Intestinal parasites can cause stomach upset and affect your pet’s ability to absorb nutrition. Pests like mosquitoes carry heartworms that can significantly damage your pet’s health and even be fatal. Other parasites like fleas and ticks carry a variety of dangerous, zoonotic diseases that can affect both your pet’s health and your own.

How to Protect Your Pets From Parasites

The best way to protect your pets from most parasites is with preventative medications. Our veterinarian can provide you with recommendations based on your pet’s exposure risk, species, and size. Preventative medications come in a variety of forms. For example, flea and tick preventatives can be found in oral tablets, topical ointments, and even on medicated collars. Heartworm preventatives are available in oral tablets and in the form of injections that protect your pet from the inside for months at a time.
In addition to protecting your pets with preventatives, it’s also important to keep their environment cleaned up and as undesirable to parasites as possible. Make sure your yard is free from debris, standing water, and feces from wild animals and other pets. This will limit the number of parasites in your pet’s immediate vicinity, reducing the risk of exposure.

Parasite Prevention and Screening With Our Mobile Veterinary Clinic in Tucson

Whether your pet’s heartworm prevention has lapsed or your pet needs a clean fecal test before entering a boarding facility, our mobile veterinary clinic in Tucson is here to help. We’re fully equipped to screen cats and dogs for signs of heartworms to ensure the safe administration of a heartworm preventative. Additionally, we can provide fecal testing for intestinal parasites and deworming treatments if necessary.
To learn more about protecting your pets from fleas, ticks, heartworms, ear mites, and intestinal parasites, we welcome you to schedule a wellness and preventative care appointment with our mobile veterinary clinic. Our veterinarians can help you determine the safest and most effective parasite preventatives for your pet based on your pet’s species, size, and the other pets and children living in your household.
To schedule an appointment for your dog or cat, contact Desert Paws Mobile Veterinary Care today.

Protect Your Pet During Heartworm Awareness Month in April

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Protect Your Pet During Heartworm Awareness Month in April

Although mosquitos are active all year long in Tucson, April marks the beginning of mosquito season in many U.S. climates, making it the perfect time to raise awareness about a dangerous pet parasite during Heartworm Awareness Month.

What Are Heartworms?

Heartworm is a kind of parasite that can affect a range of mammals, including dogs and cats. Heartworm larvae are transferred to pets through the sting of an infected mosquito. Once heartworm larvae are introduced into a pet’s bloodstream, they travel throughout the pet’s body. Once the larvae reach the pet’s heart and lungs, they take up residence. Heartworms can grow to be up to a foot long, and pets can often be infected with more than a hundred at a time.
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What Is Heartworm Disease?

Heartworm disease refers to the symptoms caused in cats and dogs by heartworms. As the parasites accumulate in a pet’s heart and lungs, they often cause heart failure and severe lung disease, in addition to damaging other organs throughout the body.
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Heartworm Disease in Dogs vs. Cats

Dogs are natural hosts of heartworms, meaning the parasites can live out a complete lifecycle in their systems, maturing and reproducing in a dog’s body. As a result, heartworm disease is usually much more severe in dogs than it is in cats. For dogs, heartworm is usually fatal if left untreated.
While the effects of heartworms in dogs, felines can still get heartworm disease. Cats are an atypical host for heartworm. As a result, most larvae don’t reach full maturity in a cat’s body. Although not as severe, heartworm disease in cats can cause respiratory problems like coughing and trouble breathing.

Treatment and Prevention

No heartworm treatment exists for cats, and the treatment for dogs is lengthy and often unsuccessful. As a result, heartworm prevention with tablets or injections is always recommended.

Protect Your Pet From Heartworm – Schedule an Appointment With Our Tucson Vet

April is Heartworm Awareness Month, but it’s always mosquito season in Tucson which means pets are always at risk of getting heartworms. That’s why our veterinarians at Desert Paws Mobile Veterinary Care recommend keeping pets on a year-round heartworm preventative.
If you have yet to protect your pets from heartworm disease, we recommend scheduling an appointment right away. Desert Paws Mobile Veterinary Care in Tucson will bring heartworm protection to your doorstep. We’ll first perform a quick blood test to screen your pet for signs of heartworm. Once the lab test results come back clear, we’ll help you determine the best heartworm preventative for your pet.
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Safety Tips for Pet Poison Prevention Awareness Month

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Safety Tips for Pet Poison Prevention Awareness Month

March is National Pet Poison Prevention Awareness Month, and the entire month is dedicated to educating pet parents about all the things that can be poisonous for pets with the hope of preventing accidental ingestions and emergency situations from happening.

Household Items That Are Toxic to Pets

1. Foods

Many of the foods people love are toxic and dangerous for dogs and cats. Some of the most common include:
  • Garlic and onions (and other foods from this family)
  • Chocolate
  • Xylitol (sugar-free sweetener)
  • Alcohol
  • Caffeine
  • Avocados
  • Raisins and grapes
  • Certain nuts
  • High-fat foods
As a best-practice, never offer your pet table scraps or human food. It’s safest to feed your pet only food and treats that are actually formulated for dogs or cats.

2. Medications and Supplements

Several prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, and nutritional supplements are toxic to pets. This includes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, cold medications, and more. The accidental ingestion of just one pill could put your pet’s health and life at risk. Always keep all of your medications stored safely in a place that is well out of the reach of your pet.

3. Cleaning Agents

Household cleaners, detergents, pesticides, and other chemicals that we use around the house and in the garage are dangerous for pets. Store them in a high place and ensure their lids are always securely fastened.
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4. Plants

There are too many plants that are toxic to pets to list them all here. The most common include lilies, daffodils, tulips, ivy, mistletoe, poinsettia, lantana and philodendrons. Keep toxic plants well away from pets or avoid growing them altogether. If you have cats or cats living in your neighborhood, don’t plant lilies; all parts of plants belonging to the lily family are extremely toxic to felines.

5. Toiletries and Bathroom Items

Shampoo, conditioner, potpourri, bath salts, bubble bath, dental floss, toothpaste, and other bathroom-based products are toxic to pets. Don’t let your pet drink your bath water or get into any of your products.

6. Essential Oils

While some essential oils are safe to diffuse and use around your pets in small quantities, others are toxic to cats and dogs. Some toxic oils include:
  • Tea tree (melaleuca)
  • Wintergreen
  • Peppermint
  • Ylang ylang
  • Cinnamon
  • Citrus
This is just a small list of essential oils that are toxic to pets, and pretty much any essential oil in a large enough quantity can be harmful.

What to Do If Your Pet Ingests a Toxic Substance

Our veterinarians at Desert Paws Mobile Veterinary Care are committed to raising awareness about pet poisoning and are here to help you learn what you can do to protect your pet. If your pet accidentally ingests a toxic substance, seek emergency veterinary care immediately and contact Animal Poison Control.

Everything You Should Know for Spay/Neuter Awareness Month

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Everything You Should Know for Spay/Neuter Awareness Month

February is Spay/Neuter Awareness Month, and our veterinarians at Desert Paws Mobile Veterinary Care like to take this opportunity to educate pet owners and the community about the importance of spaying and neutering pets.

What Is Spay/Neuter Surgery?

Spay surgery and neuter surgery are two surgical procedures intended to sterilize cats and dogs. Spay surgery removes a female pet’s uterus and ovaries, and neuter surgery removes a male pet’s testicles.

4 Benefits of Spaying or Neutering Your Pets

1. Cancer Prevention

Removing a pet’s reproductive organs prevents testicular, ovarian, and uterine cancers. It also reduces the risks of cancers associated with reproductions, such as breast cancer.

2. Lower Disease Risk

Sterilized pets come into contact with fewer animals throughout their lives. As a result, they’re exposed to fewer contagious diseases.

3. Improved Behavior

Sterilizing animals reduces and eliminates a variety of undesirable and unsafe behaviors including:
  • Aggression
  • Territory marking or spraying
  • Wandering
  • Howling and yowling
These behaviors are unpleasant and can even be dangerous for your pet and people, and they can all arise as a result of an intact pet’s instinct to reproduce.

4. Fewer Unwanted Litters

According to the ASPCA, about 6.5 million cats and dogs enter animal shelters each year in the United States alone. Every year, about 1.5 million companion animals living in shelters are euthanized.
Spaying or neutering your pets prevents them from producing unwanted litters of puppies and kittens. This reduces the number of homeless pets that roam around and spread disease, wind up crowding animal shelters, strain community resources, and often end up being euthanized.
Additionally, preventing unwanted litters saves lives by increasing the number of shelter pets that are adopted every year.

Is Spay/Neuter Surgery Safe?

Among veterinary professionals, it’s well-known that the health benefits of spay or neuter surgery far outweigh any potential risks. Although every surgical procedure involves some degree of risk, spay and neuter surgeries are very safe. They’re performed all the time and considered to be routine surgeries.
Prior to all surgeries, our veterinarians thoroughly examine our patients to make sure they’re healthy enough to undergo the procedure at hand.
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On-Site Spay/Neuter Surgery in Tucson

If your puppy, kitten, or adult pet still needs to be spayed or neutered, we encourage you to schedule an appointment right away. With our mobile veterinary clinic, our skilled and experienced veterinarians are fully equipped to provide spay and neuter surgeries on-site at our surgical suite. To learn more or to schedule an appointment for your cat or dog, we welcome you to contact Desert Paws Mobile Veterinary Care today.

3 Easy Ways to Keep Your Pet’s Teeth Healthy

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3 Easy Ways to Keep Your Pet's Teeth Healthy

Take a moment to imagine what it would be like if you never-ever brushed your teeth. Yuck, right? Well, that’s the reality for most pets every day of their lives. Unfortunately, cats and dogs usually don’t get the dental care they desperately need because their families simply don’t realize that their teeth and gums need regular care just like ours do.

During National Pet Dental Month in February, our experts at Desert Paws Mobile Veterinary Care are taking the time to educate our clients about the importance of caring for their pets’ teeth.

Why Is Dental Care So Important for Dogs and Cats?

The primary reason pets require regular dental care is to prevent periodontal disease, which is a bacterial infection of the gums. Left untreated, periodontal disease causes all sorts of health problems including:
  • Red, bleeding, and swollen gums
  • Oral pain and discomfort
  • Terrible breath
  • Discolored teeth
  • Loose teeth and tooth loss
  • Degeneration of the jaw bone
  • Systemic disease
  • Early death
By age 3, most cats and dogs will have already developed some form of periodontal disease that should be addressed right away.

3 Easy Ways to Care for Your Pet's Teeth

1. Brushing

Brushing your pet’s teeth is one of the most important things you can do between dental cleanings to prevent periodontal disease. Be sure to use a toothbrush that’s designed for a cat or dog or a special finger brush and never use human toothpaste that’s designed to spit out. Instead, pick up a special formula designed for cats and dogs at the pet store that’s safe to ingest and flavored to please their taste buds.

2. Dental Diet, Treats, and Chew Toys

You can also encourage healthy teeth and gums by giving your pet kibble, treats, and chew toys designed to help remove plaque and tartar from their pearly whites. When shopping for these, be sure to select products that are designed for your pet’s species and size.

3. Professional Dental Cleanings

During your pet’s annual examination, we will perform a thorough head to toe exam, including a dental exam. If your veterinarian is worried about the possibility of periodontal disease, they will recommend a professional dental cleaning performed at our surgical center. During this procedure, we will scale and polish your pet’s teeth to remove any plaque and tartar.
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Pet Dentistry with Our Mobile Veterinary Clinic in Tucson

At Desert Paws Mobile Veterinary Clinic, we bring your pet’s dental care to your doorstep. If your pet has never had a dental cleaning or if it has been a year since their last one, we welcome you to join us in celebrating National Pet Dental Health Month by scheduling a pet dentistry appointment for your cat or dog today.

Heartworm & Other Native Pests

Heartworm & Other Native Pests

There’s a common misconception that heartworm is not a problem in the Southwest. Heartworm is transferred to dogs through mosquito bites. With our warm weather, mosquitos pose a threat to our pets during every season. Mosquitos carrying heartworm, however, aren’t the only dangerous regional pests. Learn how you can protect your pets from heartworm and other dangers found in Tucson.

Parasites, Pests, and Other Desert Pet Dangers

Heartworm

To protect pets from heartworm, we recommend regular heartworm screening and year-round treatment with a heartworm preventative.

Colorado River Toads

Monsoon season not only increases mosquito populations, but the heavy rain also brings out Colorado River Toads. Also called Sonoran Desert Toads, these animals might appear non-threatening, but they are actually dangerous, as they excrete a powerful neurotoxin.
Symptoms of poisoning include drooling, head shaking, pawing at the face, reddened mucous membranes, trouble breathing, vomiting, diarrhea, vocalization, dilated pupils, seizures, collapse, and death. If you suspect your dog has had contact with a Colorado River Toad, seek treatment immediately.

Rattlesnakes

Rattlesnakes are common in our area, and it’s not unusual for dogs who like to explore outside to encounter them. We recommend rattlesnake avoidance training for Tucson pups, but it’s also good to know what to look for and what to do in the event of a rattlesnake bite.
Symptoms are similar to those of toxic toad poisoning, but you will also see swelling, bruising, and puncture marks. Seek emergency care. Be careful when moving your pet. They will be in extreme pain and could bite when touched.

Valley Fever

An infection caused by a soil-dwelling fungus, valley fever can infect a large group of species, including humans and cats, but it’s common in dogs because they tend to sniff and dig in the dirt. Symptoms include coughing, lethargy, and limping.

Schedule an Appointment for Your Pet Today

When your pet needs care, Desert Paws Mobile Veterinary Clinic will come to you. We’ll make sure your pet has the proper protection against heartworm and other parasites and provide you with additional advice on keeping pets safe in our desert environment.