How to Ring in the New Year With Your Pet

How to Ring in the New Year With Your Pet

With loud noise makers, startling fireworks, and toxic treats and drinks all over the place, New Year’s celebrations are not exactly pet friendly. However, if you want to include your pet in the festivities, consider the following ideas for safely celebrating the new year with your furry friends.
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5 Fun and Safe Ways to Celebrate the New Year With Your Pet

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1. Make Pet-Friendly New Year's Resolutions

Start celebrating the new year by making a resolution that involves your pet. This might mean resolving to go for more walks, teach your dog some new tricks, signing up for a training class, or setting aside more time to relax together on the sofa.

2. Have a Pet Party

Host a New Year’s party for your dog with some of his best friends (or your closest friends’ dogs). Have puppy treats available, plenty of toys, and a secure space where the dogs can run and play together.

3. Drop a Different Kind of Ball

On New Year’s Eve, everyone waits for the ball to drop in New York City. You can “drop” your own kind of ball by taking your dog out early in the day (before the fireworks start) for an invigorating game of fetch.

4. Prepare Pet-Friendly Treats

You can celebrate the New Year with your own goodies and also have some special pet-friendly treats prepared for your dog or cat too. Any cat will appreciate a good can of tuna or other fresh meat. For dogs, consider trying a dog treat recipe, filling a Kong with peanut butter, or making your own ‘pup’sicles.

5. Keep Your Pets Safe During Celebrations

If you’re attending or hosting a New Year’s party, then it’s best to take steps to keep your pet safe, calm, and comfortable during the festivities. Create a tranquil retreat for your pet in a safely closed-off room where they have everything they need, their favorite toys and bed, and the radio, television, or a white noise machine playing to help drown out any scary sounds.
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Start the New Year on the Right Paw With a Wellness and Preventative Care Appointment

Desert Paws Mobile Veterinary Care makes it easier than ever to start the new year on the right paw with our comprehensive mobile veterinary services for pets. We’ll bring all the wellness and preventative care your pet needs for a healthy and happy 2023 right to your doorstep. To learn more or schedule an appointment, contact our mobile veterinary clinic in Tucson today.

5 Holiday Foods That Are Dangerous for Pets

5 Holiday Foods That Are Dangerous for Pets

Most families’ holiday traditions and celebrations include a variety of special foods and treats that are only prepared and enjoyed during this time of the year. While you might want to include your pets in every aspect of your holiday celebrations, it’s best not to feed them foods prepared for human consumption because many foods that are safe for people are actually dangerous for pets. The following are some of the five most common foods that poison pets during the holidays.
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5 Holiday Foods That Are Dangerous for Pets

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1. Anything With Raisins or Grapes

Grapes and raisins (dried grapes) are toxic to both dogs and cats, and just a small amount can make them very sick and put their lives at risk. Keep these ingredients and any items that contain them (turkey stuffing, fruit cake, muffins, or other desserts) out of your pet’s reach.

2. Chocolate and Coffee

Chocolate and coffee contain similar chemical compounds (theobromine and caffeine) that are toxic to both dogs and cats. Ingesting just a small amount of either can make pets ill and even lead to death.

3. Foods With Any Type of Alliums

Allium is a genus of plants that are poisonous to dogs and cats. The genus contains plants that we commonly eat and use in our cooking including onions, garlic, shallots, and chives.

4. Alcohol

Alcohol is also toxic to both dogs and cats. While most pet owners wouldn’t intentionally give their pets alcohol to consume, curious pets can sometimes sneak sips from uncovered and unattended drinks around the household. Make sure your guests know to keep an eye on their drinks or, better yet, throw a private party for your pets in a confined room away from the rest of the festivities.

5. Xylitol

Xylitol is an artificial sweetener that is commonly used in sugar-free gum, desserts, candy, and other foods. Xylitol is highly toxic to dogs.

Emergency Veterinary Care in Tucson

With all of the hubbub of the holiday season and festivities, pets can sometimes get into foods that they shouldn’t. If you suspect your pet has ingested a toxic substance or food, you should seek emergency veterinary care immediately. Keep the number for Animal Poison Control on hand at all times, and contact Desert Paws Mobile Veterinary Care so that we can bring our emergency, life-saving services right to your door.

Caring for Your Senior Pet During Adopt a Senior Pet Month

Caring for Your Senior Pet During Adopt a Senior Pet Month

November is National Adopt a Senior Pet Month, and we’re celebrating by helping all of our senior pet owners take better care of their elderly pets. With the right care and lifestyle modifications, senior pets can enjoy good health and lots of energy well into their golden years.
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5 Tips on How to Care for Senior Pets

1. More Frequent Checkups

We recommend biannual wellness appointments and routine health screening with laboratory tests for most senior pets. This helps ensure we detect any health changes or age-related diseases as soon as they develop. With early diagnosis, we can often start treating and managing your pet’s illness before they experience any outwardly noticeable symptoms.
If your pet is diagnosed with a chronic disease, more frequent appointments might be necessary for managing symptoms and ensuring their medications are at an effective dose.

2. Dietary Adjustments

Senior pets benefit from eating a diet specially formulated for seniors. If they also have chronic health issues, we might recommend a prescription diet that features a recipe designed to help address those medical concerns.

3. Exercise Modifications

Senior pets benefit greatly from staying active, but they might not be able to exercise at the same level or intensity as they once did. Swimming is a great low-impact activity for senior pets. You might also consider going out for shorter but more frequent walks each day rather than one, long walk.

4. Environmental Changes

Modifying your pet’s environment can help them ease into old age with greater comfort and less age-related pain. Provide elevated bowls, a soft bed, and pet stairs onto the sofa, bed, or into the car.

5. Minimize Stress With Mobile Veterinary Care

A great option for senior pets that have a difficult time getting around or that need frequent care due to a chronic illness is mobile veterinary care. With a mobile veterinarian, your pet can receive all the geriatric care, diagnostic testing, and even end-of-life care that they need in the comfort of their own home.
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Schedule a Senior Pet Appointment With Our Mobile Vet in Tucson

Desert Paws Mobile Veterinary Care brings our veterinary clinic and the personalized care your pet needs right to your doorstep. To learn more about caring for your senior pet or to schedule an appointment, we welcome you to contact Desert Paws Mobile Veterinary Care today.

Why Choose a Mobile Veterinary Clinic? (Top 10 Benefits)

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Why Choose a Mobile Veterinary Clinic? (Top 10 Benefits)

It used to be common practice for doctors to make house-call appointments, visiting their patients at home. Unfortunately, modern medicine has gotten away from this tradition, preferring to have patients come to a central clinic. In veterinary medicine, however, you still have the option of choosing a mobile veterinary practice that brings your pet’s care right to your doorstep.

10 Reasons to Choose a Mobile Veterinary Practice

1. Less Stress for Pets

Most experience anxiety and fear when visiting a veterinary clinic. Having the clinic come to you means that pets avoid this unnecessary stress.

2. More Accurate Veterinary Examinations

Since pets are calmer in the comfort of their own homes, veterinarians are able to get more accurate examination results. For example, your pet’s heart rate won’t be elevated because he or she is nervous in an unfamiliar place.

3. Less Stress for You

House-call veterinary appointments are also less stressful for pet owners. You don’t have to worry about getting your pet into a carrier or handling them around other pets in the waiting room.

4. No Transportation Worries or Traffic Headaches

Additionally, mobile veterinary care means you don’t have to worry about how you’ll be getting your pet to the veterinary clinic if you do not drive or do not own a car. You also won’t ever have to worry about heavy traffic making you late.

5. Less Exposure to Contagious Disease

Having us come to you exposes your pet to fewer animals, reducing the risk of disease transmission.

6. Simpler for Multi-Pet Households

We can examine all of your pets in a single appointment if you have more than one.

7. Better Pet Hospice and End-of-Life Care

End-of-life care is better for pets when they can remain in their homes.

8. Dedicated Time and Attention

House-call appointments eliminate the distraction of other patients’ needs.

9. No Waiting Times

You won’t have to wait for your pet’s appointment to begin.

10. In-Office Options for More Serious Treatments

Many mobile veterinary clinics also offer on-site care for patients in need.
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Enjoy These Benefits and More With Desert Paws Mobile Veterinary Care in Tucson

Desert Paws Mobile Veterinary Care brings the care your pet needs right to your doorstep with our mobile clinic. Plus, we have an on-site surgical and hospital treatment center for pets requiring more intensive care or extensive surgical treatments. To learn more about the benefits of choosing a mobile veterinary clinic or to schedule an appointment for your dog or cat, we welcome you to contact us today.

We’re Celebrating Pet Sitter Education Month

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We're Celebrating Pet Sitter Education Month

Professional pet sitters are more than just a person who checks in on your pet while you’re away, they are professionals with loads of training, education, experience, and certifications. During Pet Sitter Education Awareness Month, Desert Paws Mobile Veterinary Clinic is working hard to ensure pet owners understand the difference between professional pet sitters and any other person you might ask to keep an eye on your pet while you’re away.

What Is Pet Sitter Education Month?

Created by the educational association for professional pet-sitters, Pet Sitters International (PSI), Pet Sitter Education Month is intended to highlight the continuous effort made by pet sitters to learn about proper pet care while also providing pet sitters with a variety of educational materials and events such as magazines, toolkits, webinars, and certification opportunities.
Pet Sitter Education month is designed to help separate professional pet sitters from the average kid next door whom you might ask to watch your pet.
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Why Choose a Professional Pet Sitter?

The primary reason to choose a professional pet sitter to watch your pet is your pet’s safety and happiness. Professional pet sitters have the experience and education that’s necessary to keep your pet safe, administer medications, observe signs of illness or injury, and provide your pet with comfort and companionship while you’re away.
Additionally, hiring a professional pet sitter also means that your pet can remain in the comfort of their familiar environment while you’re away when the alternative option might be checking your pet into a boarding facility. Professional pet sitters come to your home, instead of requiring that your pet comes to them.

Mobile Veterinary Care and Tucson Pet Sitter References

At Desert Paws Mobile Veterinary Care, we understand how important it is for some pets to be able to spend the majority of their time in the comfort of their own homes. Whether this is due to illness, injury, or anxiety, our mobile veterinary clinic is designed to bring the veterinary care your pet needs right to your doorstep. Additionally, these pets can benefit greatly from pet sitting when you’re away from home. Hiring a pet sitter allows your pet to stay home – and not go to a boarding facility – when you’re traveling or away for other reasons.
To learn more about our mobile veterinary practice or to learn more about professional pet sitters, we welcome you to contact our office today.
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 Is Telemedicine Right for Your Pet?

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Is Telemedicine Right for Your Pet?

Although the concept has been around and available to human and animal patients for a long time, the concept of telemedicine really took hold during the pandemic, when it wasn’t always possible or safe to physically visit the doctor’s office or veterinary clinic. While the dangers of the pandemic have subsided, the convenience of telemedicine is leading many patients to choose this remote care option for their pets.

What Is Telemedicine for Pets?

Telemedicine refers to the use of electronic communication (rather than in-person appointments) for conducting veterinary appointments for observing, diagnosing, or treating patients or providing medical advice to pet owners. Telemedicine can refer to appointments that occur with a video call, a regular phone call, through text messaging or electronic messaging software, or through email.
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Is Telemedicine Right for Your Pet?

Telemedicine for pets can be a highly useful tool for both veterinarians and pet owners. For your pet’s safety, Desert Paws Mobile Veterinary Care only accepts patients for telemedicine appointments if the patient has already established a relationship with our veterinary practice – except in emergency medical situations when immediate advice and guidance are needed to stabilize a pet until our emergency veterinary clinic arrives.

When to Use Telemedicine for Pets

Telemedicine is a wonderfully convenient tool for a variety of veterinary situations including client education, medication refills, patient observation, post-operative follow-ups, appointment scheduling, and in some instances diagnosis and treatment.
Sometimes, however, it is necessary for a veterinarian to see your pet in person. These situations might include providing certain treatments to pets such as vaccines, performing health screenings, or running diagnostic tests that make it possible to determine the underlying cause of an ailment. An accurate diagnosis is essential to providing safe and effective treatments to pets.
Our veterinarians can help you determine whether a telemedicine appointment is the right choice for your pet.
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Telemedicine and Mobile Veterinary Care for Pets in Tucson

In addition to our telemedicine services, Desert Paws Mobile Veterinary Care is first and foremost a mobile veterinary clinic that specializes in providing housecall veterinary appointments. If your pet requires in-person care with a veterinarian, you still don’t need to leave the comfort of your home because we’ll bring everything your pet needs right to your doorstep. To learn more or schedule an appointment, we welcome you to contact our mobile veterinary clinic in Tucson today.