Which Thanksgiving Scraps are Safe for Pets?

Thanksgiving is all about giving thanks and eating good food with our family members. If you're like us at Berkeley Heights Animal Hospital, your pets are a big part of the family. Before you set up your pooch or kitten with a Turkey Day plate of his or her own, familiarize yourself with the following safety tips:

• It's OK to give your turkey meat is in small pieces. Make sure it's boneless and fully cooked through. Don't feed your pet the turkey's leftover carcass, which contains bones that can cause issues in his or her digestive tract.
• If you're baking bread, keep the dough far away from your furry friend! Once ingested, the yeast will convert the dough's sugars into carbon dioxide and alcohol. A drunk pet might sound funny, but it could become a life-threatening emergency!
• Vegetables like sweet potatoes and green beans are perfectly healthy for cats and dogs. They help put the perfect Thanksgiving twist on your pet's usual dinner. Consider adding dribbles of gravy too!

Follow this guide to keep your pets safe this Thanksgiving. A good rule of thumb is to let your cat or dog indulge in moderation. Otherwise, your furry family member could end up with a stomachache, diarrhea or even pancreatitis.

If you're concerned about your pet's well-being, contact Berkeley Heights Animal Hospital today at 908-464-0023. We'll treat your sick pets like family!

Don't forget to find us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube for more tips.

The Importance of Routine Pet Healthcare

You make it a point to visit your doctor once a year. Doesn't your pet deserve the same?

Bringing your four-legged friend to the vet for routine visits is super important. Here's why:

Tip-top shape. Your veterinarian knows exactly what to look for and can therefore catch ailments that might otherwise go unnoticed. Everything that goes into regular visits -- like blood work, listening to the heart and lungs, and even looking at your pet's paws -- will help keep him in good health.

Parasite prevention. Dogs and cats are at risk for parasites like roundworms, hookworms and heartworms year-round. We recommend annual fecal testing (to check for intestinal worms) for all our dog and cat patients, as well as annual heartworm tests for dogs. Remember, these parasites not only pose a threat to your pets, but also to your family!


Vaccinations. Scheduling regular wellness exams for your trusty companion ensures she's up-to-date on all vaccines. These vaccines protect your pets from potentially fatal diseases. If you're unsure whether your furry friend is due for his or her next vaccine, give Berkeley Heights Animal Hospital a call at 908-464-0023.

For more tips on pet care, connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

4 Fall Activities for You and Your Pet

As cooler weather enters our area and we close up our windows and doors, you and your pet might feel a bit cooped up. Just because it's fall doesn't mean the outdoor fun has to end! Here are four fall activities you can enjoy together:

 

1. Get some yard work done


OK, raking leaves may not sound like a whole lot of fun. But when you invite your furry friend along, yard work becomes an entirely new experience! What's cuter than watching your cat or dog chase leaves around the yard?

2. Go for a hike

Is your pet the adventurous type? Take her on a hike to explore the great outdoors! Just don't forget to pack a water dish and some food for your trusty companion.

3. Have a festive photo shoot

Admit it: Your phone's camera roll is filled to the brim with shots of your pet. Unfortunately candid pictures don't always turn out so well, especially if your mushy mutt has a lot of energy. Get him to pose by holding a treat or toy near your camera.

4. Celebrate Sunday football

Is your team's performance subpar this season? Stop screaming at the TV, and play fetch with your dog instead!

What activities do you and your pet enjoy during the fall? Share your thoughts with Berkeley Heights Animal Hospital on Facebook and Twitter!

Why Dogs Tilt Their Heads When We Speak

There's nothing cuter than when you're talking to your dog and he tilts his head every so slightly. It's as if he's trying his hardest to understand the words coming out of your mouth. Adorable!

But what are dogs really trying to achieve with that oh-so-charming head tilt? Here are a few possibilities:

1. They want to see our faces better

Our furry friends are constantly scanning our faces to understand our emotional state and gain information. Unfortunately, their muzzles can get in the way of that! Psychology Today surveyed pet parents and found the following:

71% of the owners of the dogs with the larger muzzles report that their dogs often tilt their heads when spoken to. On the other hand only 52% of the owners of the flatter faced, brachycephalic dogs reported that their dogs often tilted their heads when spoken to. This is a statistically significant difference that clearly suggests that head shape, and size of the muzzle does influence head tilting in dogs.

2. They want to hear us better

Pups can move their ear flaps to determine the source of a sound. They also can use their heads to figure out time differences between the noise arriving at each ear. Even just a modest tilt of the head might provide a dog with the information needed to accurately judge a sound's location.

3. They want us to know they care

Any pet parent will tell you that their canine is very in tune with their emotions. It should come as no surprise, then, that dogs may tilt their heads to show empathy. Could it be that our furry friends just want to show how much they care?

No matter how you look at it, dogs are simply delightful -- head tilt and all. For more tips and tidbits on all things pets, connect with Berkeley Heights Animal Hospital on Facebook and Twitter!