Natura Pet announced it is expanding its recall of certain lots of some of its most popular dry dog and cat foods due to possible contamination with Salmonella bacteria.
Please click on the following link to see the full list of recalled food: Natura Pet Food Recall List.
If you have any concerns about this food or your pet’s health, please feel free to call us at 763-574-9892.
While there is still plenty of snow out there, the groundhog did not see his shadow this year predicting spring to come early. So in preparation for spring we are offering awesome deals currently on Frontline Plus for cats or dogs! We are price matching Petmeds, Menards and others stores. We are also giving out a free dose when you buy three doses or two free with six doses. Fleas and ticks won’t bother your pet with Frontline Plus on-board.
We also have rebates on Certifect, Iverhart and Heartgard which is also price-matchable. You must provide a printed ad price to price match the same identical product and quantity to qualify.
Follow the links to get more information on these wonderful products to keep our pets safe from flea, tick and mosquito-borne diseases.
Find a kennel, crate or cage for every animal you have. Buckets work well for fish and turtles. Keep all of the animal carriers together in an easy to get to place inside the house.
Choose the safest room in the house for surviving a tornado. A basement is best or the most interior room of the home, preferably a closet or bathroom. Tell everyone living in the house that this is the safe room for tornadoes.
Make an emergency food supply for the pets in case it is in short supply or hard to get to after the storm. Get pull tab cans or pouches for easy opening, and you can toss in a cheap bowl or paper plates. Pack a collar and leash for each dog or cat as well.
Add an extra gallon or two of water to the family emergency supply. This way there will be plenty to go around.
Put all pets in cages or carriers and in the safe room when the tornado watch is issued. Animals sense bad weather and will look for a place to hide if they sense it is near. There will probably not be much of an argument from the pets in the safe room where it is quiet.
Get all people to the safe room as soon as a tornado warning is issued or a siren is sounded.
Stay in the safe room for several minutes after the storm, large tornadoes have an eye so more destruction could be coming. After several minutes of silence, carefully open the safe room door.
Leash all pets when outside after a tornado. Power lines could be down and dangerous objects will be littered about everywhere. Do not let pets outside unsupervised.
Congratulations to our Halloween Contest Winners!
We are now offering Alenza as a natural pain relief product for dogs. Alenza contains a mixture of botanical extracts that inhibit the formation of inflammatory molecules from fatty acids. This approach helps keep the fatty acid levels more balanced in your dog for better all around health in your dog. And when inflammatory molecules are kept in check, your dog will feel less pain and be more comfortable making everyone happy. Please call us at 763-574-9892 for further information.
We know you want to protect your pets from diseases with only the best as we do for all members of our family! Check out the great deals we now have on flea and tick products for your dog and cat this spring.
-We have competitive pricing on Frontline Plus and if you buy 3 doses you get 1 free and 6 doses you get 2 free!
- New this year from the makers of Frontline is Certifect for dogs. This is also a flea and tick killing topical product with all the same protection of Frontline that also has a second ingredient that causes ticks to detach and die faster! And besides the great prices for Certifect at Skyline, you can also get a $5 rebate when you buy 3 and $12 rebate when you buy 6! And don’t worry, we will mail in the rebate for you!
- Iverhart will protect your dog and cat from deadly Heartworm disease and we have it at nice prices and you will get a rebate too!
- We recommend you have your dog tested for Lyme disease and Anaplasmosis yearly since both diseases are quite prevalent in Minnesota and can cause devastating effects on your dog. This will let you know if your pet has been exposed and may need treatment. At Skyline we offer the 4Dx test which will test your dog for Heartworm disease, Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis and Canine erhlichiosis, all for only $40.99!
Please give us a call at 763-574-9892 to set up an appointment for your pet to get a spring check-up and to stock up on the products you need to keep your pet protected all summer at great prices.
Dog flu, first identified in September 2005, is a contagious respiratory disease in dogs caused by a specific Type A influenza virus referred to as a “canine influenza virus.” This is a disease of dogs, not of humans.
The symptoms of this illness in dogs are cough, runny nose and fever. However, a small portion of dogs can develop severe disease.
The number of dogs infected with this disease that die is very small. Some dogs have asymptomatic infections (no symptoms) while some have severe infections. Severe illness is characterized by the onset of pneumonia. Although this is a relatively new cause of disease in dogs and nearly all dogs are susceptible to infection, about 80 percent of dogs will have a mild form of the disease.
Canine influenza virus can be spread by direct contact with infected dogs, by contact with contaminated objects and by people moving between infected and uninfected dogs. Dog owners whose dogs are coughing or showing other signs of respiratory disease should not participate in activities or bring their dogs to facilities where other dogs can be exposed to the virus.
Clothing, equipment, surfaces and hands should be cleaned and disinfected after exposure to dogs showing signs of respiratory disease.
Treatment for milder cases of dog flu may include medication to make your dog more comfortable and fluids to ensure that your dog remains well-hydrated. Broad spectrum antibiotics may be prescribed if a secondary bacterial infection is suspected.
What you can do to help protect your pet…
There is now a canine influenza vaccine available at Skyline for $20.99 and is effective for this flu season. It is especially recommended if your dog boards, gets groomed or visits any off-leash park with other dogs. Ask Dr. Speltz about it today at 763-574-9892!
The first rabies positive dog of the year in Minnesotay was found on Tuesday October 18th in Lincoln County in the southwestern part of the state. The dog was not vaccinated for rabies. Approximately three weeks ago the dog was seen with a wound on its neck and subsequently started developing incoordination and exaggerated movements which progressed to paralysis of the back legs. Since the family had all been exposed to the dog while the dog was shedding virus, all members must get the series of shots to help protect them from developing rabies too. The other unvaccinated dog in that family will also have to be euthanized to test for rabies. Here in Minnesota the rabies virus is always present in the wildlife, primarily skunks and of course bats. Keeping your dog’s rabies vaccine current is not just a way to protect your pet from this deadly virus but also to protect your family. Rabies is nearly always fatal once contracted. The virus is spread through saliva mainly from bite wounds of a rabid animal but you can also get it if you get the drool from an infected animal in any cut or wound you already have in your skin. Here are a few important rules to follow to help keep you and your family (four-legged members and all) protected from rabies:
• Keep your dog, cat and horse’s rabies vaccine up-to-date.
• Stay away from all skunks, especially ones acting oddly or coming close to your house. Call the animal control to deal with them.
• Please call us immediately if you suspect your pet may have had any contact with a skunk or bat. Remember, bats carry and spread the virus but do not show any signs of illness so just being in contact with a bat is considered possible exposure to rabies.
I’m armed and dangerous!
An important canine virus that is becoming more prevalent in our wildlife is canine distemper virus. Many raccoons in Minnesota and even the Twin Cities area are infected with the virus. These raccoons may show similar signs to rabies, such as incoordination and muscle spasms. Unfortunately this disease also is highly fatal in both dogs and raccoons. Thankfully the distemper vaccine is highly effective at protecting our canine friends from the disease. The other good news (if there can be good news with a deadly virus) is that canine distemper virus does not affect people or cats. Basically the same general principles for protection of you and your family apply to canine distemper virus as to rabies virus.
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| The savage sun is no friend to your pets. Without even realizing it, many pet owners make tragic mistakes that just shouldn’t happen.Dogs, tethered animals, aquarium fish, horses and even pet budgies and guinea pigs commonly suffer heat stress because of human error.Unlike humans, most animals can’t sweat to reduce body heat. Instead, dogs and cats lose heat by panting but there is a limit as to the amount of heat they can shed in this manner. | |
| Dogs in hot cars The most common mistake is where a dog dies after being left in a hot car. This should never happen, but it does, time and time again. The rules are simple. At this time of year, don’t leave your dog unattended in your car, even with the windows down. Many say, “But I’m only going into the shop for a gallon of milk – I’ll just be a minute”. The ‘just a minute’ extends very quickly if the shop is busy or if you happen to meet a talkative friend. The type of car you drive is also relevant. Those with large glass areas such as hatchbacks and those that are dark in color heat up more quickly than other cars. Studies on various makes of popular cars have determined that dark colored hatchback cars heat up the quickest with temperatures reaching 73 degrees centigrade during testing. This was almost double the outside temperature. In six minutes the temperature of most cars is up to 55 degrees centigrade. If your dog is in the car at this temperature, it will be near death. |
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What dogs are susceptible to heat stroke? No matter how healthy your dog is it will not survive if locked in a hot car. However, heatstroke also occurs in other situations, often simply because the weather is hot and humid and people make silly mistakes. All short nosed breeds of dogs, such as Bull Dogs, Pugs and the Pekingese, are very susceptible to heat stress. Obese dogs and cats are at risk too, especially small, fat dogs. Dogs or cats with poor circulation and dogs with any respiratory disease are also susceptible. The biggest risk is from a high ambient temperature in association with high humidity and lack of air circulation – exactly what happens in a car. |
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Jogging dogs Extra care needs to be taken when you are out jogging with your dog this summer. Naturally, jog or walk in the cooler times of day, either early morning or late evening, and stop if your dog is struggling to keep up. A dog is so faithful that it won’t want to be left behind and will ignore those vital messages from its body that say ‘stop’ and is in danger of collapse from heat stress. Stop regularly to give your dog a rest and a drink, or even better a cooling swim. |
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Backyard bungles Many animals in gardens, yards and paddocks also suffer heat stress. Any animal tethered is at risk. I have seen dogs, goats, cattle and horses die from heat stress when tethered. Animals confined in concrete pens or even birds in cages are also at risk, as they cannot escape the unforgiving heat. If you must tether your animal be absolutely sure that it has ample shade. Many animals twist their tether around a post or tree. They get ‘strung up’ by the neck as they wind themselves around the post. Therefore, as well as partial asphyxiation (choking), they cook in the sun. If you have an animal in an enclosure, be sure that you provide shade. An aluminum kennel in the full sun is nothing other than a giant cooker. Kennels must be in the shade and you should insulate the roof, and aviaries and birdcages must be in the shade for the whole day. Consider having a sleeping area under your house for your dog. The house will provide excellent insulation. Naturally, all animals need water and the bowls should always be placed in the shade. In this heat, two water bowls are needed, should one be overturned. |
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