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Have you ever heard the expression “dogs eat anything”? If you own a dog, you know firsthand that from time to time, they get curious and occasionally try to ingest something that they shouldn’t.

We’ve all heard the stories of a dog having to be rushed to the ER to have their stomach pumped ― or of a dog who ate a foreign object, passed it, and was back to normal immediately after. But there’s no way to know which outcome is likely for your dog, so what should you do when they eat something they shouldn’t? Should you take him/her to the vet or wait to see if it passes? Check out what our veterinary experts have to say.

For emergency vet services, contact Germantown Vet online or call us at 240-252-7467.

Signs Your Dog Ate Something Foreign

If your dog is exhibiting any of the following symptoms, it may mean that they have likely ingested something foreign or toxic:

• Vomiting or gagging
• Painful abdomen
• Lack of appetite
• Lethargy
• Changes in typical behavior
• Changes in bowels (diarrhea, constipation, etc.)

Go to The Vet Immediately

If your dog ingests a foreign object, you should take them to the vet right away. If your normal vet is unavailable, call a 24-hour emergency animal clinic and describe the situation. The best thing to do is to allow the professionals to properly assess the situation.

Owners should not wait to see if the object will pass on its own. Do not try to induce vomiting, as there are some foreign bodies that can cause just as much harm coming back out.

How to Prevent Your Dog From Eating Foreign Objects

The best way to keep your dog from ingesting foreign objects is to take preventive measures. One of the easiest things to do if an owner knows that their dog is prone to eating certain foreign objects is to not allow access to them.

It’s also advisable to “dog-proof” your house to limit access to objects. It’s similar to having a baby. When you have a baby, you have to be diligent about keeping doors closed and keeping things off the floor and out of the baby’s reach. When you have a dog that likes to consume everything, you need to do the exact same thing.

If you have any further questions on how to respond when your dog eats something they shouldn’t or on how to “dog-proof” your home, contact our experts at Germantown Vet ― call us at 240-252-7467.

Microchips help pet owners reunite with their pets, and the devices are now gaining more awareness. Now, the new technology has become a standard practice for veterinarians and animal shelters.

The technology helps shelters return pets to their rightful owners faster. Locating owners through microchips helps prevent animal shelters from overcrowding, which reduces the stress levels for all the animals.

A microchip is about the size of a grain of rice, and it’s inserted between your pet’s shoulder blades. It has a unique number that’s connected to your contact information. If your pet is lost and taken to an animal shelter, technicians will check for a microchip right away. If your pet has a chip, it will be much easier to reunite you with your furry friend. No worrying about lost collars or tags – your pet’s microchip is unique and permanent, so it offers a lifetime of protection.

May is National Chip Your Pet Month, so take advantage of all the benefits of microchips this month! Call our veterinarians today at 240-252-7467 or contact Germantown Vet online.

Reasons You Should Get Your Pet Microchipped

Wondering if getting your pet microchipped is a good idea? Here are some benefits to using the microchip’s technology:

• It causes little to no discomfort
• It can help return your pet
• It protects against theft
• It offers peace of mind
• It lasts a lifetime
• It is not expensive
• It takes pressure off animal shelters and rescue centers
• It can save lives
• It encourages responsible pet ownership

Choose to Microchip Your Pet This Month!

Microchipping provides you with peace of mind, as an owner – the reality of microchip technology is that it keeps your pet safer and more secure

Choose to microchip your pet this month by contacting our vets at Germantown Vet – call our team at 240-252-7467 today!

We are all facing unprecedented changes in our work lives, social lives, and family lives during this shelter-in-place response to the coronavirus pandemic. This situation is very difficult for everyone; however, many do not realize the unique challenges pet owners face.

Germantown Vet understands that your furry companions are also affected by the outbreak and that you have to ensure their needs are met during this difficult time.

If you’re worried about whether your pet can get the coronavirus or have any other questions about your pet’s health, contact Germantown Vet online or call our trusted veterinarians at 240-252-7467 today.

How to Care for Your Pet During COVID-19

Many people are enjoying spending more quality time with their furry friends now that we’re staying in at home. However, spending time outside in public with our pets (like at parks) may be more difficult.

To ensure your pet is getting the mental and physical stimulation from the outdoors that he or she needs to thrive during this time, you should consider different ways to keep him or her moving and engaged. Here are some ways to keep your pet moving:

• Play “hide and seek” with your pet
• Build an indoor obstacle course
• Train your pet to use the treadmill

Training Opportunities

Do you have extra time on your hands due to the coronavirus? Now is a good time to use your skills in positive reinforcement training. With some treats and rewards, you can teach even your old pup some new tricks.

Puzzle Toys

During this time, you can also order some puzzle toys online to get your pet thinking. Mental stimulation can help your pet manage the anxiety that comes with learning a new routine, managing with less exercise, and dealing with residual stress from the family during these difficult times.

Indoor Exercise

For some people, going outdoors for regular playtime is impossible during the spread of coronavirus. Now is the time to consider some creative ways to get your pet moving – even if you’re cooped up in your house or apartment. Indoor exercise is a win for everyone, both pets and family.

Look Out for Your Pet During COVID-19

Our pets rely on us at all times, but especially during this difficult time in society. Whether you’re simply looking for ways to keep your pet busy and happy or your pet is handling a sickness or emergency, our team at Germantown Vet is here for you.

Contact our team online or call our vets at 240-252-7467. Germantown Vet applauds your efforts to help your pet(s) make it through the coronavirus pandemic safely.

As the pet-owning population becomes more educated on the facts about dog behavior, there are still a number of dog behavior myths that persist. Some of these myths can be detrimental to your relationship with your dog, so it’s important to know what’s true and what isn’t.

When it comes to training and living with your dog, these are six common dog behavior myths you shouldn’t believe:

Dog mouths are cleaner than human mouths

Dogs actually have just as much bacteria in their mouths as humans, just different varieties.

A dry nose means a sick dog

If your dog’s nose is dry, it isn’t necessarily a sign of illness. Dry noses are usually a sign of sunburn (more common in dogs with pink noses) or allergies.

Dogs can’t see color

Dogs can see colors on the blue and yellow spectrum; however, they don’t have the cone receptors in their eyes to pick out red and green. Regular dog vision is closest to a human with red-green colorblindness.

Dogs only eat grass when they’re sick

Dogs of all shapes and sizes just love a good graze. Dogs will vomit occasionally, after eating certain kinds of grass or eating too much, but it doesn’t indicate that they’re sick.

A wagging tail means a happy dog

Yes, it is true that happy dogs wag their tails, but so do aggressive or agitated ones. Dog body language is much more involved than just setting the tail to “on” or “off.” Gaze, posture, facial expression, and ear position, along with the tail cues, create a range of expressions.

Dogs age 7 years for every human year

In reality, dogs mature much faster, and their size and weight play a large role in their life span – so it’s different for each dog.

Did you find these debunked myths about dogs interesting? Want to learn more about our services here at Germantown Vet? Contact our team online or call 240-252-7467 today!

Since your canine companion lacks the ability to verbally communicate, any signs of discomfort or illness can be immediate cause for alarm. Are you experiencing cold symptoms and are worried that you might give your sickness to your dog? Is your dog sneezing, coughing, having a bout of the sniffles, or showing other signs that you would attribute to the common cold? Read on to learn more!

Have more questions about your dog’s illnesses? Contact Germantown Vet online or call us at 240-252-7467.

Do Dogs Get the Common Cold?

Medically speaking, dogs do not suffer from illnesses that we call “the common cold.” The viruses that are suspected to cause human colds have no impact on doggie bodies, so if you were worried about giving your furry buddy your cold (or catching theirs), you needn’t be concerned. This said, dogs certainly do get colds of a sort—it’s just from different viruses.

Interestingly, even though the viruses are different, dog colds show pretty much identical symptoms to human colds. Common symptoms for dog colds include:

• Sneezing and sniffling
• Coughing
• Runny or congested nose
• Watery eyes
• Mild lethargy

Generally, dog colds are no more serious or threatening than human colds. They often come and go within a small handful of days, at which point your pet should return to normal. Treatment usually involves simply ensuring your pet stays hydrated by offering water and good-quality wet foods.

If you want to, your dog might also benefit greatly from some chicken noodle soup, which offers a good nutrition profile, hydration, and warmth that can ease symptoms—just avoid varieties that include onion or garlic!

When to Be Concerned About Dog Colds

Symptoms should be treated with a higher level of caution and care if your dog is older, very young, or pregnant. In any of these states, dogs have a compromised immune system, which could mean that the cold could potentially rapidly progress into a worse condition, or there could be trouble if a more dangerous issue is misdiagnosed. If your dog with a cold falls into any of these three categories, we highly advise a trip to your trusted veterinarian as soon as possible!

There is reason to be concerned if any cold symptoms coincide with worse symptoms as well. If your pet is also doing any of the following, it’s time to see your vet:

• Retching and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Prolonged periods of lethargy
• Cold-like symptoms that last more than a few days

Some of the larger, more concerning illnesses to watch out for can include kennel cough, which is very cold-like but also typically includes loud coughing and wheezing. Canine influenza is also a worry, which includes all cold symptoms in conjunction with an extreme loss of appetite, fever, vomiting, and discharge from the nose and eyes.

Protect Your Pet with Annual Vaccinations

Unfortunately, just as there’s no vaccine that treats human colds (to our never-ending sadness), there’s no vaccine for dog cold, either. However, there is an annual vaccine that you should absolutely make sure your dog is protected by. The canine 5-in-1 is easy to keep up with, and it prevents many of the severe conditions that may be confused with a simple doggie cold.

Treat Your Dog’s Cold at Germantown Vet

As a loving pet owner, you never want to see your companion suffer, and we don’t either!

If you are concerned about the health of your pet and want to find the right solution, reach out to our team to schedule an appointment with our experienced veterinarians today. 

As a cat owner, it’s natural to worry about the health and well-being of your cat. While it’s easy to notice when something is wrong with your beloved furry friend, like they’ve stopped eating or are throwing up, you could be missing something equally pressing – your cat’s weight. You may think your cat is just a little fluffy, but overweight and obese cats face some serious health risks. In this blog, we’ll explain the difference between an obese cat and an overweight cat, and list some tips to get your cat back to a healthy weight.

Overweight Cats

Cats who are overweight could face some serious health problems, including the risk of developing obesity. Overweight cats are defined as cats who are 10% to 19% over the ideal weight for their size, age, and breed. You can try to gauge whether your cat is overweight by assessing their physical appearance. Are you able to see an indentation of the waist from above your cat? Can you feel your cat’s spine and ribs? If you answered no, then your cat could be overweight. If you’re feeding your cat a calorie-dense diet and your cat does not get much exercise, this could result in an overweight cat.

Obese Cats

Obese cats could end up facing a variety of health complications. Your cat is considered obese if they’re 20% or more over the ideal weight for their size, age, and breed. Obesity can lead to a number of complications, including breathing problems and decreased immune function. If your cat has no defined waist and you can’t feel their ribs, then your cat might be considered obese.

Ways to Combat Obesity in Your Cat

While your cat’s ideal weight is dependent on a number of things, there are steps you can take to help combat obesity in your cat and keep your cat generally healthy. These steps include:

Feeding your cat proper portions: Cats’ natural diets consist of high protein and low carbs. Feed your cat protein-rich food in the correct portion size to combat obesity.

Encourage exercise: Your cat needs to burn calories, which is hard if your cat is sedentary. Encourage exercise by playing with your cat or walking your cat up and down some stairs.

Invest in a puzzle feeder: Most cats just need to walk to their bowl for food, which doesn’t encourage activity. Puzzle feeders are bowls that require cats to manipulate the food out of the crevices in order to obtain it.

Ensure any weight loss is gradual: If you’re trying to help your cat lose weight, make sure any weight loss is gradual. Losing weight too quickly is dangerous for cats and could lead to further health complications.

Though we all want our feline friends to be well-fed and happy, maintaining a healthy weight is an important factor to your cat’s overall well-being. By following these tips and scheduling regular checkups, you can ensure that your overweight or obese cat is back to an ideal weight in no time!

Whether you want more information on achieving a healthy diet for your cat or want to get your cat a checkup, Germantown Vet is here for you. Give us a call at 240-252-7467 or contact us online to schedule an appointment today!