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Post-Op Care for Pet Surgeries: How to Help Your Pet Recover

Whether your pet needs a routine or more complex operation, having your pet undergo surgery can be a stressful time. While we do our best to provide your pet with exceptional care, patient monitoring, and the highest quality of medications while they are with us, most pets do the majority of their post-operative recovery in the comfort of their own homes. As a result, it is up to pet owners to provide their pets with the required care to ensure a safe, smooth, and speedy recovery.

How to Help Your Pet Recover From Surgery

(Please remember that these instructions are generic, and while they apply to most post-operative situations, you should always follow the specific instructions provided to you by your veterinarian upon your pet’s hospital discharge.)

The Day of Surgery

When you first bring your pet home from surgery, keep them confined to a calm, quiet space (away from other animals and children) in your house. You can provide them with water and, although they might not have much of an appetite, you can offer them a small meal of their regular food later in the evening.

Medications

Be sure to administer all of your pet’s medications as they were prescribed. If you’re having trouble administering a medication, contact our office for help or for a compounded prescription.
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Wound Care

Prevent your pet from licking or biting their incision site with an Elizabethan collar (cone).
Keep your pet’s incision dry for at least seven days after surgery. Do not wash the incision site, bathe your pet, or allow them to swim until healed. Watch the incision for signs of infection or tearing. A little bleeding the day after surgery is normal. Additionally, slight redness or swelling is also normal.
More severe bleeding, swelling, redness, or unusual discharge could be a sign of infection or other issues and should be treated with emergency veterinary care.

Activity Restriction

Restrict your pet’s activities for seven to 14 days after surgery (depending on the type of surgery).
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Pet Surgery at Pacific Animal Hospital of Redondo Beach

At Pacific Animal Hospital of Redondo Beach, we understand that having your pet undergo a surgical procedure of any kind can be stressful. That’s why we are always here to answer any questions you might have about your pet’s recovery and post-operative care. Before sending your pet home, we will provide you with thorough discharge instructions and ensure you understand how to help your pet have a smooth and complication-free recovery.
If you have any concerns or questions at any time during your pet’s recovery, we welcome you to contact our office.
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5 Beach Safety Tips for Pets

One of the best activities to do with your dog in the summer is to visit the beach and splash around in the waves. While visiting the beach is a good way to stay active and cool in the summer sun, there are a few things you should be aware of to keep your pet safe.

5 Tips to Keep Your Pet Safe at the Beach

1. Know the Signs of Heatstroke

Splashing in the water will help to keep your pet cool, but dogs are still highly susceptible to heatstroke in warm weather. Be sure you know the signs of heatstroke (excessive panting and drooling, elevated heart rate, red gums and tongue, dizziness, loss of balance, vomiting, diarrhea, fainting, collapse, and seizures) and seek immediate emergency veterinary care if your pet overheats.

2. Bring Fresh Water

To help your pet stay hydrated and regulate their body temperature, make sure they have access to plenty of fresh, cool water throughout your beach day. It’s also important to do your best to limit the amount of salt water they drink because this will worsen dehydration and could actually cause salt poisoning because too much salt is toxic for dogs.
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3. Test the Sand

Before letting your pup run on the beach, feel the sand with your bare hand. If it’s too hot for you, it’s too hot for your pet’s paws. It’s best to visit the beach in the early morning or late evening when the sand is cooler.

4. Know the Rules

Not every beach welcomes dogs, and this means you could be at risk of getting a ticket and a fine if you bring your dog to the wrong beach. Make sure you’re visiting a dog-friendly beach before you head out.

5. Avoid Sunburn

Even though they are covered in fur, dogs are still at risk of getting sunburns – especially those with shorter coats. If your dog gets groomed, be sure to leave at least an inch of fur to protect their skin. You can further protect your pet’s skin by applying dog-safe sunscreen. Additionally, make sure your spot on the beach has access to shade.

Summer Safety With Pacific Animal Hospital

Make sure your pet is completely safe this summer with parasite preventatives, vaccinations, and pet microchips at Pacific Animal Hospital of Redondo Beach. To learn more about safely visiting the beach with your pet this summer, we welcome you to schedule an appointment today.
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Best Dog Breeds for First-Time Pet Owners

Dogs have been awarded the honor of being man’s best friend for many reasons, and if you’re thinking about becoming a first-time dog owner, then you’re in about to begin one of the best relationships of your life.
Dog ownership isn’t quite as simple and straightforward as it seems. With it, comes many responsibilities, and every dog has different genetics that lend it a unique personality and its own set of needs. Some dogs present different challenges to their owners than others. For example, some breeds tend to be stubborn, certain breeds are more active than others, and purebred dogs often have genetic predispositions to medical issues that will require special attention and care.
If you’re a prospective pet owner, considering adopting a dog, consider the following breeds for your first-time pet.

5 Great Dog Breeds for First-Time Dog Owners

1. Golden Retriever

Golden retrievers are one of the most popular breeds for families. They tend to be wonderful and gentle with children. They’re also loyal, affectionate, playful, and energetic.

2. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

These dogs have a puppy-like appearance that stays with them for life. They’re adaptable and do well with children of all ages.

3. Boxer

These dogs are instinctive protectors, and they forge strong bonds with children that will run and play alongside them.

4. Labrador Retriever

Labs are loyal and affectionate, active and playful, intelligent, and adaptable to many different situations. They also do well with children.

5. Mixed Breed Dogs

If you aren’t sure which breed is right for you, you might consider adopting a mixed breed dog from your shelter. The shelter employees can usually give you a general idea of the dog’s primary breed in addition to their temperament and information on how well they fare with other dogs, cats, children, and new people. Plus, mixed-breed dogs tend to have fewer health issues than purebreds.
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New Pet Appointments at Pacific Animal Hospital of Redondo Beach

As a first-time dog owner, you’re about to step into a rewarding world of loyal companionship and fun. You’re also accepting a big responsibility in the care of your new pet. One major part of being a responsible pet owner is establishing care right away with a veterinary office to ensure your pet has all the wellness and preventative veterinary treatments necessary to lead a healthy and happy life. Additionally, our veterinarians can help you ensure your pet has the proper nutrition, training, socialization, supplies, and activities to set them up for the best possible life with you.
To schedule your pet’s first appointment, we welcome you to contact our animal hospital in Redondo Beach today.
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Should You Microchip Your Pet?

No one plans to lose a pet, but, unfortunately, pets go missing all the time. It’s estimated that 10 million pets are lost each year, and most lost pets are sadly never reunited with their families. At Pacific Animal Hospital, we strongly encourage all pet owners to have their dogs and cats microchipped to significantly increase the chances that they will be reunited with their pets should they go missing.

What Is a Pet Microchip?

A pet microchip is comprised of a small RFID microchip (about the size of a grain of rice) that is encased in a biocompatible capsule.

How Do Microchips Work?

Pet microchips are inserted into a pet between his or her shoulder blades, using a hollow needle. This process is quick and mostly painless. Your pet might feel a slight pinching sensation like getting a vaccination, but no anesthetics are necessary when inserting a microchip.
The microchip contains a unique, identifying number that can be read when scanned with an appropriate microchip scanning device. When scanned, the device will read the microchip’s number. If a pet is lost and turned into a veterinary clinic or an animal shelter, the pet will be scanned for a microchip. The number can then be located in a national database where the pet owner’s contact information is stored.
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Are Microchips Really Effectively?

Yes! Pet microchips very effectively increase the chances of being reunited with a lost pet.
A study including more than 7,700 stray animals that were turned into animal shelters showed a significant improvement in reuniting dogs and cats with their families. In the study, 52.2% of dogs with microchips were reunited compared to only 21.9% of dogs without microchips. Cats with microchips were reunited 38.5% of the time compared to just 1.8% of cats without microchips.
It’s important to remember, though, that your pet’s microchip can only be effective if you keep your contact information up-to-date in the microchip database. If your pet is found and scanned, but your contact information isn’t listed alongside your pet’s identification number, then there still won’t be any way to find you.

Pet Microchipping in Redondo Beach

While we still recommend fitting your pet with a collar and ID tags, we also encourage you to have your pet microchipped for their safety and your peace of mind. To learn more about pet microchipping or to schedule an appointment to get your pet a microchip, we welcome you to contact Pacific Animal Hospital today.
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When you adopt a pet, you take full responsibility for your new furry friend’s care, and that means suddenly becoming responsible for making every single choice on behalf of your pet – from choosing how much exercise and activity is right to providing a nutritious diet and ensuring your pet receives the veterinary care they need.
Through the course of your pet’s life, you will need to make a lot of choices. Sometimes, it can be tough to know what the right choice is for your pet and how to provide them with a chance at living the healthiest, happiest, longest life possible.
Consider the following tips to start making smarter choices for your pet’s health.

5 Ways to Make Better Choices for Your Pet's Health

1. Always Choose to Invest in Prevention

Investing in preventive pet care (vaccinations and parasite preventatives) is the smartest decision you can make for your pet.

2. Feed a High-Quality Diet

Nutrition is the foundation for good health. Be sure you choose a healthy, well-balanced, high-quality diet for your pet.

3. Develop Healthy Habits

One of the best ways to make better choices for your pet’s health is to turn the right choices into habits. Go for daily walks, schedule regular veterinary examinations, brush teeth (and/or feed dental-friendly treats), and always practice positive reinforcement training.
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4. Know Your Pet and Be a Careful Observer

Pets can’t tell us when they feel sick, so it’s up to you to know your pet’s usual behavior and to pay close attention to any changes in appearance, energy, routine, appetite, personality, and behavior because these changes could indicate illness.

5. Pet Health Is Not One-Size-Fits-All

Pet isn’t the same for every pet. The food, activities, and veterinary care your pet needs depend on your pet’s species, breed, age, lifestyle, and medical history.

Professional Pet Advice at Pacific Animal Hospital of Redondo Beach

When it comes to making good decisions to promote health, wellbeing, and your pet’s ability to live their very best life, we always welcome you to talk with our veterinarian in Redondo Beach. We can discuss all of your pet care and veterinary care concerns and provide you with personalized recommendations for your pet’s unique lifestyle and health needs.
To learn more about personalized veterinary care and pet care recommendations, we welcome you to contact our office or schedule your pet’s next checkup with our veterinarian at Pacific Animal Hospital of Redondo Beach.
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5 Essentials for Walking Your Dog in the Rain

Staying active is good for your health and your pet’s health, so it’s important to get out for a bit of exercise – even when the weather is a little below Southern-California-grade beauty (i.e. raining).
Even when the weather is wet, you can easily head outside with your dog for a nice walk in the rain. The following items will make your outing a bit safer and more comfortable for you both.

5 Rainy Day Dog Walking Essentials

1. Reflective Harness

When it’s rainy outside, visibility is lower. Be sure to put your dog in a reflective harness for safe walking and high visibility. This will make your pup much easier for drivers to spot – even if he is little, short-legged, and low to the ground.

2. Leash

For safety, we recommend always keeping your dog on a leash when you go out for a walk in an unfenced area. Even if your dog has good recall training, there are still a lot of risks associated with going off-leash.
In the rain, keeping your dog on a leash is even more important because of the potential for thunder that could startle your dog and cause him to run away.

3. Raincoat

A dog raincoat in a bright color will help your dog stay comfortably dry and also make him more visible.
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4. Booties or Paw Wax

Wet, rainy weather can wreak havoc on your dog’s paws. Booties offer the best paw protection, but not all dogs will accept wearing them. In these cases, apply paw wax before and after your walk to keep your dog’s paws nicely conditioned.

5. Towel

Be sure to bring a towel so that you can dry your dog off as soon as you reach shelter from the rain. Letting his coat stay damp can increase the risk of skin infections, dryness, itchiness, and rashes.

Peace of Mind With a Microchip

A big risk of walking your dog in the rain is thunder. If your dog is afraid of thunder, then going out for a walk in the rain means risking having your frightened pet get loose and run away. We strongly encourage all of our clients to have their dogs and cats microchipped.
A pet microchip provides a permanent form of identification for your pet and greatly increases the chances of reuniting with a lost pet. To learn more about pet microchips or to schedule a microchipping appointment for your pet, we welcome you to contact Pacific Animal Hospital today.
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A Guide to Seizures and Convulsions in Dogs

When a dog has a seizure, it can be frightening and stressful for both you and your pet. If your normally healthy, carefree pet suddenly becomes disoriented and unsteady, they might be having a seizure.

What Is a Seizure?

A seizure is characterized by abnormal electrical brain activity during which a dog loses consciousness, awareness, and control of its body. Seizures are often accompanied by uncontrollable convulsing. Their duration can last anywhere from under a minute to several minutes.

Signs of Seizures in Dogs

During seizures, dogs are not aware of their surroundings or in control of their bodies. Signs and symptoms of seizures in dogs include:
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What Causes Seizures in Dogs?

There are several things that can cause a dog to have a seizure.
If your dog has many seizures, then they are likely suffering from a seizure disorder (epilepsy).

What to Do If Your Dog Has a Seizure

Stay calm and assess your pet’s surroundings. Carefully slide them away from anything nearby that could injure them like stairs or furniture. Stay away from your dog’s mouth, as they could inadvertently bite you, and don’t worry your dog won’t choke on their tongue.
If you can, time the seizure. Since seizing dogs can overheat, turn on a fan or put cold water on your dog’s paws to cool them down if the seizure lasts longer than a couple of minutes.
If your dog’s episode lasts more than five minutes or several seizures occur in a row, seek emergency veterinary care as soon as possible. Otherwise, contact the veterinarian as soon as your dog’s seizure is over.
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Seizure Treatment and Comprehensive Veterinary Care in Goldsboro

If your dog suffers a seizure, our veterinarian will perform a thorough physical examination and might also recommend some diagnostic testing to determine the underlying cause of your pet’s seizures.
We’ll then recommend a treatment plan, which might include prescription medication, designed to address the underlying cause. To learn more or schedule an appointment, we welcome you to contact Eastwaye Veterinary Clinic today.
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The Mental Health Benefits of Being a Pet Owner

Most pet owners consider their pets to be fully-fledged, official members of their families, and, when pets provide such loyal companionship, it’s really no surprise! In addition to making our lives fuller, pets also have a remarkably positive impact on their humans’ mental health. These are some of the most impressive ways pets improve the mental health of their human family members.

4 Ways Pets Benefit Our Mental Health

1. Feel Less Lonely

Pets make wonderful companions. They provide unconditional love, entertainment, binge-watching partners, and someone to listen to all of your worries without judgment. Pets combat feelings of loneliness so well that they became one of the top remedies to social distancing-induced loneliness. Since the start of the pandemic, pet adoption rates skyrocketed. In fact, they were so high that some shelters didn’t have enough pets to meet the adoption demand.

2. Reduce Stress

Petting a dog or snuggling with your cat reduces the physical signs and symptoms of stress, thereby making you feel more relaxed. Individuals with pets enjoy lowered heart rate and blood pressure, more regular breathing, and relaxed muscle tension.
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3. Create Social Bonds With More People

When you have a pet, you become a member of one of the best groups ever — pet owners! As a result, you’ll have more opportunities to bond with other dog or cat owners at the dog park, pet store, or while waiting at the veterinary hospital. So, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to build new friendships with people, too.

4. Be More Active

People who own pets — especially dogs that need walking — tend to be more active than people who don’t have a pet. This increased physical activity will boost your mood, reduce stress, and even relieve physical pain while your more active body releases exercise-induced endorphins.

Give Back to Your Pet With Excellent Veterinary Care in Redondo Beach

You love your pet, so it’s important to provide them with top-notch veterinary care to ensure they can live the longest, healthiest, and happiest life possible. At Pacific Animal Hospital of Redondo Beach, our veterinarian provides patients with comprehensive, personalized wellness and preventative care in addition to sick pet care and more! When you establish your pet’s care with our animal hospital, we’ll start your pet on a path to living a healthy life.
To learn more about our veterinary care services and animal hospital or to schedule an appointment, we welcome you to contact our Redondo Beach veterinary office today.
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