Is Your Pet’s Animal Hospital AAHA Accredited? Here’s Why it Matters

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Our dog, Jason, shakes all over while in the waiting room at our animal hospital. It doesn’t take long, though, for our veterinarian to help him relax. She gets down on the floor beside him, talks in a soothing voice and offers him a treat. Jason can never resist treats, and before long his tail starts to wag.

While our veterinarian’s bedside manner is extremely important to us, it’s not the only thing we take into account when choosing an animal hospital. We also look to make sure that the hospital is accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA).

Not all animal hospitals are accredited. According to the AAHA, nearly 60 percent  of pet owners think their pet’s veterinary hospital is accredited when it is not. In fact, only about 3,700 (12-15 percent) of animal hospitals in the United States and Canada are accredited.

Here’s why choosing an AAHA accredited animal hospital is important.

WHAT IS AAHA ACCREDITATION?

Unlike human hospitals, animal hospitals are not required to be accredited. According to ConsumerAdvocate.org, lack of accreditation doesn’t mean that a veterinary practice is providing sub-par health care. However, it does mean that the practice hasn’t been measured against the AAHA’s approximately 900 standards to achieve accreditation. The article states:

“The process of accreditation is challenging and rigorous. It is also voluntary and not guaranteed. When a veterinary facility steps up to become accredited, they’re making a proclamation that they’re committed to excellence. “

According to the AAHA, its Standards of Accreditation are continuously reviewed and updated to keep practices on the cutting edge of veterinary excellence. To maintain accredited status, hospitals undergo comprehensive on-site evaluations every three years.

“Veterinary medicine is always evolving and improving,” said Heather Loenser, AAHA’s senior veterinary officer, who was quoted in the consumeradvocaty.org article, “And as such, AAHA has to remain flexible, ready to challenge previous protocols and upgrade them to the latest recommendations.”

The AAHA has been accrediting veterinary practices since 1933. This accreditation serves two purposes:

  • It recognizes and objectively certifies great veterinary practices, which is valuable to pet parents as they search for the best care for their pets.
  • It helps good veterinary hospitals to become great ones by coaching their personnel and helping the practice to live up to its potential.

After applying to become accredited, a veterinary practice usually spends several weeks or months examining and fine-tuning its systems, processes and procedures to be sure every aspect meets AAHA’s standards of quality.

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10 Ways to Keep Your Dog or Cat Happy When Home Alone

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Watching bird feeders help keep cats entertained when home alone

It isn’t easy leaving our pets alone for hours, but there are things we can do to help them. Try these 10 ways to keep your dog or cat happy when home alone.

HOW TO KEEP YOUR DOG HAPPY WHEN HOME ALONE

1. Break Up the Day with Exercise

Some dogs left home alone can suffer from cabin fever leading to stress and anxiety. According to experts at the Animal Behavior College, access to the backyard is no substitute for a nice long walk. These outings will benefit your dog physically while also providing mental stimulation.

If you work close to home, consider spending your lunchtime walking your dog. When that’s not possible, having a professional dog walker or trusted neighbor take your dog for a mid-day walk helps break up the day.

2. Leave a Treat-Dispensing Toy

Interactive toys that require dogs to work for their treats can help relieve boredom when they’re home alone.

Our favorite is the Classic Kong. We stuff the cavity in the middle with a combination of kibble and peanut butter and freeze it overnight to make it last longer.

The WholeDog Journal offers a helpful evaluation of treat-dispensing toys based on such traits as sturdiness, safety, entertainment value and affordability.

3. Turn on the TV or Radio

Many dog owners leave the TV or radio on to keep their dogs company when home alone. Veterinarian Jeff Werber, founder of Century Veterinary Group in Los Angeles, said in a blog post that some dogs with separation anxiety may respond well to radio music or TV when trained to have a positive association to the sound.

Another entertainment option is DOGTV, which provides audio-visual therapy for dogs to help treat loneliness, anxiety and separation in dogs.

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How to Make Vet Visits Less Stressful for Your Cat

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Routine vet visits are vital to your cat’s health, but they can be stressful for you and your cat. Here’s why regular checkups are important and how to make vet visits less stressful for your cats.

One of the greatest challenges I faced when coordinating the Seniors for Seniors Foster Program at a local shelter was getting cats into carriers for transport to their foster homes or for health check-ups. Rides in the car were no fun either when the most stressed cats howled, hissed, defecated or threw up in their carriers.

My friend, Ann, has seven cats and planning trips to the vet is always quite an ordeal. She has to carefully plan where to stage the cat carriers and which cat to shut in which room. It’s always stressful for the cats and not much fun for my friend either.

“No cat likes being taken to strange places and handled by strangers,” Ann said. “Some of them deal with it better than others, a lot of it is just personality. I think using a sturdy cat carrier that they can’t get out of is probably the most important thing.”

A 2013 study by Bayer and the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) found that 52 percent of cats in the U.S. had not been taken to the veterinarian in the past year for necessary check-ups. The study also found that only half as many cats receive annual exams as dogs.

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Does Your Cat Have What it Takes to do Therapy Work?

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Truman the therapy cat is loved and sought after for what comes naturally—making people feel good.

His many friends at Jewish Senior Services nursing home in Bridgeport, CT, eagerly await his visits and share how much he means to them on Truman’s Facebook page. One doctor even wrote a prescription to have Truman visit a senior patient who was suffering from depression. The gorgeous white loving ball of fluff also helps comfort children at the Cove Center for Grieving Children in Easton, CT. While people are used to hearing about therapy dogs, they are often surprised to hear that cats work as service animals, too. With National Cat Day (Oct. 29) just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to highlight the wonderful work being done by therapy cats.

Truman is just one of 211 cats registered with the Pet Partners Therapy Animal Program. Therapy cats registered through this national nonprofit provide people of all ages and health conditions with unconditional love and comfort. The cats work in a variety of settings including hospitals, assisted living facilities and facilities that serve veterans. Service cats also visit schools and libraries as part of reading programs. Reading to service animals helps students build their confidence and reading skills. Some therapy cats have participated in employee wellness fairs.

childlookingatcatincarriage

Children are especially excited when Truman arrives in his carriage.

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How to Keep Pets Safe on Halloween + Top Ten Pet Costumes

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One of my favorite Halloween memories is when my friend Joy and I entered our dogs in a fundraising costume contest at our local animal shelter. Lucy, a Rottweiler mix, and Ricky, an English springer spaniel, were dressed as a bride and groom while surrounded by dogs dressed in a wide variety of costumes including a hot dog, a lion, a tiger, Superman, a witch and the devil. While not all dogs enjoy dressing up, these contestants really seemed to enjoy the festivities.

According to a recent survey by the National Retail Federation, Halloween spending this year will reach a record 9.1 billion. When asked about Halloween shopping plans, 16 percent of the 7,013 surveyed said they would be buying a costume for their pets. The respondents were also asked what costumes their pets would be wearing this season. Here are the top ten choices:

  1. Pumpkin
  2. Hotdog
  3. Dog, (cats dressed as dogs), Lion and Pirate
  4. Bumblebee
  5. Devil
  6. Batman Character
  7. Ghost
  8. Cat (dogs dressed as cats)
  9. Witch
  10. Star Wars character

dogdressedaslion

Image credit: Thinkstock

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Tips For Pet Owners Looking to Rent a House or Apartment

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I will never forget how nervous I was the day Solas, my late German shepherd mix, and I headed out to meet the landlord of a studio apartment that I was hoping to rent. The apartment was at the back of the landlord’s home and he and his wife were hesitant to rent to a tenant with a dog. I convinced them to meet my dog before turning us down.

Solas had been bathed and was wearing a cute bandana when we walked up to the landlord’s door. I also brought along her Canine Good Citizen certificate and references from my veterinarian. She made a great impression and we got the apartment. In fact, Solas and the landlord’s granddaughter became great buddies.

Not all tenants with pets fare so well. In an American Humane survey of 93 shelters, “landlord won’t allow pets” was the fourth most common reason pets were surrendered to shelters. And according to the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), the lack of pet-friendly rental properties leads to the surrender of half a million pets to shelters each year. While the rental housing industry claims to be pet-friendly, HSUS representatives say that it is discriminating about the types of pets allowed. Often there are weight limits or breed restrictions when it comes to renting with dogs.

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How to Keep the Peace Among Household Cats

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Anytime we’ve applied to adopt a dog, we’ve been asked to bring our current dog to the shelter to make sure that the two would get along. This type of introduction isn’t practical when it comes to adding a new cat to a multi-cat household. Instead, shelter and rescue group staff ask lots of questions about the temperament of the cats already in the home to help make a good match.

Because cats can be territorial, it’s impossible to predict how groups of cats will get along once living in the same home. And while cats with aggression problems might never be friends, with time and commitment from owners, problems between cats can be resolved according to experts at the Animal Welfare Association of New Jersey (AWANJ). Depending on the severity of the problems, families may need to seek the assistance of a veterinarian and/or animal behaviorist to restore peace to the household.

Lynn Cancro, founder and president of Caring About the Strays (C.A.T.S.) rescue group in New Jersey, believes that how well cats get along in a multi-cat household very much depends on the manner in which they were introduced to one another.

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The Benefits of Adopting a Pair of Kittens

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Reed and Rowan, 6-month-old purring machines, are the longest residents at the Clifton Animal Shelter in New Jersey. The siblings were brought to the shelter with their mom and two brothers who have all gone to forever homes.

Photo courtesy of Clifton Animal Shelter  

“We call them the dream team. They sleep on top of one another, and they purr while sleeping, eating and playing,” said Liz Taranda, vice president of the shelter and cat room manager. “They are lap cats who love to be held together while giving nose rubs to whoever is holding them.”

The brothers are bonded and will only be adopted into the same home. It’s not unusual for shelters and rescue groups to encourage potential adopters to adopt a pair of kittens rather than going home with one cat.

The Itty Bitty Orphan Kitty Rescue in San Jose, CA, requires that young kittens be adopted in pairs unless adopters have an existing kitten or young cat at home. According to the shelter, this policy is not based on a desire to increase adoptions but rather to ensure that kittens are adopted into homes that offer the best possible environment for their social development.

There are many benefits to adopting kittens in pairs

Besides saving two lives, there are many advantages to adopting kittens in pairs. Kittens tend to need more time and attention than adult cats and two together will keep each other company. The acclimation to a new home will go smoother, too, because a bonded pair of kittens won’t need separate transitional rooms. All they require is one litter box and two dishes (also true when adopting an older bonded pair of cats).

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Do Our Pets Really Benefit from Supplements? Here’s What the Experts Have to Say

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Our late Rottweiler mix, Lucy, was diagnosed with chronic hip dysplasia when she was only 4 years old. After researching ways to help her I learned that joint supplements containing the ingredients chondroitin and glucosamine seem to help some dogs with joint issues. Following a discussion with my veterinarian, I started Lucy on two pills a day. I don’t know if they helped her, but she joined us on walks and hikes until we finally lost her at age 15.


Joint supplements containing the ingredients chondroitin and glucosamine seem to help Lucy who had chronic hip dysplasia. 

Now we think that our 10-year-old border collie mix, Jason, is showing signs of arthritis. Once the vet confirms this, we’ll ask if we should put him on the same supplements we used for Lucy? We’re not alone in considering the use of pet supplements. According to market researcher Packaged Facts, projected retail sales for pet supplements and nutraceutical treats in the U.S. are expected to grow through 2017, to an estimated $1.6 billion.

The National Animal Supplement Council (NASC) describes pet supplements as products that are intended to complement the diet and help support and maintain a normal biological function. Products range from multivitamins for overall health to targeted formulas that claim to alleviate joint problems or canine cognitive dysfunction.

Do Our Pets Really Benefit From the Addition of Supplements in Their Diets?

The most commonly used pet supplements are multivitamins, joint supplements and fatty acids. Veterinary experts agree that glucosamine/chondroitin supplements if they are of good quality, may have modest benefits in some animals with arthritis. And fish oil supplements may be beneficial for pets with certain medical conditions, such as heart disease, kidney disease and cancer. However, even these common supplements have potential side effects and are not right for every dog and cat with these conditions. As for multivitamin supplements, veterinary experts say that pets do not need these unless they are on a nutritionally unbalanced diet.

“A healthy dog and cat on a well-regulated commercial pet food that has been carefully designed by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist will be getting all the vitamins and minerals they need,” said Laura Eirmann, a veterinary nutritionist at Oradell Animal Hospital. Complete and balanced pet foods are made to give pets the right amount of nutrients and adding more could be harmful to your pet Eirmann said. For example, giving too much calcium to a large breed puppy can lead to skeletal diseases.

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Finding New Homes for Shelter Cats Could be a Click Away

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Mindi, a shy FIV-positive cat, was constantly passed over by visitors to the Cat Depot in Sarasota, FL. So when the shelter was accepted into the Jackson Galaxy Foundation Cat Pawsitive clicker training program earlier this year, the staff immediately enrolled Mindi. She’d been living at the shelter for nine months and after just two months of clicker training was placed into a loving home.

“Potential adopters would watch volunteers clicker training with Mindi and were excited to see her doing high fives, said Claudia Harden, director of communications at the shelter. “It was seeing how well she interacted with staff and volunteers that ultimately got her adopted.”

MindigivinghighfiveMindi gives a high five during a clicker training session at Cat Depot. Her new family is continuing this training to provide Mindi with positive reinforcement.

The Jackson Galaxy Foundation created the Cat Pawsitive program in 2016 to help shelter cats overcome the stress associated with shelter environments. Shelters apply for enrollment into the three-month training program, which includes training webinars and consultations with feline behavior experts.

The Cat Depot has been using clicker training informally for four or five years but with the launch of the Cat Pawsitive program, clicker training became part of daily life at the shelter. With the focus on hard-to-adopt cats, training sessions are conducted twice a day, five days a week. Of the nine cats enrolled in the program during the formal training session, eight have found homes.

“There’s no doubt that the Cat Pawsitive training program has helped place our cats into homes,” Harden said. “It sparks a conversation with potential adopters when they walk into cat pods (rooms) and see our cats participating in clicker training sessions.”

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