Care Instruction Sheets

Frequently Asked Questions for New Dog Owners

Congratulations on the new addition to your family. Bringing home a new puppy is an

exciting time as well as a big responsibility. During the first year of your puppies life you

will be faced with many changes and challenges as your puppy grows. We want to

provide you with the information and support you need during this critical year to

Quality of Life Handout

Quality of Life Guidelines

The decision whether to pursue additional treatment or consider euthanasia can be one of the most difficult decisions facing pet owners.  Our emotions can sometimes “cloud” our judgment making it difficult to make the best decision for our valued animal companions. This handout is designed to help you consider the quality of life of your pet and to help make you aware of options that exist if it is not the right time for euthanasia.  Answer each question with a yes or no.

Hurt

Explaining Pet Loss to Your Child

Explaining Pet Loss to Your Child

 

            It is natural to want to protect our children from painful experiences. Most adults, however, are surprised to find how well most children adjust to the death of a pet if they are prepared with honest, simple explanations. From a young age, children being to understand the concept of death, even though they may be unaware of it at a conscious level.

 

Abscess and Drain Care

A penrose drain is a piece of latex tubing placed under the skin.  The purpose of the drain is to allow fluids such as blood or pus to drain from the space between the skin and muscle to allow healing.  The fluids will drain out between the skin and the tube, not through the centre of the tube.  Essentially the tube acts like a “stint” to keep the wound open while healing occurs.

Drains need special care in order for optimum healing to occur.  Please be sure to follow these instructions at home for a speedy recovery.

Bandage Care

Keep it dry.  It is very important to keep the bandage clean and dry during the time that is in place.  For this reason the patient should remain indoors and confined.  If a pet is able to go outside to go to the bathroom, a plastic bag must be placed over the foot, covering the length of the bandage.  This should be done even if the ground appears to be dry because many pets may accidentally urinate on their large, bulky bandage (which would require changing the bandage).  You should also check the bandage twice daily to ensure that it is clean and

Ways to Encourage Water Intake

  • Increasing water consumption by feeding increased amounts of canned food or feeding a dry diet formulated with additional salt. It has been shown that salt significantly increases water intake and urine production. Salt has not been shown to contribute to hypertension or renal disease in healthy cats.
  • Canned food should be offered to kittens from the time of weaning, as taste and consistency preferences are established early in life. It may be impossible to make the cat adapt to canned food later in life.
  • Multiple small meals may help.

Coping With the Loss of a Pet

Coping with the Loss of a Pet

 

Understanding Your Feelings of Loss

            After your animal has died or been lost, it is natural and normal to feel grief and sorrow. While grieving is an internal and private response, there are certain shared processes that most people experience. By understanding the grieving process, you will be better prepared to manage your grief and to help other in the family who are also sharing the loss.

 

Behavioural Modification for Cats that Urinate Inappropriately

  • Try and determine if the cat has experienced a recent stress in its life. “Stressors” could include changes in the weather, the cat’s environment (a recent move, addition of a new pet or new family member), change in diet or feeding schedule, change of litter type, etc.
  • Provide at least one litter box/cat.
  • Keep the litter boxes in “quiet” areas of the home (avoid “high-noise” or “high-traffic” areas).