We love sharing things with our pets, whether it is food, time, or our homes. That being said, it is important to be aware of toxins in our homes that we may not know of. In the veterinary medical field, one of the most common issues we see come in is toxicity or poisoning from household toxins. In this article we will touch on well known to lesser known household toxins. [Read more…]
Fear Free Visits for Cats
At East Bend Animal Hospital, we know that coming to the veterinarian is not a cat’s favorite thing to do. As a Fear Free Certified Hospital, we know that a veterinary hospital can be scary, so we take extra steps to ensure our feline friends experience as little fear, anxiety, and stress as possible. [Read more…]
4th of July for Anxious Pets
Enjoying the 4th of July is great fun for many, the beautiful fireworks, games, and gathering with friends and family. But it can be a cause for panic and fear for many dogs and cats. Humane Societies all across the country prepare for the 4th of July due to the mass amounts of animals that come in lost and disoriented from the fear of the fireworks, many humane societies saying that the number of strays or lost dogs more than doubles just in this one night. It is important that we do our part to safeguard our loved pets and keep them safe and comfortable during this stressful time of year. [Read more…]
Feline Enrichment
Cats are very unique animals and are known to be excellent companions to humans. They are our friends, playmates, and, sometimes, our dictators. Because cats have such strong personalities it is important that we support them in their environment. Cats have an innate aversion to new things. This is ultimately an instinctual personality trait for self-preservation. That said, cats also have 
an instinctual desire for play. Some scientists believe that this stems from the theory of survival of the fittest, for which a cat practices “hunting” and prey-driven behavior in a playful manner with its housemates. Other scientists believe it could just be for the reason we as humans play: for fun! [Read more…]
The Importance of Pheromones
All species of mammals use pheromones to communicate with others of their kind. They do so by releasing a chemical signal which targets the olfactory organs in those of the same species. We see this in our daily lives with our own pets.
Dogs and cats use pheromones to alert one another of an array of emotions such as fear, anger, aggression, calmness, relaxation, and affection. When we see our cats casually rubbing the side of their face along the corner of the wall or couch, they are actually releasing a pheromone from their cheek gland to let us, and any cats nearby, know that they are at ease and feel safe. [Read more…]
