Harmony Animal Hospital's Blog
Halloween Hazards & Tips
Going trick-or-treating with your pet? Be sure both of you wear reflectors for safety. Watch your pet for signs of stress (heavy panting and anxious expression). And be kind: don’t share your Halloween candy with your pet. An upset stomach can occur, or even worse, your pet can get poisoned from too much chocolate.
Other than that, have a howlin’ good time!
We have a great assortment of Halloween costumes and halloween themed toys for your pet available every October. Check them out.
If you take a few simple precautions, Halloween can be fun and safe for both you and your pet. It’s another way to treat your pet as part of the family.
Picking out a special costume to dress up your pet and take him trick-or-treating is lots of fun. Make it a special adventure for you both. Take your pet with you only if he enjoys other people and strange sights and sounds. Keep him on a leash at all times. Fit his costume so that it is comfortable and be sure to supervise him so he doesn’t get tangled up in any part of it. When you’re walking in the dark, be careful to wear something reflective or flashing so that motorists will see both of you. And remember that all of the goodies you receive are for you alone; candy, and especially chocolate, can be harmful to pets. You can pick up some dog safe cookies at Harmony so your pet doesn’t feel left out! 
Happy Halloween everyone!
CPR & First Aid Class October 15th 2015
Why Preventing Heartworm Disease Can Save Your Pets Life
If you’re just moving down to this area, or are just now getting your first dog or cat, you need to know about heartworm disease and prevention. In South Florida all dogs and cats should be on preventative all year long (in your local area, please check with your veterinarian for instructions). Heartworms, a potentially deadly problem, are spread by the pesky mosquito, and you know we have plenty of those! You have a choice of either a monthly oral or topical medication. There’re even products that combine monthly heartworm prevention with monthly flea prevention (Sentinel, a tablet; or Revolution, a topical). Ask us to test your pet today and then start on prevention right away. It’s the least you can do for a friend.
What is Heartworm?
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Heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis or D. immitis) is a parasite and is transmitted by mosquitoes.
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It can be found in most areas of the country where mosquitoes breed.
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When a mosquito bites an infected animal, the heartworm larvae are ingested along with the blood.
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Larvae mature to the infective stage within the body of the mosquito then are transmitted to a dog or cat through another mosquito bite.
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Once inside the host animal, heartworms travel to the lungs and the right side of the heart, where they can grow and mate for several years.
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Adult heartworms reside in the pulmonary arteries, or right heart if large amount of worms are present and can grow to a length of 5-to-12 inches in dogs and 5-to-8 inches in cats.
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Fatigue
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Nonproductive cough
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Difficulty breathing
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Exercise intolerance
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Weight loss
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Difficulty breathing
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Coughing and chronic vomiting
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Occasional collapse
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Weight loss
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Lethargy
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Rapid heart rate
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Convulsions
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Sudden death
Prevention is the key. They are oral prevention, topical preventions and there are ones that combine heartworm prevention with flea/tick control, intestinal parasites and more. We would be happy to answer any questions that you may have. Just give us a call at 561-746-5501 or email us fetch@petvets.com