CJ and Rex Talk about Dog Flu

Hi y’all! CJ here, and I’ve got my good pal, Rex, with me! This month we’re here with some serious business. Have you ever heard of dog flu? If not, don’t worry, Rex and I didn’t know about it either. Did we, Rex? 

Rex: Woof woof, no! I just found out about it from my sick buddy, woof woof. He had dog flu something awful, but luckily Dr. Kothmann made him all better.

CJ: Oh Rex, that’s such a relief. I heard if it’s taken care of properly it’s not terribly dangerous, but if not, it can cause pneumonia. 

Rex: Woof woof yeah, it’s no fun. I’ve also heard it’s real catchy. I’m scared to go anywhere… woof woof.

CJ: Well, Rex the good news is Bulverde Animal Hospital is requiring all dogs who board there be vaccinated for dog flu. That will really help prevent the spread of the flu. You should have your mom and dad take you down to Bulverde for your vaccine. It’s just two shots. 

Rex: Ouch! I don’t like shots, they hurt.

CJ: It’s okay, Rex. The vaccination lasts an entire year AND it means you won’t get dog flu. I think you’d much rather get a little pinch than a full blown sickness. 

Rex: You’ve got that right, CJ. Woof woof! Where do I sign up?

CJ: Have your parents bring you to Bulverde Animal Hospital, they will take good care of you. Stay healthy! P.S. See the fine print below from Bulverde Animal Hospital!

“As of November 1, 2017 we will require all boarding dogs to be vaccinated for the canine flu. The initial vaccination requires two doses, given 2 to 4 weeks apart. When making boarding reservations, please make plans on doing the initial flu vaccine 2 weeks prior to your boarding reservation. This way we are able to do the final vaccination when you drop off for boarding. Thereafter, an annual booster is recommended for continued protection. It is important for your pet to have an exam prior to each vaccine. If we have given your pet, their annual vaccinations during the past year, we are going to wave the exam fee to help with the cost of this new protocol. We will be giving this complementary exam until January 1, 2018. The cost of this vaccine is $33.77 per dose.”

Keeping Pets Safe and Cool During the Hot Summer

Well, it’s that time of year again – it’s HOT outside! This time of year I love hanging out in the air conditioned living room where it’s cool and comfortable! Howdy all, it’s CJ and I’m hanging out with my friend Rex thinking about how lucky we are to be spending time in a nice, cool house. How about it, Rex? “Woof, I like being outside…. woof woof!” You like being outside in the heat, Rex? “Yup, I can watch the birds and chase the squirrels. It’s boring inside. Woof!” Fair enough! I just don’t know how you do it - it’s unbelievably hot out there.  This is probably a good subject for all of our friends to hear about, listen up guys!

“It’s really hot woof woof, but my mom makes sure I stay nice and safe in the shade!” How does she do that, Rex? “I hang out under the trees in the backyard – perfect for bird watching, woof!” Oh that’s smart, Rex. “Yup, my mom also got me a cool dog house –it’s big and shaded. She keeps fresh treats and cool water in there for me.” Wow, Rex you’re one lucky dog! “Yup, I am woof woof!” Let’s hope everyone’s parents take such good care of them on the hot days of summer!

Friends, keep in mind, if you ever get too much sun and you feel sick, make sure your mom or dad brings you to Bulverde Animal Hospital in Bulverde TX! “Good thinking, CJ! Woof, woof! Now it’s time for a snack in the shade.”

CJ and Rex Talk about Heartworm

Hi Everyone, CJ and Rex here! We’re very excited because spring is almost here! Right Rex? “Yeah, woof woof! I like the sunshine and flowers and warm weather… and treats!” Treats? Rex, what does spring have to do with treats? “I dunno, I just like ‘em.” Alright well, the reason we’re here today is to talk to our friends about heartworm. It’s a scary thing and with spring right around the corner we want to make sure all of our friends are aware of how heartworm disease can be prevented. “Woof yeah we do! Better safe than sorry!” That’s right Rex!

I’m not sure how many of you know this, but the bite of an infected mosquito can cause heartworm. Since it’s impossible to tell which of the millions of mosquitos in TX carry the disease, prevention is the best option! “Woof, how do you prevent it? Woof” Good question, Rex! I’ll give you a treat for that later! It’s pretty easily prevented with proper medications. A lot of vets recommend being on the medication year round, then you’re always protected!

Rex, you and I are on heartworm prevention medication, so we’re all set, BUT not all of our friends are. I really think it’s our community duty to go around and remind all of our friends to have their mom and dad bring them to Dr. Kothmann at Bulverde Animal Hospital. He will put them on the right medication and make sure they’re getting the protection they need. Sounds like a good idea, woof woof! May I have my treat now?” Fine, Rex – all you think about is food! “Well, I’m protected from heartworm, so I don’t need to think about that.” Fair enough, Rex fair enough.

CJ and Rex Talk about Pancreatitis

Hi Everyone, CJ and Rex here! It's hard to believe it, but the holidays are quickly approaching. It's such an exciting and busy time of year! Rex, what's your favorite part of the holiday season? "The yummy food scraps... woof woof! Turkey, pie, stuffing - yumm!" Rex! We've been through this before - you shouldn't be eating table scraps because it can cause pancreatitis, which is no fun at all. "Pancreatitis? woof woof, what's that?" It's inflammation of the pancreas – in layman’s terms it’s a bad tummy ache that can be caused by eating human foods, i.e. cake, turkey, pie, stuffing. "Oh that's right, woof woof. I like food, so I always forget about (or try to ignore) tummy problems."

Rex, this year you really should be careful. You won't be able to enjoy the holiday season if you're eating human food and ending up with pancreatitis. Oh don't make that sad face at me! You'll be thanking me when you feel healthy and aren't throwing up! “Woof, woof yeah, I guess you're right.”

Well, if you end up not listening to me remember that Dr. Kothmann at Bulverde Animal Hospital is a great vet. While he may not be pleased if you eat human food and get sick, he will help you feel better soon. "Thanks CJ, but you're right, woof woof. No human food for me this year!"

CJ and Rex Talk about Spring Pet Allergies

Happy Spring, y’all! I am so excited for the warm weather and the upcoming summer! It’s me, your old pal CJ, and I have my bud, Rex, here with me today, per usual!

I just love spring – flowers, warm weather, longer days. It’s great isn’t it, Rex? “Achooo! Noooo, I don’t like spring. My allergies are something awful. Woof woof!” Oh Rex, I’m sorry to hear that – I guess you do look a mess. I mean you’re sneezing and your eyes are watering.” Gee, thanks CJ – woof woof.” Sorry Rex, I’m just stating the obvious. What’s going? What are you allergic to? “The list could go on and on… woof woof. The worst is the grass and plants… achooo!”

Well, that doesn’t sound like fun. “Nope, it’s not!” My brother, a golden retriever, has it worse though, he’s allergic to plants, grass AND fleas… woof woof. I’m hungry.” Rex, let’s stay on track, we will get a snack later. What are you two doing to get better? “Our mom took us to Bulverde Animal Hospital this morning. Dr. Kothmann gave her some great tips on how to make us better, fast!” What did he suggest? “Oh, a laundry list of things…

1. Run air filters in the house.
2. Don’t leave us in damp basements or garages – mold and dust can affect us!
3. Keep us inside while mowing the lawn.
4. Use a HEPA-filtered vacuum.
5. Wash our bedding with hot water and perfume free detergent.
6. The doctor also prescribed Bravecto to get rid of my brother’s fleas – it always does the trick!

My mom is at home washing our bedding now and vacuuming up a storm! I think it’s going to help a lot.” Great, I’m glad to hear it! You’re in good hands with Dr. Kothmann at Bulverde Animal Hospital.

Resource: 1800petmeds.com

Why is it Warm Out?

Hi y’all! CJ here, and as always, I have my buddy Rex with me. “Woof woof – hi! I’m hungry. Do you have any treats?” Oh Rex, no I don’t – if you want we will swing by Bulverde Animal Hospital later to see if they have any dog treats for you. “Woof, woof sounds good!”

Alright, now that we have treat talk out of the way, let’s get into why we’re really here today – it’s warm out! Usually at this time of year I’d be sitting inside by the fireplace, maybe catching a mouse or two in the basement, but not this year! The other day it was 70 degrees outside! It was so warm I was chasing mice in the fields next to my house. Rex, have you noticed a difference? “Yup, it’s warm – I like it. Woof woof! The warmness is making me itchy, I don’t like that.” Itchy? Rex, do you think you might have fleas? It’s definitely warm enough outside for them to be making an appearance! “Uh oh, yikes! I think I do, woof woof!” Oh Rex, it’s okay, just have your mom bring you over to Bulverde Animal Hospital. They will have you feeling like new again in a few days! “Woof woof, okay. Do you think it will be cold this summer?” Well, Rex at the pace things are going right now I don’t know what to expect!

Halloween Safety

Hi y’all! CJ here and, as always, I have my good pal Rex with me. Rex, it’s getting chilly at night! “Woof, yes it is! But I like it – it means Halloween is coming, woof woof! I like treats.” Yes it does, but remember Rex, Halloween isn’t always about fun and treats, it’s also the time of year porcupines and skunks come out to play, and I don’t know about you, but I don’t like playing with them. “Me either, stinky and poky!” The other day I was at Bulverde Animal Hospital and our friend Rufus, the little guy with the go lucky smile, well he was covered in porcupine quills, and it wasn’t a costume… “woof, woof ouch!” Yeah, Rufus is going to be uncomfortable for a few days, but Dr. Kothmann took good care of him. My story doesn’t end there, Rex… when I was leaving I got a strong whiff out of one of the examining rooms – turns out a local kitty cat got skunked. It smelled something terrible. “Yuck, P.U. that happened to me once. I smelled so bad no one wanted to spend time with me. “What did that teach you, Rex? “When I see a skunk I run the other way, and go home for a treat, woof woof.” Good plan, I hope Rufus does the same when he sees a porcupine. I’ve heard some buzz around the hospital that dogs and cats just aren’t staying away from these silly creatures, but pet owners are asked to keep an eye out and, if possible, keep them off their property. “Good luck with that one, woof! I’ll remind all of my buddies to steer clear of the poky and stinky animals!”