Vaccinating Your Pet
Before Boarding

The holidays are upon us and that means families will be traveling and pets will be boarded. So, why it is significant to have your pet vaccinated before being boarded? Click the video to hear Dr. Ali Guidry explain the importance of vaccinating your pet beforehand.
Holiday Plants And Your Pets

People love to decorate with holiday foliage and it's common to give or receive a beautiful plant as a gift. However, dogs and cats are often likely to chew and nibble at plants and this can be dangerous. Dogs and cats don’t digest plant material very well, so even ‘non-toxic’ plants can cause some upset stomach and vomiting. The danger in ingesting plants comes when the plant contains a toxin or has an abrasive surface that can damage the intestinal wall.

The toxicity of plants is generally dose-dependent, so cats and small dogs are more easily affected. If you know your cat or dog already has the habit of eating your houseplants, then you definitely want to make sure you place your Christmas plants out of reach of your pet.
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOUR PET EATS ONE OF THESE PLANTS?
  • Never give your pet any medications to stop the vomiting or diarrhea without speaking to your veterinarian first. The vomiting may actually be helping your pet get rid of the toxic substance.
  • Do offer water to your pet, but do not try to force them to drink it. Distressed pets may inadvertently bite you if your hands are in their mouth when they become ill.
  • For mild vomiting and diarrhea, you can offer your pet some plain, boiled chicken and plain white rice for one or two meals. Mix 2 parts rice with one part chicken. No salt, butter, or seasonings.
  • Call your veterinarian if you notice anything from the following list.

YOU SHOULD ALWAYS SPEAK TO A VETERINARIAN IF:
  • Your pet has vomited more than 3 times in 3 hours.
  • Your pet has had diarrhea for more than 24 hours.
  • Your pet has ingested any of these plants and is showing symptoms of illness.
  • You see blood in your pet’s vomit-may be bright red or have the appearance of coffee grounds.
  • You see blood in your pet’s stool-may be bright red, red jelly-like consistency, or black stools.
  • Your pet is lethargic, hiding, refusing food, or having accidents in the house.
  • Your pet has passed out, does not respond to your voice, or is having seizures.
Our Holiday Mission
Thank you to our community and coworkers for your help and support in our Operation Christmas Child mission! We are excited to once again share the joy of Christmas with children all over the world. We appreciate you from the bottom of our hearts!
 Employee Of The Month

Our November Employee of the Month was Diana of our Pet Resort. In short, she is amazing! Always so willing to help where needed and never hesitates to go above and beyond for a pet or coworker in need. We're so proud to have this lady on our team!!!
Don't forget your pet's
 Flea and Heartworm Prevention!
The Expanding Blob Of Glue
If you're a "do it yourself-er", chances are you have several glues sitting around your craft station. Did you know that Gorilla Glue and other polyurethane glues are very dangerous for dogs- and extremely tempting? Dogs are attracted to these glues by their sweet smell and taste. Eating or licking even a small amount can result in a big problem... a stomach obstruction that will require surgery to remove. The glue reacts to the liquids in a dog's stomach causing it to quickly expand and harden into a mass that they can not vomit or pass. Keep these glues well out of reach and clean up an spills immediately!
Giving In To Their Hunger Strike
If your cat starts eating less (or not at all), they could be stressed out , bored with the menu, sick, or in pain. It’s important to find out the cause quickly because a cat that’s not eating well could wind up with hepatic lipidosis, or “fatty liver disease.”
When a cat isn’t taking in enough calories for normal body function, their body will move stored fat to the liver so that it can be converted into energy. If a cat goes without enough food for too long, and enough fat is moved to the liver, the liver cells can become damaged by the fat and the liver will begin to fail. Because of their abundance of fat storage, overweight and obese cats are at significantly higher risk of hepatic lipidosis when they go on a hunger strike.

If your cat ever turns up their nose at their food bowl or goes on a hunger strike, there are a few tricks you can try to tempt their appetite. Start with some extra-stinky canned food. Warm the food gently in the microwave—not too hot!— or add warm tap water. This can help bring out the stink, which is enticing to cats. Try sprinkling FortiFlora®, a particularly tasty probiotic for cats, nutritional yeast, or a little Parmesan cheese on their food. These can act as taste enhancers for some cats. But take note: If your cat’s appetite doesn’t perk up within 24 hours, it’s time for a trip to the vet!
L afayette Veterinary Care Center
337-984-7611
info@LafayetteVets.com