Dogs and cats have musk sacs located on either side of their anus, at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions, situated just under the skin.  These sacs connect to the anus by means of small canals or ducts and produce and store a dark, musky-smelling fluid.  These are the same type of organs that a skunk uses to scare away its enemies.

In many instances dogs and cats naturally express their anal sac fluid during regular bowel movements.  However, some dogs and cats, particularly small breed dogs, may have a more difficult time with regular expression.  Because the sacs are rarely emptied, the fluid builds up, solidifies, and becomes an ideal environment for bacteria to grow.  Fluid build up can become a problem, causing discomfort to your pet, possible infection, or even abscess.

Symptoms of anal sac disease are:

1.  Scooting or dragging the anal area.
2.  Excessive licking under the tail.
3.  Pain, sometimes severe, near the tail or anus.
4.  A swollen area on either side of the anus.
5.  Bloody or sticky drainage on either side of the anus.
6.  Vocalization during bowel movements
7. Severe lethargy, inappetence, and changes in behavior due to anal sac discomfort.

If you notice any of the above symptoms, schedule an appointment with the doctor to have your pet’s anal sacs examined.  Treatment can often be as easy as manually expressing the sacs.  But if the sacs have become impacted or infected, the glands may need to be flushed or antibiotics may be needed to clear the infection present.  In rare, recurring instances, it may be recommended to remove the anal sacs surgically.  But this is not recommended unless absolutely necessary due to the risk of complications.

For many years, veterinarians and clients have believed that the only way to feed a cat was to offer a single brand of dry food, free choice for the whole life of the cat.  Recent evidence shows that some of our previous beliefs about feline nutrition are incorrect.  See if you know the truth about feeding cats!

MYTH: Canned food is bad for your cat’s teeth and causes dental disease.
False:   While crunchy food that requires chewing certainly helps remove bacteria and biofilm from cat’s teeth, canned food in and of itself is not harmful to teeth and actually has many important benefits.  The best way to decrease dental disease in cats is to brush and/or use dental treats or dental rinses.

MYTH: Cats require higher protein amounts than dogs and humans.
True:   Cats are obligate carnivores.  Their natural food source would be small prey animals (such as mice) that are very high in protein and low in carbohydrates.  Cats should be fed foods that have >45% protein in them.  In addition, cats also hunt to catch small meals throughout the day.  This is the natural feeding style for cats - small meals several times a day.  Unlike dogs and humans, cats cannot derive all of their nutrient requirements from plant proteins.  They must have animal based proteins in their diet.  Without animal proteins, cats can suffer from blindness and potentially life-threatening cardiac diseases.

MYTH: If I leave food out for my cat, he/she will not get fat since he/she only eats a few kibbles at a time.
False:   Though it is true that cats often just eat little bits of food at any one time, these meals add up during the day and many cats consume more than the 180-200 Calories they actually need if food is left out in unregulated amounts.  Free choice feeding is okay, but it is very important that you measure portion size (using an 8oz measuring cup) for each cat.  In multi-cat households, meal feeding may be a better option so that you can control how much each cat eats and which diet (especially important if one cat needs a special diet later in life and the other cats do not).

MYTH: Spaying or neutering my cat will make her/him fat.
True (sort of):   After being spayed/neutered, due to several changes in hormones, the metabolism slows (requiring about 25% fewer calories than prior to the surgery) but appetite temporarily increases.  This is a period of time when many cats will gain weight that is difficult to get off later in life and can lead to problems such as pancreatitis, diabetes mellitus, heart disease, and joint disease - just as in humans.  It is important to prevent this by appropriately adjusting and controlling your cat’s food intake.

MYTH: Canned food is not healthy for my cat.
False:   Canned food has many benefits for felines.  Some of these include decreased risk of obesity and decreased incidence of many urinary diseases (such as bladder and kidney stones and inflammatory/UTI diseases of the bladder).  Canned foods often have higher water and protein contents that are essential for cats.  In addition, it can be easier to regulate caloric intake with canned foods than with some dry foods.

MYTH: My cat won’t eat a new type of food.
False (most of the time):   Offering a cat new food and then deciding they will not eat it after 2 or 3 days is not sufficient to transition a cat to a new diet.  Cats learn to accept what is and isn’t food when they are less than 6 months of age.  It is important to offer a variety of textures (canned, dry, various flavors) to young cats so that they are willing to accept these foods later in life.  However, cats are very finicky eaters and it may take 8-12 weeks to transition them to a new food (not just the 2-7 days often suggested). It is important to gradually offer the new food in increasing amounts while decreasing the amount of the old food.  Also, it is helpful to offer the old and new food in separate bowls and actually not mix them in a single bowl.  This helps cats adjust to new diets and many cats will eventually take to a new food even if they declined to eat it during the first week it is offered. 

Thanksgiving: 

Closed Thursday,
Nov 24th - Sun Nov 27.

Christmas and
New Years: 
No extra closures due to holiday being over weekend.

Bones: Any kind of bone can tear or obstruct your pet's intestinal tract. Bone shards can also get stuck in your dog's gums.

Fat and Salt: Salty and rich fatty foods, such as ham, gravy, and turkey skin can cause pancreatitis, an inflammation of a digestive gland. This can be very painful and serious, leading to hospitalization. Stomach upset, vomiting, and diarrhea can also occur from table food.

Onions and Onion Powder: Onions are toxic and can destroy a dog's red blood cells leading to anemia.

Grapes and Raisins: These contain toxins that can cause kidney failure.

Holiday Sweets: Candy, cookies, cakes, yeast dough, and especially chocolate can trigger life threatening illnesses.

Alcoholic beverages, nicotine, hot containers, plastic wrap, liquid potpourri, and sharp objects can also harm curious pets.

As always, watch for open doors with guests coming and going and make sure pets have a collar with tags and a microchip in case they slip out.

Provide a quiet place for shy pets who may not like the hustle and bustle of holiday celebrations.

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