During this season of Thanksgiving, we want to express our gratitude to you, the amazing pet owners!   Thank you for supporting our small business over the years.  We hope you all have a safe and fun Thanksgiving.  We have some tips to share to help keep your furry companions safe, happy and healthy next week! 

1.Interaction With Other Pets:  If your pet will be boarded somewhere or will be interacting with other animals, make sure he is up to date on his vaccines.  If your pooch will be interacting with other dogs, he should not only have his core vaccines, but also the social vaccines like Bordetella (Kennel Cough) and CIV (Flu Vaccine).  Not sure if your pooch has these vaccines?  If you are already a client at SDMVC, download our app to see what vaccines your pet has. 
Our App: https://vitusvet.com/pet-owners/

Need to get your pets updated, schedule an appointment here.  

2. ​ Travel: Whether you are going across town or to another state, traveling can be stressful for our pets.  A pet carrier with pheromones is a simple way to help your pet remain calm during travel.  If your pet gets sick or has major anxiety during travel, contact us.  We can help.  

3. Guests in the Home:  Having extra people in the home can be overwhelming for our pets.  Designate a crate or quiet room for her to retreat to.  Play soft music and give her an interactive toy, such as a kong filled with peanut butter to help them feel more at ease.  Swing by the clinic to check out our supply on interactive toys! 

4.  Probiotics:  The holidays always cause a disruption in the daily routine.  Did you know 70% of your pet’s immune system is in the gut. When disruptions occur your furry friend is more likely to have soft stools and is more prone to illness.  Giving probiotics is a great way to strengthen your pet’s immune system.  Starting it now before the holiday and continuing it until things are back to normal will help your dog or cat stay healthy.  We have probiotics available that are as simple as sprinkling it over their food each day.  You can find it on our online store or we have it available in our clinic.  

5.  Food & Snacks: Especially with guests in the home, make sure your pets don’t get anything to eat that will make them sick.  Most people know chocolate is toxic to our pets, but did you know an artificial sweetener called xylitol can be deadly to our pets? It is found in many types of desserts and candies.  Turkey may seem safe, but it can be just rich enough to cause an upset stomach or worse, pancreatitis.  Pet Poison Helpline is a 24- hour resource if your pet gets into something toxic.