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Pets First Monthly
September 2021
BACK-TO- SCHOOL SEASON CAN BE FULL OF SURPRISES Even if It Includes an ER Visit
Fall is a beautiful time of year, but there’s no season like back-to-school season. If you’re a parent like me, you get to see your kids enter a new chapter of their life every year. I’m also sure many parents can relate when I say that back-to-school season can be one of the most stressful changes in the family, too!
didn’t really want to inconvenience anyone. I was lucky I had experienced issues with my appendix at a young age because, without that experience, I might not have realized right away that we needed to rush to the emergency room. So, we hopped in the car, took off for the hospital, and sure enough, he had appendicitis. The next morning, he had a brief operation to get it removed, and we chatted about why it’s so important to share how you’re feeling with others. It was a close call but we got lucky! This year, back-to-school season will be very exciting (though hopefully not as exciting as an ER operation!). My oldest son is now going into fifth grade, my middle son going to first grade, and my youngest daughter starting preschool. My daughter will get to ride the bus with her big brothers, and that will be a whole event for her. At least, it was for me as a middle child when I got to ride the bus with my sister! I hope my kids continue to love school as much as they do now. I know I did. I like to say that’s why I was in school for so long, and it all flew by so quickly. Thanks for reading, everyone. Here’s to enjoying the moment, no matter what kind of unexpected back-to-school complications come up!
You’d think that buying school supplies is all you need to do so your kids are ready for school. As a kid, all I remember is being super excited to see my friends and start
learning again, even if I was a little apprehensive about entering a new grade. But I never hid my feelings of being sick or unwell, like my oldest son did on his first day of third grade. The day started well enough — he got out of bed, excited, and left for school feeling pretty good. But, as the day went on, he started to feel very sick in his lower stomach. By the time I got home from work, he told me how he was feeling and how it started later in the day. “Did you tell anyone?” I asked.
–Dr. Emily Saunders
“No,” he said. He has a very sweet, self-responsible personality and
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Border Collie Corner
4 Reasons Annual Pet Exams Are Vital
Why It’s Smart This Time of Year Allergy Testing — Does My Pet Need It? Does My Pet Need It? Fall allergies are common not only for humans, but also for pets —which is why our allergen testing service becomes so popular this time of year. Any animal can have allergies, but we can help your dogs and cats with allergies quite effectively. Reactions to allergies can manifest in your pet’s health in several ways (not dissimilar from humans): coughing, sneezing, watery eyes, diarrhea, rashes, dry skin or patches, decreased energy, and more. To help your pet live their best life, consider giving them a blood allergy test. What happens during and after a blood allergy test? To get your pet tested for allergies, please contact us to set up an appointment for us to examine your pet and make sure allergy testing is the next best step. We will then proceed with drawing blood for the allergy test. Then, we’ll send it to a lab and find out what allergens your pet is reacting to. They will test your pet’s blood sample against different things such as grasses, pollen, trees, fungi, and dust. From there, the company will give us the results, and we’ll inform you and recommend an allergy treatment that will hopefully work best for your pet. Allergy treatments start with either allergy injections that pet owners will give to their pets (a full demonstration will be given on how to do so, of course) or oral drops to put into your pet’s mouth. Treatments for the oral drops would be once daily long term, and for the injections initially, they would be more frequent but eventually would work down to once monthly. Allergy injections or oral drops will help desensitize the pet toward allergens. These methods can both work great, and we often see improvement in 70%–80% of patients. This method of testing is another option for pet owners who have tried every other option but still have pets that struggle with allergies. If you think your pet needs an allergy test, don’t hesitate to give us a call right away — our team will ensure your pet gets the clinical support they need.
Hi newsletter friends! I hope you’re all having a great, amazing, stupendous start of your fall season. I just turned 2 years old, so this month, I want to talk about the importance of annual pet exams! Just like an annual physical for people, annual exams for pets are very important for preventative care and to ensure your pet is living an overall healthy life. Here’s why!
No. 1: Accelerated aging speeds disease development. We all know pets don’t live as long as people do, but a pet’s body ages
Herbed Sweet Pup-tato Fries
Inspired by Food.com and GoodPetFoodKitchen.com.au
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much faster than most pet owners expect. For every year you age, your dog’s body ages seven years.
With accelerated aging, health problems develop much more quickly than they would in a human — for example, diabetes. These impacts on their health can be sudden and often occur before you realize your furry best friend is unwell.
No. 2: Ongoing pain isn’t always obvious. With certain pets, owners can understand a little “grumpiness” as part of their pet’s personality. It’s understandable to not always assume that there’s something wrong. However, keep in mind that showing weakness or vulnerabilities is often against a pet’s natural instincts for survival. Annual exams help pets go through routine tests that ensure they aren’t in pain and unable to communicate it. No. 3: Save time and money with early detection. If I had money, I’d spend it all on my favorite treats. So, I think your pet would appreciate it if you had a little extra money to use for treats, too! With annual exams, any developing medical conditions or diseases can be caught and treated early, saving you money from a potential surgery in the future. No. 4: Prolong your pet’s life. A visit every year can help ensure your pet is in tip-top shape and prolong their life, giving you extra time with your best friend. There’s no price tag I could put on that, even if I tried. Thanks for reading, friends. Don’t feel bad if you haven’t brought your pet in for an exam lately — just give us a call and the best vets in the whole world will take care of you! Disclaimer: I might be biased as they pet and care for me every day. Many herbs in your late summer garden are beneficial for your dog’s health. These easy sweet potato fries are the perfect vessel to deliver those benefits to your canine friend. INGREDIENTS • 1 yam or sweet potato, plus your choice of dog-safe spice combination Spice Combinations Italian-Inspired Blend to Help With Pet Arthritis • 1 tsp dried or 1 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped • 1 tsp dried or 1 tbsp fresh oregano, finely chopped Warming Blend to Help Regulate Blood Sugar and Improve Dental Health • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon • 1/4 tsp ground coriander DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 250 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. Cut yam or sweet potato into fries by slicing it lengthwise into 1/3- inch slabs. Then, slice each slab lengthwise into 1/3-inch rectangles. 3. Place fries onto the baking sheet in a single, well-spaced layer. Sprinkle your herbs of choice on top. 4. Bake for 3 hours. Let cool, then serve as a treat to your pup.
2 Fun Family Card Games to Play With 1 Deck Whether you’re hanging out at home or camping with the family, card games are a great way to relax. A single deck is versatile and easy to pack, so if you have one on hand, try these two games that go beyond the classics like War and Go Fish. 1. Slapjack (2+ Players, No Jokers): The goal of this War-style game is to win all of the cards. To start, deal all of the cards face down, then have everyone form their cards into a pile without looking at them. Each player then flips a card face up into the center. Continue doing this until one of the cards played is a jack. When that happens, the first person to slap the jack wins it and the cards beneath! They add them to their deck, and play continues until one player has all of the cards. To keep things interesting, if you accidentally slap a card that isn’t a jack, you have to give up one of your cards to the player with that pile, and if you run out of cards, you can reenter the game by slapping the very next jack. 2. Spar (2–4 Players, No Ace of Spades or Cards Below 6): This easy game is played with just 35 cards, and the object is to win the last round (aka trick). To start, deal five cards to each player. Then, have the person to the left of the dealer lay one of their cards face up. Each person in the circle then plays a card in the same suit if they can or another suit if they can’t. Whoever has the highest card in the original suit wins the trick and starts the next one! The winner of the fifth trick wins the game. If you want to keep score, award three points if the winning card is a six, two points if it’s a seven, and one point if it’s an eight or higher. Then play again! We found these games on BicycleCards.com, but you can learn about them and dozens of others by checking out “The Ultimate Book of Family Card Games” by Oliver Ho from your local library.
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1031 Kacena Road Hiawatha, IA 52233 www.PetersenPetHospital.com 319-743-0554
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Inside This Issue
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An ER Visit on the First Day of Third Grade
PRIMARY
BLACK How Can Allergy Testing Make My Life Easier? Why Are Annual Exams Important? 50% BLACK
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Herbed Sweet Pup-tato Fries 2 Fun Family Card Games to PlayWith 1 Deck
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SECONDARY
Willie the Parrot: The Ultimate Danger Alarm
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WILLIE THE PARROT: The Ultimate Danger Alarm
Willie the Quaker parrot was a pretty remarkable bird. Like many parrots, he had a knack for mimicking certain sounds and words, including barking dog noises, human kissing noises, and a fair share of swear words. However, what made Willie a hero one day was not just what he said, but also when he said it. Meagan Howard, Willie’s owner, brought him over to her friend Samantha Kuusk’s house while she babysat Kuusk’s little daughter, Hannah. Hannah and Willie were both in the kitchen while Meagan prepared a Pop-Tart for Hannah’s breakfast. After placing the Pop-Tart on the table, Meagan stepped away to use the bathroom. While she was away, however, Hannah got her hands on the Pop-Tart and began to scarf it down, lodging a piece in her windpipe. She started choking and was unable to signal to Meagan that something was wrong. Luckily, Willie came to the rescue. Willie began squawking and shrieking, saying the words “Mama! Baby!” over and over again. In a matter of moments, Meagan knew something was wrong. She rushed to the kitchen to find a very frantic Willie and a very blue Hannah.
Meagan jumped into action. She grabbed Hannah and performed the Heimlich maneuver
until the Pop-Tart piece dislodged itself and shot out of her mouth.
Meagan may have been the one to stop Hannah from choking, but she insists
that Willie was the real hero of the story. If he hadn’t used his unique mimicking skills to get Meagan’s attention, she doesn’t know what would have happened. It’s worth noting that before that incident, Willie had never used the phrase “Mama! Baby!” before. He knew something was wrong, and he knew how to get help.
Shortly after the incident, Willie received the local Red Cross chapter’s Animal Lifesaver Award for his heroic actions.
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