Oh No! I have to pill my cat!

We all know that cats are difficult to pill. Here are some helpful ways to make it easier and take the anxiety out of medicating our feline friends.


1. Pill Pockets. These are great if your cat loves treats. It is a soft pocket that you place the pill in and conform around the pill to hide it. They come in chicken or salmon flavors.

2. FlavorX. Most pills can be compounded into a liquid and flavored to your cat's liking.
Flavors range from tuna, fish chowder and chicken pot pie.

3. Felovite and a syringe. We remove the tip off a 3-ml syringe and pull the plunger back. Squeeze a bit of Felovite into syringe then hide the pill in it. Open your cat's mouth and quickly push the plunger to administer the pill and Felovite.


Ask one of our trusty technicians which option would be best for you and your cat.

Have you pet-proofed your house?

Here are some ways to protect your pet

** Plants- There are lots of plants that we have in our households that can spell trouble for our pets should they get into them. Examples:lilies, azaleas or philodendron are all toxic to dogs and cats. Placing your potted plants out of reach and keeping an eye on your pets when they go into the yard are precautionary steps that can be taken. Furthermore, never use cocoa mulch- it contains caffeine and theobromine which are both potentially deadly to dogs. You can visit http://warreneckstein.com/pet-tips/poisons.html/ and click on "Pet Tips" or the ASPCA website (http://aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/plants/) to access a more extensive list on dangerous plants.

** Electrical Cords- Cats have been known to burn their mouths from chewing on electrical wires. They seem to be drawn to the cords because they can feel the electricity running through them- which may give them the same adrenaline rush as hunting prey. Safety measures that can be taken include unplugging your electronics when you aren't using them or decoying wires with tubing to prevent chewing.

** Chew Toys- Imported treats can sometimes be contaminated with salmonella or chemicals. Make sure the goodies are American-made and be aware of how the product(s) are handled and shipped.

Adopt-a-Shelter-Dog Month

Animal shelters are vibrant and exciting places to go; barking, bustling, and busy. You'll find wonderful animals, many choices for your new companion. Our shelter employees have a wealth of information and experience to offer you about offer you about selecting the right pet for your family. You'll also find a pet adoption process that's designed to find a good home for our pets and a good pet for your home.

Our shelter employees will ask a number of questions about you; your pet experience and what you expect from the pet; questions you may not have expected Some people feel that it's harder to adopt a pet than a child, but we want to insure our pets find good homes and our citizens find the right pet. So hang in there; adopting a pet is worth it.

If you are ready to make a commitment to the right pet, not only will you save a life, you'll enhance your own. People with pets live longer and recover from illness faster than people who have none. Kids with pets learn empathy earlier than other kids. Research suggests that kids with pets handle family tragedy, such as divorce, better, too and may have fewer problems with allergies.

The Frederick Animal Control Center (FCAC) cares for abandoned and relinquished animals through funding from Frederick County Government. Each year, several thousand animals come into the shelter. While a few hundred of these pets are eventually reunited with their owners, the remaining thousands need new homes. Because the FCAC accepts all unwanted, injured, stray and sick animals in the County, we are often unable to find homes for all the pets in need.

How to Adopt

Find the pet of your dreams, bring your family to the shelter to meet the pet and fill out an application to adopt.

Make an appointment with an adoption counselor the following day. In the meantime we check references you provide.

Our adoption counselors will give you information on integrating your new pet into your household. If we've found a good match, you will pay adoption fees and take your pet home. If your pet is not yet altered, our vets will perform the surgery here at the shelter BEFORE you take your pet home

Interesting Book

"Psychologist Alexandra Horowitz has a new book dog lovers will want to check out. The PhD in cognitive science calls her book "Inside Of A Dog: What Dogs See, Smell And Know". In it, she attempts to show what the world is like from a dog's point of view. A review may be found at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/13/books/review/Schine-t.html?ref=science."

Owners Resemble Their Pets

"A fun New York Times slide show of dog owners and the pets they resemble is now available on-line. Check it out at http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2009/08/11/health/20090811_dogsowners_userslideshow_index.html"

What is Leptospirosis and why should I vaccinate my dog for it?

A question we technicians hear often while we are setting up a dog for it's annual checkup is - "What is the leptospirosis vaccine?"

Probably why most clients don't recognize the name is because when our dogs are puppies, the leptospirosis (lepto for short) vaccine is given in a combo vaccine along with distemper, adenovirus, parainfluenza and parvo. In the veterinary profession we call this combo vaccine simply "distemper", when in truth they are vaccinated against several diseases. Then, at the dog's one year physical exam, we say they are due for their distemper and lepto, and you are wondering where this mysterious lepto has come from! To explain, the "distemper" vaccine is still vaccinating your loved one against distemper, adenovirus, and parvo. At Kingsbrook Animal Hopsital we want to assure that we are not overvaccinating pets and for this reason, once dogs reach the one year mark (provided they recieved the correct puppy series while young) the "distemper" vaccine will only be boostered every three years for the rest of their lives. However studies have shown that the lepto portion of the vaccine, previously given in the combo during puppyhood, is not effective for as long and needs to be boostered every year. So starting at one year, they recieve the vaccines seperately and on different schedules. Lepto is considered a core vaccination, yet is not given in all areas or even recommended in all hospitals.

Which leads to your next two questions- why is it highly recommended at KAH and what exactly IS IT!

Leptospirosis is a type of bacteria highly prevelant in our area that can affect both dogs and humans. The disease caused by this bacteria can quickly infect both the kidneys and the liver. Leptospirosis can be difficult to diagnose because the symptoms that it causes to the liver and kidneys could be caused by many kinds of diseases. There is also the possiblity to get false negative results for specific tests that can be done even in the acute phase of the disease. Lepto can be contracted by direct or indirect contact with the skin or mucous membranes with an infected animal's urine or by direct organism ingestion. Carriers of lepto include rodents, cattle, swine, racoons, opossums, and several other animal species.
Treatment for this disease is supportive care and antibiotics, however it is very expensive and, as mentioned before, difficult to diagnose.
Considering this, PREVENTION would be best and inexpensive in light of the difficulties to correctly dianose and treat this disease. Please feel free to ask our staff if you have any questions or concerns about leptospirosis and the vaccine that we administer here at KAH!

Redskins Fan

"Mommy likes Ravens, Daddy likes the Redskins--guess who dressed me today?!--Jake Davis"