DEVELOP A PLAY RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR PET!

The kids aren't the only ones who need to be entertained during this time of social distancing. This week we have dedicated our time to providing you with some tools to ensuring your pet is happy and entertained at home.

Aim for a happy and fulfilled pet not just a tired pet!

It is not necessary or advisable to exercise pets until exhaustion. The old saying that a tired pet is a good pet is not necessarily in the best interest of the pet. Over exercising may physically exhaust but not mentally engage a pet. Mental stimulation through exploratory and social activities provides for enrichment and meets more of the pet’s needs. A well- exercised pet is likely to develop more and more endurance. In essence we are creating a marathon runner rather than meeting a pet’s social and exploratory needs. Moderate exercise is good; strenuous exercise is not necessary.

In young animals, the stress of excessive exercise on developing joints can be detrimental and in older pets it can cause pain or discomfort if arthritis is present.

What does this mean? Pay attention to the mental aspect of your pet's walks. New sights, sounds, and smells are intriguing for most pets, especially if introduced to walks and novelty when young. Be engaged with and observant of their pet during walks. This is an activity to do together! Taking small food treats on walks allows you, the pet owner to reinforce desired behaviour and helps reinforce the bond between you and your pet.

Here are a few tips to help keep you and your canine buddy entertained and happy. Some of these tips can also be used for your feline buddy as well!

Mental stimulation is essential and it can be surprisingly tiring. Think about how you feel after a long day at work. Here are a few things to try at home.

#1 – Make them work for their food! Treat dispensing toys or puzzle feeders Food-Storing Toys - Fill the toy with anything from wet food, treats, kibble and even a bit of peanut butter. **Be mindful of your dog's dietary sensitivities. During the pandemic, now is not the time to also be dealing with an upset stomach**

#2 Play time Now is the time to teach your dog to play fetch! Otherwise, find a toy that your dog enjoys and have some fun! Tug of war is a great way to expend energy. ** Always supervise play time with your dog**

#3 Training Have you always wanted to have a dog that could roll over, shake a paw or maybe even bring you a beer? Now is the time to teach them! Several short training sessions a day provide cognitive enrichment.

Develop a play relationship with your pet!

Social play with other pets is something we normally focus on but social play with people is more important for fostering a social relationship between the pet and pet owner. Studies have shown that dogs prefer human company to that of other dogs. So if you're unable to go to the dog park right now, its a GREAT time to focus on and strengthen the human-animal bond!

Cats and dogs need to learn how to interact and play with their owners. Developing a play relationship based on trust and understanding will facilitate a strong bond between you and your pet. Some of the best types of play are with long tug toys or wand-type toys. This allows both you and your pet to engage in play. Appropriate play with a tug toy will not make a dog aggressive.
**Play needs to be modified appropriately to prevent over arousal and possible accidental injury** Read these guidelines on how to implement "tug" into your pet's routine.

Try these "Find It" games at home!

Download File

Teaching cats and dogs how to search for their food or even for a favourite toy can make for great fun. Cats naturally eat numerous small meals in a day and spend a majority of their day hunting. We can provide an outlet for this activity through the find-it game outlined in the downloadable handouts here. The exercise is slightly different for cats and dogs. Many animals when given a choice to solve a puzzle to get food versus eating it from a bowl will choose the puzzle. There is a term for this called contra-freeloading. Exploratory activities should appeal to our pets’ senses, such as sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. Providing appropriate exploratory activities for our feline and canine friends is enriching both mentally and physically.

Click on the pictures below to download the file.

Cats are natural predators! Cats learn predatory behaviour at an early age. Predatory behaviour is the reason cats play with wand - type toys. Here is a great game to play with your cat.

You are your pet's best friend!

Have fun and enjoy this opportunity to spend more time with them. Send us your stories or pictures of you playing with your furry friend to our Facebook or Instagram accounts or reception@macvets.com

References : Fear Free Pets www.fearfreepets.com

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Itchy Pet Awareness Month

By CY Mac • 03 Aug, 2023

August is Itchy Pet Awareness Month! This month was created to help unite pet owners and veterinarians in managing pets with skin conditions. We want to empower pet owners with the resources to identify signs of concern in their pets, and get the veterinary care they need to provide rapid and lasting itch relief. Did you know that allergic/atopic dermatitis (dry, itchy, inflamed skin) is the number one reason for veterinary visits? Even knowing this there are still an alarmingly large number of pets that go untreated by a veterinarian every year, often simply because owners are unaware of what to look for. Your pet’s itch could be caused by: Flea allergy Environmental indoor and outdoor allergens Food allergy Contact allergy Parasites such as fleas and mites Bacterial or yeast infections Remember, all pets will scratch, lick, bite, and rub. But if it is becoming more frequent or excessive, it may be a sign of an allergic itch. Signs of Itch Include: Excessive scratching. Biting, chewing, rubbing or scooting Frequent licking Recurrent ear problems Hair loss Body odor Skin changes Because the frequency at which something occurs is subjective and will vary depending on who you ask, we often refer to the Canadian Academy of Veterinary Dermatology Itch Scale . It is an incredibly helpful tool for us to be able to objectively measure the severity of itching. Early treatment is always preferred in these types of cases. Severe, prolonged scratching can damage the bond between pets and their owners by interfering with normal activities and increasing stress in pets themselves. It’s not uncommon that pet owners will experience stress, anxiety, and frustration about their pets itch. Especially when they know their pet is uncomfortable but aren’t sure how to help. Check out our Dermatology Page for more information and resources. If your pet is itching for help, don’t wait. Reach out to the M.A.C. team today at 905-208-9933 or at reception@macvets.com to see how to get help for your pet’s itch, fast.

Will My Pet Get Bored of Eating the Same Food?

By CY Mac • 20 Jul, 2023

Will My Pet Get Bored of Eating the Same Food?

Hot Weather Safety Tips

By CY Mac • 20 Jul, 2023

Many people love spending the long, warm days of summer outside with our canine companions, but being outside without the proper precautions in hot weather can be dangerous for our pets. Here are some of our top tips for keeping your pup cool in the heat: Adjust your walking routine Aim to go for walks either early in the morning, or later at night when it’s cooler. If you do choose to walk during the day, remember to check the temperature of the pavement. A good rule of thumb is that if it’s too hot for you to walk on it comfortably in bare feet, then it’s too hot for your puppy's paws! Provide lots of fresh, cool water Dogs can get dehydrated quickly, and it is therefore important to ensure there is always water easily accessible. Remember to take some on the go with you, even for just short walks. Provide cool surfaces to lie on A cool, damp towel is an inexpensive and easy solution. Reduce the amount of walking and exercise Even though it is tempting to keep our little ones' routine the same, their safety is more important. Providing activities indoors such as puzzle feeders or long lasting lick toys will help to keep them calm and occupied. Provide water playtime Try setting up a sprinkler or kiddie pool (preferably in the shade) to let them play in while supervised. Prevent sunburn Did you know that dogs can get sunburnt too? Those more prone are those with no hair, with white or thin coats, and dogs with light pigmented noses and eyelids. Applying a pet safe sunscreen or keeping them indoors is best.