Recently, the doctors and staff of the Emergency Pet Center made a generous donation on behalf of the Becker Animal Hospital to the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M University. The hope is that the donation will be used to help further veterinary medicine and biomedical sciences to help humans and their pets a chance at a longer, healthier life.

The Snowshoe-Siamese originated in the United States back in the 1960’s, and were differentiated from other Siamese cats by their snowy white feet. They are very rare, as it can be quite difficult to breed the correct coat markings to match that of the original Snowshoe cats.

These cats are known to be very kind and calm, enjoying the company of humans. And while Grumpy cat may not be 100% Snowshoe-Siamese, according to his owners, Grumpy cat Tard is actually not that grumpy!  He is said to be loveable, sweet, and quite affectionate. How about that!

For your viewing pleasure, we’ve uploaded just a few of our favorite Grumpy Cat Tard photos, as well as some great articles so you can learn more about this rare cat breed.

Resources:

• Cat Lovers Only (http://www.cat-lovers-only.com/snowshoe-cat-breed.html)
• Snowshoe Cat Club (http://www.snowshoecatclub.com/)
• (Video) Cats 101: Snowshoe (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j76cW_ZkYfQ)

The Secret to Encouraging Fitness – and Fun

It is a brand new year, and for many people that means making resolutions for a whole new ‘you.’ Diet, exercise, and life philosophies are renewed, but what about your pets?

Becker Animal Hospital & Pet Resort wants to help you successfully follow your health and fitness New Year’s resolutions by encouraging pet fitness and playtime, so your entire family can live better!

Many people find it difficult to continue to follow an exercise regimen a day, week, or month after making a resolution to try to be more healthy. And it is easy to see why – when we get into the habit of being inactive it can be tough to break out, because we are so used to it. We initially become tired more easily, and can often times be grumpy because of it. But this is natural. It is a part of your body’s transition to healthiness.

What we have to do is trick or inspire ourselves to keep going. And one of the best ways of doing this is including your pet in your daily exercise regimen.

Help yourself and your pet by including them in your daily exercise regimen

By planning to include your pet in your daily exercise regimen, you are not only helping to enhance your pet’s energy levels, but helping yourself follow through with your scheduled exercise. (If you are worried about your dog’s weight, we do pet examinations to ensure their health)

As your pet gets used to a set time to go out, they will tend to try to get your attention by nudging, barking, and simply demanding attention– forcing you to follow through with your exercise schedule. After all, we don’t want to disappoint our pets, do we?

But how do you get started with planning your daily exercise regimen?

Create an initial exercise plan that is built around your pet’s needs

One of the best ways to build good exercise habits is to start small, as overdoing it can be bad for you, both physically and mentally.

1. Your dog needs to be walked a few times a day
   You know that your dog needs to be walked so that she can take care of her business, so why not build your routine into it? You could set a particular walking path and vary your speed over time, expanding your route as you and your dog become more accustomed to the exercise.

   If you have a cat, you could try to do the same thing, using a cat harness. It may seem outrageous, but it can be done, depending on the cat.

2. Play fetch or ‘chase’
   Dogs love to play fetch, so why not mix tossing the ball with her chasing the ball as you run?

   If you have a cat, you can use a ribbon toy to play in close proximity before pulling away for the chase.

3. Race to fetch
   This variant has you tossing the ball and then racing your dog to it. After doing this for a while, both you and your dog will be smiling and exhausted!
4. Swimming laps with your dog
   If you have a pool, or access to a pool that allows pets, swimming laps in the shallow end for a short time while holding onto a favorite ball or toy can help get you both excited to exercise.

   Never leave a dog or pet unattended near a pool. There should always be somebody watching.

Have other ideas for getting yourself and your pets to exercise?

Sound off in the comments below or on Facebook!

Helpful tips for making sure that your new pet fits into your family

Choosing a pet can be a very exciting – and intimidating – time for any family, large or small. You want to find that one special little guy that fits the picture of an ideal pet in your mind. They should be fun, energetic, cute, fluffy, small, large, loud, quiet…there are just so many options! And it isn’t just yourself that you have to appease. Your whole family has to love ‘em!

But choosing a pet isn’t just about finding the cutest one. It is about finding the right personality. Finding the right match so that they can fit into your home and lifestyle just as easily as fitting into your hearts. And while this can be a very stressful determination to make, the results can be very rewarding and long-lasting.

At Becker Animal Hospital & Pet Resort, your local San Antonio veterinary and pet boarding facility, we aim to help you make the right choices so that you and your pets can live long, healthy lives. This post is just one of many great articles we provide in our Pet Adoption Knowledgebase so that you can make a well-informed decision.

The Five Questions to Ask Yourself Before Going Out and Choosing a Pet

Before heading out to your local pet shop or pet adoption shelter, your local San Antonio veterinary team at Becker Animal Hospital & Pet Resort recommends sitting down with your family to answer the following questions:

1.) What kind of pet do I want?

It is incredibly important to have realistic expectations when it comes to choosing a pet. Certain types of animals require more care and caution than others, and it is important to sit down and think about the possibilities.

For example, dogs require a lot of exercise and training, whereas cats need to have particular behaviors pointed in the right direction (scratching, feeding, and hunting redirected at toys). Male dogs may be more aggressive than female ones. Etc., etc.

2.) Can I afford to have a pet?

One of the top reasons pet owners are forced to give up a pet is due to an inability to pay for essential healthcare, food, and equipment.

Our San Antonio veterinary team recommends doing some online research on the various costs associated with owning a pet, such as: pet food cost, pet health examination costs, medication costs, and pet boarding costs.

3.) How will that pet fit into where I live?

This is an essential question to ask yourself, because it not only affects you and your family, but how happy your pet can be.

After all, if you are legally not allowed to have a pet in your home, that makes it tough to go and walk a dog – a necessity for their happiness and health. In addition, you don’t want to have a large pet have to stay indoors in a small space. It isn’t fair to them, and it isn’t fair to you and your family.

4.) Who will primarily take care of the pet’s needs?

Every pet needs to be fed and taken care of, so it is important to come up with a schedule that can be followed so that the essentials are handled.

Dog needs a walk? Who will do that? Need to clean the litter box? Who will do that? The pet needs to go to the local San Antonio veterinary facility? Who can bring them in?

5.) Where should I get my pet?

This is a big one. There are a lot of options out there for locations to choose a pet, so it is good to find one that you can feel comfortable with.

A lot of local pet shelters offer pet adoptions at low rates, because these are the pets that need the most love and care. However, while most of these pet shelters also provide you with the necessary shots and vaccinations, it is important to check with them and get the appropriate documentation.

You can also choose to go to a breeder for a more specific choices of pet, although they are likely to be more expensive up front. Another choice is to go to your local pet shop, which will typically work with neighborhood pet shelters to get homeless pets adopted.

It’s a big decision, but we are confident that you will make the right one for you and your future potential pet. If you have any questions about pet healthcare, our San Antonio veterinary and pet boarding facility, or anything regarding pet care, please do not hesitate to contact us online or stop by our facility.

While the red panda may not look so “bizarre” when compared to some other bizarre animals we have covered, it has made the list because of it’s close resemblance to raccoons – despite only being found in the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China, where racoons are not common.

Both the size and shape of the red panda are remarkably similar to raccoons, seemingly only differentiated by their reddish-orange color and facial markings. But as similar as they may look, red pandas are not actually related to raccoons. As a matter of fact, this unique creature had been mistakenly classified in the past as belonging to both the raccoon and bear families before scientists determined that it should have it’s own classification.

The red panda is a solitary creature, preferring to live alone in it’s territory among the tree branches and tree nooks. It typically sleeps during the day and then comes out in the late afternoon and early evening. Red pandas typically eat bamboo, small mammals, berries, and leaves, but bamboo is the primary source of nutrition.

Unfortunately the red panda is also listed as a vulnerable species, because their total population is estimated at being below 10,000, thanks to habitat loss, and poaching.

Want to learn more about the red panda? We’ve assembled a pile of related links for you, below:

National Geographic: http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/red-panda/

Red Panda Network: http://redpandanetwork.org/

National Zoo: http://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/asiatrail/redpanda/factsheet.cfm

As a matter of fact, Becker Animal Hospital & Pet Resort is the first boarding facility in San Antonio to offer a full in-ground pool for use by resort and doggy daycare guests. How cool is that?

So what does this mean for my dog?

It means that they can have an even greater experience when you’re away, because they can go for a nice, refreshing swim in-between playtime on the running track, field, and exercise areas. Your pet won’t simply be confined within their dog boarding suite or dog kennel while they’re here!

I’m interested in boarding my dog for doggy daycare/an extended stay

Great! We are more than happy to accept your pet for extended dog boarding at any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Simply stop on by our facility, or call ahead at (210)732-5148 to ensure there are openings.

If you are looking to board your dog in our doggy daycare, there are a set of rules and guidelines that must be followed before we can accept your pet in our facility. This is for their (and other dogs’) safety.

Acceptance: Dogs must be current on all vaccinations, over 4 months of age, and if 6 months of age or more they must be spayed or neutered. Dogs must be free of fleas and ticks and not aggressive and must have a quick release collar.

The owner must fill out an application form and sign a waiver. At that point we will accept your dog and give him or her a socialization interview. Final acceptance will only be given after the socialization interview and Becker Animal Hospital reserves the right to refuse any dog or to cease taking a dog at any time.

For more information, please call us at (210)732-5148 or fill out our online contact form.

We’re pleased to share a gallery of photos from the event with you, and hope to see you at our next event!

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