The Truth about the NJ Pet Seatbelt Law

from pettravelcenter.com

Recently, New Jersey passed an animal transportation law.  In brief, any person who transports a pet in a cruel or inhumane manner is guilty of a disorderly persons offense.  Basically, pets cannot be traveling in the back of a pickup truck, nor can they have most of their body hanging out with their paws on the windowsill.  Many people have latched on to this news and incorrectly reported that owners of pets who are not buckled in will be ticketed.  While we highly recommend buckling your pet into the car (find a pet seat belt harness here) it is not required by law.

Many pets love the car, especially dogs.  They like to run around and stick their head out the window while the wind flies up their nostrils.  Unfortunately, an unrestrained pet can turn into a projectile when there is a sudden stop or traffic accident.  It’s quite dangerous to let your pet be loose in the car. So, if you decide you want to buckle your pet in, it’s ok for them to be near a window to stick out their snout.  By all means, they should be allowed to look out a window if they enjoy that. 

What if you need to transport a pet who hates the car? This is a bit harder. The best way for an unhappy animal is to place them in a mobile kennel or carrier, and cover them with a blanket or towel.  Don’t keep lifting the towel and talking to them, because it will cause more excitement to an already-stressed animal.  It can be hard if they cry for attention.  If your pet is crying at the start of a car ride, make sure they are not hurt.  Then, keep your attention AWAY from your pet.  This is the best thing for your pet, however cruel it may sound.  Many pets will settle down and sleep if nobody makes them excited. Make sure the pet is kept cool, and stop frequently to walk them. 

If you don’t know how your pet reacts to the car, try a short drive around the block.  If they get too stressed, you may want to talk to your veterinarian about a mild sedative to calm them. 

The Importance of X-rays at the Veterinarian

Our Digital X-ray Machine

X-ray machines use electromagnetic waves that are invisible to the human eye. They are the same type of waves as light waves, only we can't see them. The X-ray machine emits the waves through the body, and then projects onto a film or digital image device, depending on the type of machine. Some of the tissues in the body are more dense than others. Bone is more dense than muscle, so it will absorb more of the X-ray radiation. When that happens, we get a picture of the inside of the body.
It's easy to imagine why a picture of the inside of the body would be beneficial to our veterinarians. So many conditions are detectable through X-ray imaging. Not only can we see fractures and arthritis, but we can visualize bladder stones, the spine, pelvis, heart and lungs, impaction of the bowels and foreign bodies.
Animals sometimes eat the craziest things. We've gotten calls here about patients eating an engagement ring, baby pacifiers, rocks, a soda cozy, and a sewing needle with the string still attached. Our doctors were able to see these things in the stomach and do what needed to be done for the patients. "They Ate What?" from Veterinary Practice News
Here at Rau Animal Hospital, we have a digital x-ray machine. This is beneficial in several ways:

• A darkroom with processing chemicals is no longer needed on premises
• The processing time is cut down from minutes (film) to seconds (digital)
• Transport of X-rays involves a CD or email, instead of a bulky set of films
• Less radiation is needed for every X-ray

All of our radiographs are sent out to a specialist for reading, after our vets look at them. This ensures a correct diagnosis of each condition, and also a second pair of eyes to catch things we may have missed. The results are quick, due to our ability to send X-rays electronically.
We love knowing we can give fast treatment for serious cases with the aid of our Digital X-ray machine. Rau's Surgical & X-ray page

Seasonal Dangers

from desktopnexus.com

It is the festive time of year again, when we hang up all kinds of beautiful decorations, have a dish full of Santa Claus chocolates or Hannukah Gelt, and maybe a Christmas tree. It brightens the Winter landscape. Unfortunately, pets can get into some trouble while investigating all the shiny new things around them.

1. Tree Hazards. When decorating your tree, it may be best not to use tinsel, ribbons or bubble lights, or put them on higher branches. When ingested, tinsel and ribbons can cause all sorts of internal injuries. Bubble lights have a toxic liquid inside them that causes the bubbles, and you can find out about safe replacement bulbs here. Decoration hooks should be kept off the floor when trimming the tree, and any type of ornament can cause an obstruction. If you have a crazy cat that won't stay out of the tree and away from ornaments, you may want to forego the tree entirely, and hang some fresh wreaths around on your walls and decorate them. Tree water can be very unhealthy, because it is stagnant, and if you add the preservative, it can be deadly. Be sure to choose a covered tree water dish, or one with a narrow opening such as this Ultimate stand. It may be more of a chore to water, but your pets will be safe.

2. Fire Salts. These will change the color of the flames in your fireplace, but the salts themselves contain heavy metals, which will cause gastrointestinal upset, vomiting, and pain if eaten. If you really want to have a different colored fire, making colored fire pinecones is a simple and safe project at home.

3. Household plants. Pine trees, mistletoe, holly are traditional plants of the Christmas season, but can be deadly to animals, especially the berries. Keep away from pets. Poinsettia plants, while irritating to the mouth and stomach, are generally overrated in toxicity. Check out the ASCPA's full list of toxic plants here.

4. Chocolate. While different kinds of chocolate have different sorts of toxicity for animals, when caught quickly enough, we can make them vomit to prevent any health problems. However, foil wrapped chocolates are especially dangerous. If we make a pet vomit after eating foil wrappers, it can cut up their esophagus and stomach, causing even worse problems. Any foil-wrapped candy needs to stay in the cabinet, without fail. Educate your children on the best thing for their furry friend.
When in doubt, put yourself in your pet's paws. They don't know what's going to keep them safe. They only know that something smells good or is fun to chew. So have mindful, safe, and happy holidays!