As we look forward to the festive season, it is sometimes easy to forget about our pet’s needs. As wonderful as the house looks with all the decorations, and as tasty as all the Christmas treats are, unfortunately both can pose hazardous to our pets. Foods to avoid giving your pet at Christmas
Chocolate- Raisins and grapes (includes mince pies and Christmas pudding!)
- Coffee
- Mushrooms
- Cooked bones and fatty food
- Peanuts and macadamia nuts
- Onions and garlic
- Goes without saying… alcoholic beverages
As tempting as it may be to avoid waste, we would advise you against giving your pet any leftovers if you want to avoid ‘Turkey Tummy’. Not only will this cause diarrhoea (no-one really wants to have to clean up an additional mess on St Stephens morning…) but cooked bones can splinter and get lodged in your pet’s throat or intestinal tract. Our pets do much better sticking to their regular diet. That’s not to say they won’t beg when they smell the Christmas delights, but consider keeping them out of the kitchen when you ar
While wishing you and your pets a very Happy Easter, we would like to highlight a particular hazard that frequently arises at this time of year, and that is chocolate poisoning in dogs. Chocolate contains an ingredient called theobromine, which is a chemical stimulant similar to caffeine. While humans are able to easily metabolise this chemical, dogs take longer to digest their food, so theobromine can be in their system for up to 20 hours. During this time, the dog’s nervous system, heart and kidneys may shut down. We would like to urge all pet owners to keep their chocolate baskets hidden well away from their hoover-mouthed pooches. More important is to impress upon everyone — especially children — that while they might think they are being generous offering the dog some of their Easter treats, chocolate can be 
poisonous even in the smallest of doses. If hiding eggs in the house or garden, please ensure that all are collected before letting your dog out- he or she will sniff them out in an instant due to their incredible sense of smell. Even foil wrappers will not deter a hungry
Here are a few reminders of the things to look out for over the festive period in order to keep your pet safe. Chocolate Chocolate is unfortunately a common cause of poisoning in pets. It contains theobromine which affects the nervous system and heart. It is a common problem over Christmas due to the number of chocolate decorations hung on trees, and boxes of chocolates left out or even wrapped under the tree. A sufficient quantity of any chocolate is poisonous but much smaller amounts of dark chocolate will cause problems. Please keep chocolate out of reach of your pet and avoid giving it as a treat! Grapes, Raisins and Sultanas As well as being one of the main ingredients in Christmas cake and pudding, these are also present in many chocolate bars. There is no specific toxic dose as different animals will tolerate different amounts and just a small amount can lead to kidney failure in some animals. Turkey Be aware that many Christmas foods are very rich and fatty. Think carefully before giving your pet leftovers as you could end up with a stomach upset to contend with. Cleaning up after your dog wouldn’t be a fun way to spend your Christmas holiday and it certainly wouldn’t be pleasant for him or her either. Poisonous plants Poinsettia, holly and mistletoe are all common plants at this time of year, and
Top Four Halloween Pet Safety Tips From Ennis Veterinary Clinic If you plan to integrate your pet into the evening’s festivities, be aware of the following four safety hazards: Costumes – Some animals don’t mind, and even possibly enjoy, the fun of getting dressed up. If your pet falls into this camp, make sure he or she can breathe, see, bark or meow, hear, and move comfortably. If your pet appears agitated, frustrated, or tired, it’s time to free them from the costume. Also be sure to monitor your pet’s temperature and hydration, and always keep an eye on costume parts that could be chewed off or choked on. Treats – Please keep all treats out of your pet’s reach. This includes the treats you are offering trick-or-treaters and any that might come back to your house in a treat bag. Treats made with any chocolate or Xylitol (a popular alternative sweetener) are strictly off-limits, as are any treats containing raisins or macadamia nuts. A possible preventative measure would be to store all treats in a lidded container that your pet cannot break into. Be aware of candy wrappers left strewn about. These can cause major digestive issues –including choking – and should never be left out. Decor – Decorations that involve electricity should be used sparingly aroun
We are excited to announce our family open day event, on Saturday 15th August from 12.30 till 3pm. We will be offering a tour of our facilities, where you will have the opportunity to see exactly what goes on ‘behind the scenes’ at Ennis Veterinary Clinic. Although we cannot promise any live demonstrations in our surgery and x-ray facilities, we hope you will like some of our creative displays! We are grateful to Hill’s Pet Nutrition who will have a weighing station set up for free of charge weight checks for your pet and the opportunity for you to discuss keeping your 4-legged companion fit and healthy. We will have face painting, balloons and a colouring competition for the kids so bring along the whole family, even if it’s just for a cup of tea and some home baking and a chat with our veterinary and grooming team. We look forward to seeing you!
Happy New Year to all our readers! What a better way to start the year than by setting some goals and resolutions? Anyone else already broken theirs already? Nonetheless, here are our top pet resolutions to make 2015 your pet’s healthiest year yet!
- Measure your pet’s food- every time
Many owners “eyeball” their pet’s daily intake and pour that into a bowl, usually resulting in overfeeding and weight gain. We recommend using a designated feeding cup or even weighing out the food on electronic scales. Remember older pets and those who have been neutered usually have lower energy needs than young, intact animals.
- Choose an Age-Appropriate Diet
To be healthy and free of disease, your pet requires nutrition that is specific to his or her life-stage. For instance growing pets have very specific nutrient requirements to ensure their bodies grow healthy and strong. Senior pets may have lower energy requirements and the correct level of specific nutrients will help in keeping critical organs healthy. Choosing a diet specifically tailored to your pet’s life stage is a great way to keep them in optimal health.
- Explore some new walks with your pet
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Welcome to the brand new Ennis Veterinary Clinic website and blog! We hope that this blog will serve as a means to share with you all the news and events at EVC as well as provide you with some valuable advice to keep your pet healthy. We are passionate about preventative healthcare and our top priority is to help you keep your beloved pet in the very best of health. We know that your pet is part of your family, and as a pet only clinic we are able to offer the TLC that they deserve. We hope you will enjoy following our blog and we look forward to caring for the pets of Co. Clare.