Our Blog

The team at Felton Veterinary Hospital loves spoiling our personal pets (we’re talking about you, Dr Atton!) and our pet patients. We have a few ideas to share if you’re searching for the best holiday gifts for pets this season. And because we want to spare you a holiday visit to the pet emergency room, we’ve also included a few gifts to avoid. Let us know what you think! 

Best Holiday Gifts for Cats

Many cat owners wouldn’t dream of leaving their kitty off the holiday gift list, but this can be challenging for the cat who has it all. Here are our favorite ideas for making your cat’s holiday purrfect. 

It’s the holiday season, and nothing says family like Thanksgiving dinner. And since over 70% of pet owners consider their pets family, it’s only natural to want to include them in any planned holiday celebrations, including sharing the holiday feast. 

But while you’re at the table (and during the prep and clean-up, too), it’s essential to remember that our pets may experience GI upset, diarrhea, and vomiting – or worse – from partaking in the holiday meal with us. Ingestion of fatty foods and even any sudden change in diet can cause a painful condition called pancreatitis. 

Halloween is just around the corner, and for many of us in Santa Cruz County, this is the favorite holiday of the year. You can tell by all the Halloween decorations that have been up for weeks! For children and adults alike, the costumes, treats, and parties surrounding Halloween can be great fun. But this holiday can be particularly spooky for our pets. Felton Veterinary Hospital cares about pet safety as much as you do, so let’s explore some ways to make “Fright Night” safe and fun for pets and the entire family.

Summer and fall in our valley are prime times for construction projects, but with all the maintenance required for our mountain homes, other times of year are likely filled with drilling, concrete mixing, or hammering. Although these projects are necessary, they pose a particular safety risk for pets, not to mention the aural assault on pet’s sensitive hearing. As you don your hard hat, Felton Veterinary Hospital gives some tips for how to keep pets safe during remodeling.

Your pets may enjoy their time in the sun as much as you do this summer. And although they may love basking in the warm rays, skin cancer is a risk for pets just as it is for humans. According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), skin cancer is the most common type of cancer diagnosed in dogs. Cats, too, are often affected by skin cancer, especially cats with short hair, light-colored coats, and lots of sun exposure. Regular annual wellness visits with your veterinarian are essential, including a complete nose-to-tail physical exam and looking for signs of skin cancer. Your pet’s veterinarian can detect skin cancer at these visits, but it’s also essential for pet owners to understand and recognize signs of pet skin cancer, especially as pets age.

Balanced nutrition is vital for pet health and can prevent a whole host of health problems. Water is also a critical component of a healthy pet and is the main component of healthy cells. Without adequate water, your pet can become dehydrated and lose vital body organ function. 

We know that providing drinking water daily to our pets is essential, but what else should we be aware of? With a bit of preparation and awareness, you can ensure your pet drinks enough water and prevent dehydration in your pet. July is National Pet Hydration Month, so Felton Veterinary Hospital thought it would be an excellent time to explore the importance of water for pets.

You may be hearing more about Lyme disease recently, and for good reason. Current estimates from the CDC show that 300,000 to 400,000 people in the US are diagnosed or treated for Lyme disease yearly. The disease affects humans and animals and, if left untreated, can result in painful complications. 

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection transmitted by the bite of an infected tick. The bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi is responsible for Lyme disease, which has become the most common vector-borne disease in the United States. 

With spring rains, moist air, and tall, green grass, now is the time to prevent this debilitating disease’s spread to your pets. Felton Veterinary Hospital shares a few tips for how to keep your best friend safe.

Owners new to dog ownership are often surprised when their new dog doesn’t enjoy the leash. The chewing, resisting, barking, pulling, and jumping can make serene walks with your dog nothing but wishful thinking. Your dog could have trouble walking on a leash for various reasons, and none of them is your dog’s fault. Since many situations require your dog to be on a leash, teaching this skill is at the top of your pet parent list. Walking on a leash can be fun and can benefit you and your dog, from hiking to dining out with your dog to walking around the neighborhood or visiting the veterinarian. Our tips for successful leash training will help you overcome questionable leash walking skills. 

Indoor cats have a pretty good life. They stay safe from the elements and are protected from neighborhood predators and speeding cars. Still, the indoor cat life can be…shall we say, boring? Although your indoor kitty loves attention from you, they get far less activity overall than their outdoor counterparts. 

Unfortunately, a lack of activity can affect indoor cat health. Obesity is one of the most common conditions affecting cats, and a sedentary lifestyle can lead to being overweight. In addition, a lack of social interaction, destructive behavior due to boredom, and overlooked health issues are all side effects of an indoor lifestyle. 

Luckily, enriching the lives and environment of indoor cats has become top of mind recently for pet owners, veterinary professionals, and all those who love cats. In this post, we share ways to give your indoor cat the best of both worlds – safety, and well-being. 

February is a short and feisty month and also National Cat Health Month! If you own a cat, you know what beautiful, intelligent, and unique beings they are. They are also often independent and self-sufficient, but this doesn’t mean they don’t need and deserve thoughtful care to feel their best. There’s a lot we can do as responsible cat guardians to give them a long and happy life, and it starts with these top 5 tips for excellent cat health.