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Brushing your Cat's Teeth: A 4 Week Training Program

January 21, 2019 - 10:14pm

Like us, our cats and dogs, benefit from proactive dental care. Good dental habits are vital to a healthy pet, not just a healthy mouth.

Our pets seldom show us symptoms of mild dental disease. Usually, by the time they show signs (not eating, dropping food, pawing at the mouth, odor, or bleeding of the gums) pain and damage has occurred. Every day, your pet’s gums are progressing towards periodontal disease if you are not doing something to prevent it. Even when it reaches an advanced stage and is very painful, pets can’t tell you what they are going through! Often families have...

Pets as gifts – good intentions, bad idea

December 18, 2018 - 4:14pm

By Dr. Amy Plankenhorn

We’ve all seen the pictures – it’s Christmas morning, and Mom or Dad brings an adorable puppy wearing a red bow into the room. The kids are delighted! The puppy is delighted! Mom and Dad high-five because this was the Best Christmas Ever!

Well, maybe it was, but maybe not. Giving a pet as a surprise gift can work out fine, but there are some important factors to take into consideration:

1) Does the recipient have the time, energy and finances to be able to care for the pet appropriately? Kids may pledge to care for a new...

Cat Litter Science: Why To Let Your Cat Choose

December 17, 2018 - 4:28pm

When cat litter was invented in 1947, it was made of grains of absorbent clay called Fuller’s earth. There was just one brand, called Kitty Litter, and cat owners had a choice between that or natural sand or sawdust.

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Top 5 Cat Toxin Risks That Increase During the Holiday/Winter Season

November 18, 2018 - 4:34pm

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Lilies (Lilium & Hemerocallis)
Liquid potpourri
Glow jewelry and glow sticks
Household cleaners

The ASPCA sees an increase of certain toxins for cats during the holidays and winter months. Toxins can cause many symptoms including GI upset, salivation, seizures, or death. If your cat has gotten into any of the above toxins, contact the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (1-888-426-4435) and your veterinarian right away! It could be the difference between life and death.

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Keep Your Pooch Off The Hooch! Pets + Beer

October 19, 2018 - 9:09pm

One thing I have noticed since starting at AHNA is that beer seems to be everywhere in Asheville, and there are countless breweries and beer enthusiasts around. For those of you that are brewing your own style of suds at home, we wanted to make you aware of a potential toxin for your canine companion: hops. Our favorite bittering agent might not have much appeal to us other than to flavor our IPAs, but it is sometimes interesting to our four legged friends. Ingestion of hops can lead to a malignant hyperthermia (high temperature), increased heart rate, and rapid breathing. Unfortunately,...

Linear Foreign Bodies in Cats

December 18, 2017 - 11:03am

By CriticalCareDVM

With the holiday season rapidly approaching, homes around the world will begin to decorate using materials like tinsel and handmade macaroni garland on twine. Folks will make personalized gifts liked hand-knitted clothing. These materials – tinsel, twine, yarn, string – are all very enticing to our feline friends. Yet if ingested, they can create a potentially deadly predicament called a linear foreign. To help raise awareness of this issue, I’ve dedicated some time this week to sharing information about...

The ABC’s of Pet IDs

July 13, 2017 - 10:28pm

Always keep an ID tag on your pet! This is one of the quickest ways to help your pet find his or her way back home.

Be safe! No single ID is fail-safe. Use more than one method of identification.

Chip your pet! Microchip your pet and keep your contact information current.

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How to Kitten-Proof a House

June 26, 2017 - 12:25pm

Who can resist the cuteness of a kitten? They are soft, fluffy and can be full of mischief and boundless energy as they explore their new home. Some household items can pose a hidden danger for your new kitten. Here are some great tips on how to make your house safe for a kitten. All of the things that Dr. Becker mentions pose a grave danger to kittens.

The original article can be found here: THURSDAY, JAN 26TH, 2017 | BY DR. MARTY BECKER

We’ve promised our granddaughter...

Through A Cat's Nose

May 22, 2017 - 2:22pm

We all know how amazing a dog's nose is. Their ability to distinguish a particular scent in an ocean of smells allows them to have jobs like sniffing out drugs, bomb residue, illness or even tracking down a missing person. But did you know that cats also have an amazing sense of smell? It turns out that smells can play a huge part in increasing or decreasing stress and anxiety in a cat's environment.

Cats rely on their noses to detect prey, distinguish if a food is edible or toxic, and help find their way home. Through scent they are aware of other cats or predators in their...

AHNA Cupid Cuties!

February 20, 2017 - 6:10pm

Thank you to everyone who contributed to our Valentine's Facebook Album: AHNA Cupid Cuties. Your fuzzy Valentines made our day! We loved the photos so much we just had to make a video.

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