Plants Poisonous to Cats

Did you know that many plants can be dangerous, even toxic for our cats if consumed? Cats are curious by nature, and often use their noses and mouths to learn about the world around them. This can be extremely hazardous, causing them to accidentally consume things that they should never touch. It’s important to know what these dangerous plants are and to keep them out of our yards and homes. For a detailed list of poisonous plants, please visit the Cat Fancier’s link.

Pets & Camping Safety

Are you taking your dog with you on a family camping trip this summer? Don’t forget to be prepared for pet care! It’s important that your pet is up-to-date on parasite prevention and has plenty of food and fresh, filtered or sanitized water to drink at the campground. Also, be prepared for safety by ensuring that your campground of choice allows dogs to visit, and that your dog has a place to sleep, preferably inside the tent where they won’t be bitten by insects or pestered by wild animals! Be safe, and the trip will be that much more fun!

Over-the-Counter Medications & Pets

Pets are often curious creatures, wanting to check out things around the house. Because of this characteristic, it’s important to always store dangerous substances like medicine far from their reach. Pets have been known to accidentally ingest whole packages of pills and the results are often serious, sometimes fatal. Keep your pet’s safe at home by storing your medicine safely out of their reach.

Cathy Lewis: Team Member of the Month

We are proud to honor Cathy Lewis as our Team Member of the Month! Cathy has been working at Quarry Ridge Animal Hospital for over 10 years. She greets everyone with a big smile. Cathy lives with her husband Dave in Newtown, CT. They are the parents of 5 children and one grandson. In addition to the humans, they have, 3 dogs, 7 ducks, 15 chickens and 3 guinea hens. In her spare time she loves to garden starting most things from seeds and she enjoys horseback riding. We are grateful to have her on our team!

Pets & Insects

Flying critters don't want to share the sweet aroma of spring as it blooms in your garden. Watch your pets while they are outside, because they might be getting up close and personal with a bee or other insects which may result in a nasty sting. We want your pets to enjoy their frolic through the flowers.

Cleaning Pet Toys

Playing catch, chewing on squeaky toys, and playing tug-of-war are all exciting and fun things for dogs to do. There is no need to throw away and replace dog toys just because they are dirty. Man's best friends have their favorite toys, and some tend to wear out more quickly than others. Keeping toys clean and well-maintained will ensure that they are around for a long time.

Case of the Month: "Dude" Carruthers

Dude is an 11 year old Labrador that came to us for the first time about 2 weeks ago with a history of decreased appetite, intermittent vomiting and approximately 20 pound weight loss for about a week. With two dogs in the house, and the kids feeding the dogs, the symptoms could have started even a little sooner.

Concerned for his age and the severity of the symptoms, we began a diagnostic workup, fearing serious disease of cancer. All his tests came back normal. His x-rays showed a two inch round object that was consistent with a foreign body or mass in his stomach. Because of his age and the severity of his symptoms suggesting a guarded prognosis, we started with a conservative approach of a bland diet and stomach medications, but the poor appetite and vomiting continued.

We tried inducing vomiting to see if he could bring up the possible foreign body, to no avail. We discussed possible abdominal exploratory surgery, but elected to try endoscopy to look inside his stomach first...all appearing normal, which no sign of a tumor or foreign body.

Still being suspicious and hoping for an answer and hopefully a cure, we went to a surgery and found a large chestnut wrapped in plastic that was filling a large segment of his intestines. He has recovered well from surgery, and one week later, is back to his usual self again!