Anaheim Veterinarian Tips

Are you looking for a dog veterinarian in Anaheim? If so, then you’ve come to the right place. Here at Brookhurst Animal Medical Center, we provide specialist canine care designed to support the health of your dog. 

Dog harness or collar? If you have a pet or thinking about getting one, there is a hot debate about whether or not pets should be walked in a collar or harness. What is your opinion? We want to provide information for pet owners, so they know the purposes of each. We want to help you keep your furry friends safe and protected on their walks! We will provide information about both then tell you our favorite options that can be purchased in-store or online. 

Halloween is here, and if you are like those of us at Brookhurst Animal Medical Center, you also love getting creative and dressing up your animals. We love seeing photos of our patients dressed up in their costumes! Halloween costumes can be bought at the store or even made at home. If you have a specific breed of animal, they can be based off a famous animal in a popular movie. Whether you have a dog, cat, horse, or hamster, your pets can look festive this spooky holiday season. 

This Friday, June 21st is National Take Your Dog to Work Day! For our readers whose workplaces celebrate this holiday, here are a few tips to make your fluffy friends as pup-ular with your coworkers as they are with you.

Most dog foods are made with ingredients like meat, poultry, fish, grains, vegetable oils, and added vitamins and minerals. Ideally, these ingredients should provide enough nutrients for dogs to live a long and healthy life on kibble alone; however, our veterinary team encourages owners to incorporate other foods into their pets’ diets, too. Not only will this combat taste fatigue, dogs can benefit from eating a variety of foods and gain more nutrients that aren’t always available in regular dog food.

Pet owners often associate dogs as carnivorous animals. While dogs do need more protein, they’re actually omnivores with the capacity to eat fruits and vegetables as well. Since their food is already high in protein, treating your dog to fresh produce occasionally can be a nice change of pace. Not only are fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins and minerals, they have a high water and fiber content. It is important to note that dogs cannot eat all the fruits and vegetables that humans can, owners should be careful when they’re feeding their pets new foods.

Since there are so many fruits and vegetables, our veterinary experts at Brookhurst Animal have compiled a comprehensive list of fruits and vegetables that dogs can eat. Next time you have some scraps leftover, check if your dog might enjoy it first! Chances are, it may not only be edible for canines but also a delicious treat.

Vegetables

Leafy Greens & Cruciferous Vegetables

Though dogs can consume some raw vegetables, keep in mind that they only have canine teeth, so it can be difficult for them to grind crunchy greens up on their own. If you notice your dog struggling to chew, cut up or cook their vegetables before you serve them to your pet. Too much indigestible fiber can also cause bloating or gas, so be conscious of portion sizes.

• Spinach
• Kale
• Cabbage
• Collard greens
• Arugula
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Brussel sprouts

Root Vegetables

Dogs have different digestive systems than humans and they struggle to digest sugars as easily as we do. Since root vegetables are high in sugar, it can take a lot of energy for your dog to digest them. If you still want you pet to benefit from the carotenoids, flavonoids, vitamins, and sterols that these veggies provide, cook them and serve them in small amounts. This will make it easier to digest for your pooch. Here are some popular root vegetables dogs can eat:

• Sweet potatoes
• Carrots
• Turnips
• Beets
• Yuca

Unlike the veggies listed above, onions and garlic are toxic to dogs. If you keep them around to for your own cooking, make sure they’re safely stowed away where your pets can reach them.

Beans, Stems, Pods, Grains, & Fruit Vegetables

Vegetables are chock full of water, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. They’re especially refreshing for dogs during the summer when it gets really hot. At Brookhurst Animal, we have tons of patients who love eating zucchini or cucumber! Just remember to slice up the vegetables before serving them, so they’re not choking hazards. Corn needs to be removed from the cob to keep puppies from choking.

• Zucchini
• Cucumber
• Corn
• Pumpkin
• Squash
• Asparagus
• Celery

Dogs can also eat certain nightshade vegetables, like tomatoes and eggplants, but only in small quantities. These vegetables contain solanine, a substance that can be harmful when it’s excessively consumed by dogs.

Fruits

Berries

Fruit is known as nature’s candy because it’s so sweet and delicious. Berries, in particular, are a quick and easy snack because they don’t need to be peeled or chopped. Here are a few types of berries that your dog can enjoy with you next time:

• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Blackberries
• Cranberries

Not all berries are ideal for our furry friends, though. Raspberries should be eaten in moderation because they have high amounts of xylitol, a natural sweetener that can be toxic to dogs in high doses. Berries with pits or seeds should be avoided because dogs can accidentally swallow them, leading to health complications. A notable berry offender is the grape! Not only do most grapes have large seeds, they can also lead to kidney failure even when eaten in small amounts.

Tropical fruit

Take your pet to puppy paradise with these delicious tropical fruits. Just remember, most of them do need to be prepared by opening, peeling, cutting, etc, before your dog can enjoy. It’s also best to eat these fruits fresh because the canned versions can be saturated in sugar, causing stomach upset

• Coconut
• Pineapple
• Mango
• Apricots
• Dragon fruit
• Kiwi

Citric fruits like grapefruit, lemons, or limes can irritate your dog’s stomach, so they’re not the best choice for pets. Another “tropical” fruit that dogs definitely can’t have is the avocado. They contain persin, a fungicidal toxin, that can be poisonous to dogs. So as much as your pups want to  participate, definitely keep them away from the salsa and guac on taco night!

Household Fruits

Since berries and tropical fruits can be more difficult to buy (especially out of season) and preserve, most people don’t usually have them on hand. Below are the most common fruits that dogs can eat:

• Apples
• Oranges
• Bananas
• Cantaloupe
• Watermelon

Feeding your dog juicy, fibrous foods isn’t just beneficial for your dog, it can be helpful for owners, too! Certain fruits, like apples, can clean the teeth naturally and reduce unpleasant “dog breath”. They can also regulate your dog’s digestion and bowel movements by incorporating moving fiber through the body.

Remember, not all animals are the same. One dog may love eating cucumbers while another could be deathly allergic. If you notice your pet coughing, vomiting, or behaving abnormally, stop feeding them the fruit or vegetable that may have caused it and take them to the vet immediately. Getting your animal treated or diagnosed can help prevent major problems later on! At Brookhurst Animal Medical Center, our Anaheim veterinarian is always prepared for veterinary emergencies. Give us a call if you would like to make an appointment or swing by. We’re here to help!

Dogs and cats are primarily meat eaters, so why do we sometimes catch our pets chewing on grass in the yard? As strange as it seems, it’s actually quite common behavior and it’s not necessarily dangerous. In fact, it can actually be a good sign in some cases. Read on to understand what exactly attracts your pets to those glorious blades of greenery.

Indigestion

Most cats are pure carnivores, so they actually can’t digest plant matter. In fact, some plants can even be poisonous to your pets! Luckily, grass is harmless, but it can help expel unwanted toxins from the body. When cats need to get rid of bones, hair, fur, or other indigestible materials, they may eat grass as a laxative or to trigger a natural gag reflex. Similarly, dogs often use grass as a way to ease an upset stomach.

Eating grass often results in vomiting, but unless the vomit is excessive or contains blood, owners don’t have to be too concerned. Just make sure to keep your pet well hydrated and keep an eye out for any other symptoms of distress. If the grass eating and vomiting persists over a long period of time, however, it could be a symptom of a different problem. Your pet’s foliage habit could be their way of treating worms, food allergies, overeating, etc. The best way to find out is getting your pet checked up by the veterinarian. Better safe than sorry, right?

Dietary Deficiencies

Dogs are naturally omnivores in the wild, so grazing on your front lawn may be their way of satisfying a natural instinct to consume greens. This doesn’t mean, however, that you should start feeding your dog a vegan diet. Their diet still needs an adequate amount of quality protein from meat, but they may be craving a fibrous supplement.

Likewise, cats may eat grass even if they can’t digest it because grass contains dietary benefits. For example, it has folic acid, which regulates oxygen. If your pets are regularly eating grass, this may be a sign that they are lacking vital nutrients. Consult with your veterinarian about making changes to your pet’s diet if you believe this is an issue. You can start incorporating certain fruits and vegetables for dogs and vitamins for cats.

Curiosity

Let’s face it, there’s not much for animals to do when they’re stuck at home all day. Cats and dogs are intelligent, playful, curious creatures and they may simply want to know what grass tastes like. If they like how it tastes or feels, they may just continue gnawing on it for fun. It’s similar to how humans like to eat sugary treats or fast food! It may not necessarily be healthy, but it satisfies a specific craving.

Concerns

While eating grass may be normal, there are still precautions owners need to take for their pets. Grass in public spaces could be treated with harmful pesticides, fertilizers, or chemicals that are harmful when they are digested. Certain plants are also toxic to animals and it can be easy for your pet to accidentally ingest them when they’re grazing grass.

To prevent your furry friends from consuming the wrong plants, limit their grass eating habit to your own yard where you can control the environment. There are also specialty wheat and oat grass kits designed for in-home use if you don’t have an outdoor area. And if your pet does enjoy a little nibble outside once in a while, keep an eye out to make sure they’re not overdoing it. Lure them over with a little treat – it’s sure to be more appetizing than a handful of grass!

We hope that answers your question! There are a lot of reasons your pet could be attracted to eating grass and that’s okay as long as they are carefully monitored before, during, and after their “snack”. Our Anaheim veterinarian is trained to treat both domestic and exotic animals at Brookhurst Animal Medical Center. If you have questions or you would like to book an appointment, give us a call! We’re happy to help.