SOUTHEAST ALASKA ANIMAL MEDICAL CENTER
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Seasonal Care

Not everyone is lucky enough to live in a State with relatively consistent weather and temperatures. Just as humans change their behavior and diet with fluctuations in temperature, so do most animals. Here are our guidelines for seasonal care for your pets.

Winter
If temperatures plummet and your pet usually likes to spend most of its time outdoors try and persuade them to stay indoors in the warm instead. If circumstances mean that your pet has to be kept outdoors then take steps to ensure that they are as warm and comfortable as possible. This means providing them with a dry and draft-free shelter with plenty of extra blankets. You should also regularly check their water supply to ensure that it hasn’t frozen.

If the ground is covered with snow, ice or just extremely cold then you may want to consider animal booties. These are widely available from most pet stores.

Be prepared to see a change in your pets eating habits. Outdoor pets tend to require extra food. They burn this extra food to help keep them warm. Indoor pets are likely to eat far less as they conserve energy by sleeping more.
Keep your pets away from antifreeze. Unfortunately it smells and tastes delicious to dogs and cats, but even the smallest sip can be deadly. Keep pets out of garages and outbuildings and clean up any spillages as soon as they happen. Speak to your neighbors about the dangers and ask them to ensure that any antifreeze they have is securely stored and that they too clean up any spillages that may occur. If your pet acts as if they are drunk or begins to convulse then take them to a vet immediately.
Check under the hood of your car before starting the engine. Many cats like to sneak under the hood of a vehicle once you have gone inside so that they can curl up against the warm engine. If you are unable to open the hood then a firm tap on it should be sufficient to wake any sleeping cat.

Ensure that rabbit hutches are bought inside. If this isn’t possible then ensure that you put extra newspaper in for insulation. Again, check their water source to ensure that it isn’t frozen.


Easter
Easter is a great time of year for the whole family, but chocolate can be toxic and even deadly for animals. Dogs are most commonly affected as they are renowned for having a ‘sweet tooth’.

The most common symptoms of chocolate ingestion are seen within the first 12 hours and can include:
  • Diarrhea and/or vomiting
  • Excitement or trembling that may be perceived as nervousness
  • Excessive thirst and occasionally excessive urination
  • Muscle spasms
  • Seizures
  • Coma (rare)
  • Death (rare but if death occurs it is usually as a result of heart rhythm abnormalities).
Chocolate is toxic to dogs and another animals because they are unable to break down a chemical component in it known as Theobromine effectively. If you suspect that your pet has ingested chocolate then you should immediately contact your veterinarian for advice.

Summer
Dogs release excess heat through their paw pads and by panting. Unfortunately animals with brachycephalic (flat) faces such as pugs and Persian cats are unable to pant as effectively due to their shortened nasal passages. This makes them more vulnerable to heat stroke and dehydration.

Dehydration is a major concern for all animals in summer. Ensure that you regularly offer plenty of cool water to your pet and that there is somewhere shady for them to rest. You should also keep them indoors during the hottest part of the day.

If you cannot place the back of your hand on to the sidewalk and hold it there for more than 5 seconds without it becoming painful then it will be too hot for your pets paws and you should avoid letting them outside until it has cooled.

Antifreeze can also leak out of overheating cars. See our advice on antifreeze in the ‘winter’ section above.

Don’t forget sunscreen! It is possible to buy specialist pet sunscreen to protect your pet from the summer sun. It is especially important to apply to pets with short fine hair and pink skin. You must never use any sunscreen that is not designed specifically to be used on animals. Speak to your veterinarian about the sunscreen that is right for your pet.

If you take your dog to a river, lake, pool or the beach to cool off then be very vigilant of their safety in the water.

CLINIC INFORMATION
Address: 

8231 Glacier Highway
Juneau, AK 99801

Phone:

After Hours Emergencies:

907-789-7551

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907-789-7551

OFFICE HOURS
Monday       8:00am- 1:00pm / 2:00pm-5:00pm

Tuesday       8:00am- 1:00pm / 2:00pm-5:00pm

Wednesday 8:00am- 1:00pm / 2:00pm-5:00pm

Thursday     8:00am- 1:00pm / 2:00pm-5:00pm

Friday          8:00am- 1:00pm / 2:00pm-5:00pm

Saturday      Closed

Sunday        Closed
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EMERGENCY SERVICES

Due to very short staffing we will be offering limited after-hours coverage during the month of February-March. This was a hard decision to make, but a necessity to allow our doctors to provide care during the day. We will still have VetTriage available 24 hours a day for telehealth consultations and will have a doctor available for on-call services some weeknights. We will not offer in-hospital after-hours coverage February 27, March 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 22, 23, 26, 27, 29, 30. We advise our clients to be mindful of this limitation and keep their animals indoors, on leash and under supervision to prevent injury by car, porcupine quills, dog fights and lacerations. If you perceive an emergency situation outside of business hours, please reach out to VetTriage. If you contact VetTriage and they recommend contacting our office the following business day, please call (907)789-7551 at 7:30AM to secure an appointment. If you perceive a medical issue with your animal during business hours, please contact our office early so we can advise you if a same day urgent care appointment is needed.

To continue offering after-hours care to our clients and patients we must make a few changes.
Starting today, October 15th, we will be offering after-hours care only between the hours of 5pm and 10pm. Weekend days we will cover between 8am and 10pm. If you are unsure if your animal is having a life threatening emergency please reach out to VetTriage well before 10pm to see if your animal requires emergency medical attention. If you need help after 10pm reach out to VetTriage and they will give you medical advice and instruct you what to do until your animal can be seen.
Starting today, October 15th, we will no longer be treating patients for clients that are established with and receiving treatment at other local clinics. We will treat patients that have been established with our practice and have received routine services (yearly examinations, vaccinations, spay or neuter) within the last 24 months. We will also see patients that are new to Juneau and are not established with a local clinic.

For after hours emergency services we have partnered with VetTriage to offer video telehealth services. The VetTriage veterinarians are available 24/7 and for a consult fee they will assess your pet on live video chat to determine if your pet requires immediate emergency care, or simply monitoring at home until we reopen. In the event of an emergency they will coordinate your visit with the on call veterinarian. Please click the button below to initiate the telehealth service.

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Make An Appointment 

To make an appointment please call 907-789-7551 our staff looks forward to talking to you!

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  • Home
  • Services
    • Wellness Care
    • Dentistry
    • Diagnostics
    • Emergency Care
    • Exotic Patient Care
    • Non-Invasive Treatments
    • Surgical Procedures
  • About
    • Meet Our Professional Staff
    • Meet Our Support Staff
  • Contact
  • Client Reviews
  • Life in Juneau
  • Local Resources
  • Helpful Articles for Dogs
  • Helpful Articles for Cats
  • Helpful Articles for Health
  • General Articles
  • Privacy Policy