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Pets experience medical emergencies that require immediate pet care from time to time. At Airport Animal Hospital, a Goleta emergency vet and well care hospital, our team of veterinarians is available to treat your pet right away should any emergency arise. If your pet has eaten something poisonous or is injured in an accident, call our animal vet clinic right away so that our staff can advise you on how to safely transport your pet to our hospital.

Common Pet Emergencies

You pet may be poisoned if he or she ingests a household cleaner, such as bleach, or if he or she eats food intended for humans but not pets, such as dark chocolate or grapes. Household plants may be poisonous to your pet as well and your pet may also have a severe allergic reaction to a substance, such as a food or medication, which requires urgent care. In some cases, a pet may chew on or swallow something that is not poisonous but that obstructs its airway or digestive path. Removing the object is extremely important to prevent any further injury and damage.

Signs of an Emergency

If vomiting has lasted for longer than 24 hours or if your pet starts vomiting blood, you should be especially concerned and call our hospital. Another sign something might be wrong is that your pet may refuse to eat. For pets experiencing an emergency such as heatstroke, they may pant heavily, as if it is difficult for them to breathe. Your pet may seem more lethargic than usual and may even experience a seizure if overheated.

Bring your pet in to our animal vet clinic for emergency pet care if he or she exhibits any signs of an abnormal behavior. After your pet is treated, continue to regularly scheduled trips to the vet for preventive well care.

Has your pet ever had a medical emergency?

Puppies and dogs need to learn to follow basic commands and to obey their owners. At Airport Animal Hospital in Goleta also serving Santa Barbara, CA, puppy training is a part of your dog's standard care. Animal behaviorist Wency Elaine offers classes for 3 to 5-month old puppies and for older dogs as well private lessons in your home. The next time you schedule an appointment at our animal hospital, talk to our veterinarian about puppy training.

Why Puppy Training is an Essential Part of Pet Care

Puppies are not born house-broken. They do not automatically know to sit when you say "sit" or calm down when you tell them to "heel." Puppy training at our veterinary clinic teaches your puppies to be happy and social animals. Your puppy learns what behaviors are unacceptable, such as barking at new people, using the house as a bathroom or jumping on others. You will learn how to stop these behaviors and recognize the causes of the behaviors.

Having a happy, trained puppy means having a puppy you can take places. You do not have to worry about a trained dog pulling on his leash or running away from you the minute you let him off of the leash. If you invite friends over, you will not have put your dog in a separate room or be concerned that he will be hostile to your company.

Basics of Puppy Training

Puppy training at our veterinarian office is offered at two levels – puppy training and beginning novice class. The first level teaches your dog the basic commands commonly used in pet care. He will learn to sit, stay and roll over. You will learn to reward your pet for performing commands, whether that means giving him a treat or petting him. Learning how to walk your dog on a leash and teaching the dog to walk on the leash is another basic of training.

Have you taken classes or lessons to train your dog? Did you try to train him on your own?

Goleta veterinarians and animal vet clinic staff want you to enjoy the holiday season’s festivities and time with family. But we also want you to be particularly careful around your furry family members during this time. The holidays bring some common pet hazards. As responsible owners, we know you want to keep your pets safe during the celebrations.

A big part of quality pet care is being aware of preventive measures for healthy, happy companions. The following are common dangers to your pets:

Hazardous Foods – Make sure your pet does not have access to turkey or chicken bones. These can become lodged in the throat and stomach. Also, pets should never have chocolate since it contains theobromine, which is toxic for them.

Holiday Tree and Plants – A holiday tree can be dangerous if your pet eats pine needles. Their stomach can be punctured. Don’t add preservatives to the tree stand water. In addition, other holiday plants like mistletoe and holly are highly poisonous if eaten.

Ornaments/Decorations – Cats are notorious for getting into string, so tinsel and ribbon are appealing to them, but can cause serious digestive tract issues if ingested. And keep a watch out for broken ornaments or sharp decorations.

Electrical cords – Hide cords and extension cords so they are not accessible for your pet to chew on.

Candles – Never leave a candle unattended. Be especially watchful of wagging tails and inquisitive cat paws around candles. Hot wax can cause burns.

Added Stress – Normal routines during the holidays can turn hectic and can result in extra people coming into your house, which can be stressful for your pets. Also, with people in and out, be extra cautious of animals sneaking out. Your pets should have ID on them at all times.

Goleta or Santa Barbara pet owners should call our animal vet clinic if you have any questions about pet hazards or pet care. And if your pet experiences any of the above, call an emergency vet immediately.

What preventive actions have you put in place during the holidays to keep your pets safe?

At Airport Animal Hospital, we understand that aging pets have special needs and are ready to provide senior pet care for pet owners in the Goleta and Santa Barbara areas. Like people, pets are more vulnerable to illness and disease as they age and require care from a qualified veterinarian. Our Goleta veterinary hospital has a team of compassionate professionals who can guide your pet through their older years.

Cleaning Dogs Teeth, Wellness Exams and Senior Pet Care

Proper dental care is extremely important. Keeping your pet’s teeth clean prevents plaque and tartar build-up that can lead to serious health problems. Our skilled veterinary staff can help by brushing your pet’s teeth and providing scaling or other dental procedures if necessary. Aging teeth may become infected or need extraction, two of many conditions our veterinary hospital is prepared to deal with to help your pet.

Senior pets are more susceptible to health problems, which is why it is important for your pet to have regular wellness exams. During an examination, a qualified veterinarian can often discover lumps or lesions that pet owners may have missed, and routine pet care helps determine whether your pet is gaining or losing too much weight. Regular pet care creates a medical history on your pet that helps the veterinarian diagnose problems that arise later in life.

Senior pets need more frequent exams due to their increasing vulnerability to disease. Problems, such as arthritis; cancer; liver, kidney and heart disease; and infection occur more frequently in aging pets. Vision and hearing problems are also more common in older pets but may be confused with a behavioral problem that is similar to Alzheimer’s in humans.

Our compassionate veterinary staff can determine the cause of your senior pet’s changing behavior and guide you through the process of accommodating any of your pet's special needs. Some pets act old but have a medical problem; others appear to be having problems but are simply aging naturally. We will work closely with you and your pet to determine if they are having any issues and to prescribe any necessary treatments.

What changes have you noticed in your pet as they have grown older?