November 12th, 2021

Holiday Gift Guide

For those special pets in your life, why not bake them some tasty treats?

Homemade Dog Treat Recipe: Cinnamon Chicken Treats
1 cup of flour
1 cup of low sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup of oatmeal
1/4 corn starch
1/4 cup of oil
1 tablespoon of baking powder
2 tablespoons of cinnamon
Mix the ingredients together thoroughly with your hands. Roll out to 1/4 inch thickness and cut with cookie cutter. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 20 minutes at 350 degrees or until golden. Cool and let your dog enjoy!

Homemade Cat Treat Recipe: Cat Crackers
6 ounces undrained tuna
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/3 cup water
Mix the ingredients together thoroughly with your hands. Roll out to 1/4 inch thickness and cut into treat sized pieces. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 20 minutes at 350 degrees or until golden. Cool and let your cat enjoy!

Pets that don't enjoy treats or have allergies may enjoy a toy instead. We recommend puzzle toys that will help keep your pet entertained! Puzzle toys can be a plush container type toy which houses smaller plush toys that the pet can figure out how to pull out. Or non plush types that you can hide food or treats inside. Most pet stores will sell both of these types of toys, or you can purchase them directly from our online e-boutique. Not sure how to access our e-boutique? E-mail us and we will send you an invitation. 

For the pet Lovers in your life, here is a great recipe for making homemade paw print Christmas tree ornaments:
1 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 cups baking soda
1 cup water
Mix together in a saucepan and cook until a dough like consistency forms. Remove from heat and let cool until mildly warm. Roll to 2 cm inch thickness. Push the pets paw into the dough. For a good impression, apply pressure to each toe pad. Cut out impression with a cookie cutter. Push a hole through the dough with a toothpick (to hang the ornament). Let dry overnight. Once dry, you can sand rough edges with sand paper, and you can paint with acrylic paint, or leave natural. You can also paint on the pets name and year with a paint pen. An acrylic varnish will help seal and strengthen the ornament. Once dry, thread a ribbon through the hole to hang.

Lastly, a pet first aid kit is a great gift for any pet lover, especially those that like to hike and camp with their pets. Again, you can purchase pet first aid kits directly from us at the clinic. Keep in mind there are a number of items that make a pet first aid kit different from a human kit, but you can definitely build your own! We would also recommend a pet first aid course or book to accompany your gift! 
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If you want to build your own kit you should include the following supplies:
-Rolled gauze
-Gauze pads
-Cotton Swabs
-Hydrogen Peroxide (3%)
-Betadine or chlorhexidine soap
-Wound wash saline
-Instant cold packs
-a blanket
-Tweezers
-Forceps
-Muzzles
-Antibiotic ointment
-Scissors
-Medical tape
-Duct tape
-Three wire coat hangers for splinting, or popsicle sticks for small animals
-Washcloths
-Water
First Aid Kit Supplies: Over-the-Counter Medications for Dogs & Cats
The following medications should also be included in each first aid kit for dogs and cats
-Benadryl®
-Pepto Bismol®
-Activated Charcoal (for toxicity)
-Mineral Oil (for constipation)
The following phone numbers should be included in first aid kits:
-Regular Veterinarian: Chestermere Veterinary Clinic 403-272-3573
-24-hour Emergency Veterinary Clinic
-Pet Poison Control Phone Number 855-764-7661
-Information and dosing chart for drugs in your emergency kit

E-trainingfordogs offers Pet First Aid CPR and other courses.
We want to wish you all a safe and Happy Holiday, and all the best in the New Year!

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