Forsyth Veterinary Hospital

To our valued clients and friends of Forsyth Veterinary Hospital:

It is with great sadness that we announce that Forsyth Veterinary Hospital (at 2556 South Stratford Road in Winston Salem) is closing its operations at 5:00pm on Tuesday, January 17, 2023.
Dr. Scott and Dr. Dawkins will continue seeing patients through that time.

We apologize for this very short notice you are receiving, but we have been trying until today to find a way to keep the practice open. The Covid-19 pandemic and especially the past year have been filled with challenges for us, and incredibly difficult.
As many of you know, Dr. Gillis has been dealing with ongoing, serious health issues, worsened by long Covid, and which are forcing her into an early retirement from practice.

Among many other challenges, it has been increasingly difficult, and has now become practically impossible, to find other veterinarians to consistently provide services during her absences, in this time of unprecedented staff shortages in the field
of veterinary medicine.

We have tried to find a buyer for the practice, to no avail. We have tried the best that we could to prevent the practice from closing, as it is the last thing that any of us wanted. We send you our sincere gratitude for trusting us with the care of your furry loved ones over the past 18 years. Thank you for the immeasurable number of
treasured memories. We are blessed to have had you as a part of our lives, and WE WILL MISS YOU.

MEDICAL RECORDS: Your pet’s veterinary medical records will be kept for at least three years from the date of last service. If you need a copy of your pet’s records, you may email your request to [email protected].

We wish you and your pets the best going forward.
Sincerely,
Dr. Ruth Gillis
Office Manager, Jill Shirley, and
Everyone at Forsyth Veterinary Hospital

Cuddling releases oxytocin. This hormone alone has tremendous health benefits. Besides giving us warm and fuzzy feelings, oxytocin reduces pain. So when the cold has made those muscles and joints ache, cuddling can help reduce those aches and pains.

Oxytocin also helps reduce heart disease, lowers blood pressure, stress, and anxiety.

Here are just a few of the reasons from the American Humane Society why you should participate in Walk Your Dog Month:

- Extra Bonding Time – When you walk your dog, it’s a great chance to give your undivided attention to your dog and let them know that you care for them. This is quality time spent together that can lead to greater trust and joy.

- Good Exercise – Did you eat too much over the holiday season? Walk Your Dog Month is the perfect opportunity to get in shape and shed off those extra pounds – for both you and your dog. A recent study found that 56 percent of dogs were found to be clinically overweight. This can reduce their life expectancy, overall quality of life and cause a multitude of other health issues. Good exercise not only has physical benefits, but it is also great mental stimulation and can decrease stress for both you and your pup. Additionally, it helps energetic dogs dispel some energy, which can make them calmer and prevent them from getting destructive out of boredom when in the house.

- Social Activity – Walking the dog means you are much more likely to meet other people in your neighborhood who are also out and about with their dogs. Both you and your dog have the chance to make new friends! Socializing your dog with other people and canines alike will help ensure no aggressive tendencies are developed.

- Training Opportunity – Walking your pup provides ample opportunity for training. A walk is a great time to focus on your dog and practice learning to heel, sit, stay or follow other basic commands. Practice makes perfect, so incorporating walks and practicing these skills during their everyday routine will make them even more successful.

Do: Cook, Skin, and Debone Turkey

Don’t: Feed Pets Salty, Fatty, or Seasoned Foods

Do: Serve Safe Fruits and Vegetables

Don’t: Let Pets Overindulge

In the Event of an Emergency
If your pet has taken a bite of something dangerous, stay calm while closely watching for red flags. It should be immediately obvious if your dog or cat is choking, but look out for these other symptoms of illness or poisoning that may take minutes or hours to arise:

Aggression
Diarrhea
Excessive panting and drooling
Fever
Repetitive behavior
Vomiting

Happy New Year!!

Here are 5 Pet Positive New Year's Resolutions for you to consider:

Resolution #1 Measure your pet’s food…. every time!
Resolution #2 Improve your knowledge of pet first aid
Resolution #3 Incorporate more playtime
Resolution #4 Schedule a check-up with us!!!
Resolution #5 Update your pet’s ID info

Noisy fireworks and other celebrations can startle animals and cause them to run away; holiday foods can be unhealthy; and potentially dangerous debris can end up lying on the ground where pets can eat or play with it.

- Leave your pets at home when you go to parties, fireworks displays, parades, and other gatherings. Loud fireworks, unfamiliar places, and crowds can all be very frightening to pets, and there’s a great risk of pets becoming spooked and running away.

- Consider putting your pets in a safe, escape-proof room or crate during parties and fireworks.

- Keep horses and livestock in safely fenced areas and as far from the excitement and noise as possible.

- If you’re hosting guests, ask them to help keep an eye on your pets to make sure they don’t escape. Placing notes on exit doors and gates can help both you and your guests remain vigilant.
*avma

We wanted to wish all of you a very Happy Holidays!
Enjoy your loved ones today and eat lots of good food :)

It's "Safe Toys and Gifts Month" and we wanted to share an article from the humane society about safe toys for your pet!

https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/safe-dog-toys

Survivor Cat Meets New Dog Sister And Instantly Falls In Love
“He was smitten the moment he saw her” ❤️️

Survivor Cat Meets New Dog Sister And Instantly Falls In Love They're forever friends.

Equestrians love the spirit of competition that comes with riding in horse shows. Farmers need horses to manage everyday tasks. And plenty of people in between enjoy going for the occasional horseback ride. Horses bring a sense of enjoyment and camaraderie into the lives of people across the world.

There are quite a few reasons why International Veterinary Medicine Day and pets, in general, are essential.

One reason is that animal disease is linked to human disease.

We need to be more vigilant about animal health, welfare, and engagement if we are to ensure a healthy human population. Ebola, Zika, and SARS all have animal origins and more diseases are likely in the future if we don’t alter the way we deal with animals.

How many Cat Lovers do we have?

It's Cat Lovers' Month and we want to see some pictures of your lovely felines!

A day dedicated to celebrating animals is a day to love. Animals are our companions, and even though they can’t talk, a lot of people would be lonely without them.

It's National Cookie Day. Here is a recipe for a healthy dog treat that you can try. Save this for a special occasion, or if you just want to treat your furry friend!

Ingredients
2 ½ cups whole wheat flour
2 large eggs
½ cup canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons peanut butter
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon water, or more if necessary (Optional)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Combine flour, eggs, pumpkin, peanut butter, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl; stir with a spatula until combined.

Transfer mixture to a work surface and work it with your hands until mixture starts to come together. Add 1 teaspoon water at a time (only if needed) to help make the dough workable, but don't add too much as it should be dry and stiff.

Roll the dough to a thickness of 1/2 inch. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces and transfer to a baking sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven until dog treats are golden brown and crunchy, about 40 minutes. Let cool before serving to your dog.

Pet Diabetes Myth:

A diabetic pet’s quality of life is less than a healthy pet’s.

This is mostly "false" because though diabetes can’t be cured, it can manage your pet’s diabetes successfully. You can do this through daily insulin therapy, an appropriate diet, and regular physical activity.

When those actions are taken, there’s no reason why your diabetic dog or cat can’t fully live out the rest of its natural life span.

Happy Thanksgiving! We hope that this is a good one for you and your loved ones.

No pie or other desserts for your pooch. Chocolate can be harmful to pets, even though many dogs find it tempting and will sniff it out and eat it. The artificial sweetener xylitol – commonly used in gum and sugar-free baked goods – also can be deadly if consumed by dogs or cats.

*AMVA

Approximately 4.1 million shelter animals are adopted each year (2 million dogs and 2.1 million cats).

The number of dogs and cats euthanized in U.S. shelters annually has declined from approximately 2.6 million in 2011. This decline can be partially explained by an increase in the percentage of animals adopted!

*stats from ASPCA

Do you have a favorite place to hike, or a favorite trail to let your pet run around?

Due to improved veterinary care and dietary habits, pets are living longer now than they ever have before.

Q: What kinds of health problems can affect older pets?
A: Geriatric pets can develop many of the same problems seen in older people, such as

cancer
heart disease
kidney/urinary tract disease
liver disease
diabetes
joint or bone disease
senility
weakness

Check-in with us to learn about our senior pet wellness services.

For we wanted to give you a short list to help you be kind to animals.

- Give your cat a scratching post
- Set aside special playtime for you and your pet.
- Wash your pet's food and water bowl.
- Play an extra long game of fetch
- Brush your pet

America’s greatest dog of its greatest generation was likely Chips, a German Shepherd, Collie, Husky mix that forced the capture of 14 Italian soldiers in one day during the invasion of Sicily despite being wounded.

*Military.com

For National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week, we wanted to share this story about 10 neglected shelter dogs getting a makeover with staggering results.

These 10 Shelter Dogs' Extreme Makeovers Are Simply Staggering It's hard to imagine some of these transformed pups ever looking so filthy.

This is a cute story of a kitten escaping its crate in the pet hospital to comfort and cuddle with a sick dog. 😍

https://pulse.ly/a264ubvmv1

Today is Cook for Your Pets Day and we wanted to share this really easy and healthy Peanut Butter Coconut Oil Dog Treats recipe with you guys!
*Live Laugh Rowe

*Ingredients
1 cup all-natural peanut butter
1 teaspoon unprocessed coconut oil
1 teaspoon cinnamon
silicon paw print tray

*Instructions
Be sure the coconut oil is in liquid form. If not, place coconut oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and cook until melted.
Add peanut butter and cinnamon. Stir until the mixture is completely smooth and thoroughly mixed. The mixture should be thick, but pourable.
Pour mixture into a tray and freeze until set.
Carefully remove them from the tray and store them in an air-tight container in the freezer (they soften quickly).

Cats Are Easy to Maintain

They can clean themselves, use a litter box, and don't need outdoor exercise.

Cats can somehow adapt seamlessly to any home environment, from a small one-bedroom apartment in the city to a spacious cottage in the country.

We value veterinary technicians every day of the year and thank them for all they do. We honor their commitment to compassionate, high-quality veterinary care for all animals.

Please join us in celebrating these important team members.

Pugs were considered to be good luck because their forehead wrinkles resembled the Chinese character for “prince.”

Emperors kept Pugs as lapdogs, and they were often guarded by their own soldiers and even given small castles.

Fun facts:
n the Netherlands in 1572, a Pug named Pompey famously saved his famous pet parent – William the Silent, Prince of Orange – from Spanish assassins by barking to wake his master.

Josephine Bonaparte, Napoleon’s wife, used her Pug to deliver messages to her family while she was imprisoned.

Vet nurses are invaluable to the health and safety of our pets. Vet Nurse Day serves as a reminder of just how important they are.

Let's appreciate them, maybe tell a story about how a nurse helped you and your pet.

22% of dog owners and 15% of cat owners said their pet's weight was average when it was overweight or obese.

To check if your pet is obese or overweight, you should be able to quickly feel your pet's ribs without pressing on the pet and your pet’s stomach should be tucked in.