The Pet Experts of Elmhurst, IL

Both children and animals have a way of bringing people together and making our hearts melt. The Pet Experts at Elmhurst Animal Care Center know that when these forces unite, it can be quite powerful! We love to share in and celebrate the incredible teams made between children and pets.

Children and Pets: Mutual Benefits

Of course as an animal lover you probably know that spending time with your pet makes you feel great, but did you know that there is real and scientific evidence that pets have positive effect on us all? In fact, HABRI (the Human Animal Bond Research Institute) keeps a database of all the research being produced about the positive effects of animals on people. It is amazing to look at.

With a 24-hour news cycle filling our collective hearts and minds, we could all benefit from something fun, right? An event that all but guarantees smiles, giggles, and probably a belly rub or two. We’re talking about planning a pet birthday party, of course! It might sound frivolous to some, but The Pet Experts can assure you, there are few things as wonderful and memorable as a gathering to celebrate one’s best furry friend.

The Exact Day?

Many pet owners don’t know when their pet was born. That’s Okay! You can celebrate the day you adopted them, or any other date that holds meaning for you. Once you set the date, you’ll have to hone in on several tiers of pet party planning elements.

X Marks the Spot

Choosing the location of your pet birthday party is a huge puzzle piece. Once you kind of have an idea of the general numbers of humans and pets in attendance you can decide between:

• Your house (do you have enough inside/outside space to accommodate your guest list?)
• Favorite park (you may need permission from the city)
• Doggie daycare facility (like our’s at Elmhurst Animal Care Center)
• Family or friend’s house or property

Protection from the elements is important. Animal guests must be able to go outside to the bathroom, as well.

Who’s Coming?

Are you going to include your friends and family, or just people you know that share your affinity for animals? There’s something to be said for inclusivity, but some pets may need to sit this one out if their behavior and socialization isn’t up to par.

Kids can also add a great deal of fun to your event, but their unpredictability can set some pet’s nerves on edge. No matter who is coming to your pet birthday party, close supervision is key.

Other Considerations

To get the most of your pet birthday party, plan a coordinated activity or two. If the weather is nice and your gathering is outside, any of the following can work:

• Fetch
• Hide and seek
• Water games
• Photo booth
• Frisbee

Your Own Pet Birthday Party

You’ll probably want to serve your guests food, and pets are famous for indulging in homemade treats like these:

• Doggy or Kitty birthday cake (little or no sugar, and nutritious)
• Homemade biscuits
• Freezer pup-sicles or frozen tuna cubes for cats
• Yogurt treats
• Fresh, bite-sized apples, carrots (steamed), blueberries, roasted sweet potato and more

Please let the Pet Experts know if you have any questions or concerns about your pet birthday. Better yet, share a picture on our Facebook from your pet’s special day. Enjoy!

When you come to The Pet Experts, you’ve probably talked to one of our veterinary technicians about your pet’s health. Whether it’s for a preventive care exam, a dental cleaning, or if your pet is sick, you know it is a great comfort to have a caring, experienced, and knowledgeable veterinary technician helping to care for your pet.

But what, exactly, do these team members do? Far from simply fetching a vaccine or counting out pills, veterinary technician duties and talents range far and wide. And, with October 14 – 20th, 2018 designated National Veterinary Technician Appreciation Week, there’s no better time to shine a spotlight on these caring and skilled professionals.

If your pet were critically injured tomorrow, and needed to be hospitalized, could you afford the bill?

We all strive to take the very best care of our pets. They’re members of our family, after all! Luckily, we now have access to advanced veterinary care for our pets. From cancer treatment, to life saving critical care, to treatment for hyperthyroidism, we are fortunate to have many choices when it comes to treating major illness and injury. However, that advanced care does not come without cost. According to Canine Journal, the annual cost of pet care is now topping $1800 per pet. So it’s no wonder that veterinary care is becoming a significant financial strain on many families.

That’s where pet insurance comes in. Just as human health insurance is meant to bridge the gap between cost and needed health care, pet insurance can ease the financial burden of unexpected illness or injury in our pets. But is it worth it? Continue…

Dog lovers everywhere know how wonderful it can be to share life with a canine companion; the bond we share with dogs is truly unique, and their ability to detect and respond to our feelings and concerns is nothing short of incredible.

For the thousands of men, women, and children living with a physical or mental disability, the bond with a dog can actually be life changing. Service dogs offer their handlers the chance to live independently, move freely, and can even save lives.

What is a Service Dog?

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a service dog is not a pet. A service dog is defined as one that has been “individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability.” Some of the ways in which a dog can be of service to a human handler include: Continue…

Anyone who enjoys the great outdoors knows to bring along certain supplies “just in case.” Indeed, it’s always better to have something and not need it, instead of the other way around. So it goes with disaster preparedness. When thinking about evacuation plans, medical needs, and more, it’s good to have a general understanding of how to protect and provide for your pet should an emergency situation arise.

Better Safe than Sorry

One of the best defenses against separation is to microchip your pet. This is important for general pet care, of course, but in the event of a natural disaster or emergency, it provides the best chance at a happy reunion. While microchipping isn’t a replacement for a collar and ID tags, microchips definitely add an extra layer of protection. Continue…

Welcome home! You step inside your house after a few hours out expecting a warm welcome from your pet. Instead, you find that your dog has chewed your rug, or your cat has eliminated on your bed! Are your pets angry at you for leaving? Likely not.

It’s possible that feelings of anxiety and fear at being left alone are at the root of your pet’s behavior. Separation anxiety is a one of the top contributing factors for behavior problems in pets.

The Pet Experts have some tips on how to recognize and resolve separation anxiety in pets.   Continue…

Nobody blinks when they pay monthly car insurance premiums or invest in good health plans. Instead, we all recognize the value of protecting what’s important to us. When it comes to safeguarding your pet’s health and longevity, there are also health insurance plans, disease prevention methods, and dental care practices that demand time, attention, and money. However, microchipping your pet is the best insurance against ever becoming permanently separated, and aids in a swift return of a lost or missing pet.

Tiny, Easy, Effective

It sounds like something you’d see on the Syfy channel, and microchipping your pet is sort of a glimpse into the future.

About the size of a grain or rice, microchips are an excellent back-up to a pet’s collar and ID tags (which can be removed). While they don’t transmit location, microchips employ RFID, or radio frequency identification. When placed under a microchip scanner, a number comes up on the screen. Only when the number on the scanner is plugged into a national database can the pet owner’s information can be revealed. Continue…

Do you remember the day you brought your pet home? Along with all the excitement and laughter that comes with getting a new pet, there’s nothing quite like the feeling that comes with knowing you’re helping an animal in need.

Fostering a pet brings that same sense of reward and happiness. Beyond adoption (although that’s certainly amazing), shelters and rescues are in desperate need of volunteers for everything from cleaning kennels to taking care of their fosters. If you’re looking to step up your volunteer efforts, fostering a pet may be just the thing for you.

Fostering a Pet

As one can imagine, animal shelters are often at capacity and don’t have the resources to take in every animal in need. Fostering is a way to help those pets while minimizing the stress of staying in a crowded shelter. Continue…

Running has exploded in popularity in recent decades, and there’s no doubt that this type of regular aerobic exercise brings with it a myriad of health benefits, a sense of accomplishment, and is even fun for some. Your dog may seem like a natural fit as a running partner. After all, they have plenty of energy to burn and love spending time with you.

But running with your dog requires training and an eye on safety. Does your dog have what it takes?

Before You Begin

Before you start running with your dog, you’ll need to make sure they are healthy enough for high-impact exercise. Dogs who are too young or old (puppies under 18 months should not go running, as their bones and joints are not fully developed) are not good candidates for a jog. Flat-nosed breeds, such as bulldogs and pugs, have shortened airways, which could make running difficult or dangerous for them. Stick to a daily walk in this case. Continue…