If you live in the Hampstead, NC or Holly Ridge, NC and are looking for a reliable pet hospital, then it is time to give Surf City Pet Hospital a call. We provide the finest veterinarian services and are experience over the years enables us to give your pet the tender love and care they deserve. For more information or if you have a pet emergency, give our animal hospital a call or stop in today!
We are a full service animal hospital serving small animals and pets of all kinds.
Surf City Pet Hospital believes that a healthy pet is a happy pet. This is our overriding goal: providing our clients with happy, healthy furry family members. Toward that end, we strive to provide you with the best quality veterinary care possible.
We are conveniently located just off Topsail Island in the Treasure Coast Landing Shopping Center on Highway 50 in Surf City, NC. We serve the Pender and Onslow County areas, in addition to the greater Holly Ridge and Hampstead, NC area. Let us be your new home for pet care!
Surf City Pet Hospital is committed to providing excellent full-service veterinary care for all your family pet healthcare needs. We offer a full-service animal hospital and general veterinary care clinic serving pets of all kinds in addition to wellness care, dental care, a laboratory, X-ray equipment and cat and kitten rescue and adoption services.
Our mission is to enhance the experience of the love our pets provide us by maximizing their health. To achieve that, we hope to provide an atmosphere that encourages client and staff education. Our goal will be achieved when we have exceeded our clients’ expectations and they are comfortable referring family and friends to us.
Before you head out with your dog in tow, take a look at these smart ways to keep your small pooch safe and happy—no matter how you travel.
7 tips for a smoother trip
Dogs are attentive, loyal, life-affirming, and understanding companions. But owning a dog means taking responsibility for him and making sure your relationship is built on a solid foundation. That’s where these rules come into play: They can help you create a tighter bond with your pet by establishing roles, rules, and routines.
Twelve golden rules
many fruits and vegetables can also be life threatening to pets.
When it comes to washing pet bowls, there is a lot of conflicting information out there. How often should you wash? What should you wash the bowls with? Where should you wash? Everybody seems to have an opinion. So we’ve decided to go straight to the experts to find out what they think about pet bowl hygiene, foodborne disease prevention and their best practices to protect the health of humans and animals in the household.
Not only should you wash your pet’s food bowl with hot, soapy water after every meal, and wash water bowls every couple of days, but William (Bill) Burkholder, DVM, PhD, DACVN, and Charlotte Conway, MS, from the Center for Veterinary Medicine at the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, also recommend washing your hands with hot water and soap before and after handling your pet’s food to help prevent passing any contamination.
“The FDA doesn’t regulate pet food bowls; however, we do regulate pet food. Just like with people food, pet food that’s left out too long can grow bacteria,” Burkholder and Conway comment.
Because pets eat directly from their bowls, Burkholder and Conway warn that the microbes that normally live in your pet’s mouth can be transferred to any leftover bits of food in the bowls the pet eats and drinks from, creating an area where the bacteria can flourish.
“What kind of bacteria grow in the bowls depends on factors like the environment, exposure and oral hygiene of the animal, but possible examples include Staphylococcus aureus, Pasteurella multocida and different species of Corynebacterium, Streptococcus, Enterobacteria, Neisseria, Moraxella, Bacillus and, less frequently, Salmonella and Pseudomonas.”
Some of these microbes are potentially dangerous to pets and humans, and can be especially dangerous to the very young, the very old and immunosuppressed persons.
How long to leave out canned or moist food is a common question from pet owners. Dogs and cats don’t always eat the entire can, and food safety is always questionable when food is left out. Burkholder and Conway weigh in, “The length of time that food can be left out safely depends on a number of variables. Uneaten or open canned/moist food should be covered and refrigerated as soon as possible. As a general rule of thumb, do not leave open canned/moist food sitting unrefrigerated (e.g., in your pet’s bowl or on the counter at room temperature) for more than two hours. This is when bacteria in food can multiply rapidly and lead to foodborne illness.”
Dry food and dishes should be handled similarly to canned food. The FDA recommends storing dry pet food in its original bag inside a clean, dedicated plastic container with a lid, keeping the top of the bag folded closed. Ideal storage conditions are a cool, dry place — under 80 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s also a good idea to wash your hands after handling dry food and use a scoop that is dedicated just for pet food. The FDA also recommends keeping pets away from food storage and preparation areas, garbage and household trash.
Another common question from pet owners is whether or not to use bleach on pet dishes. “Dishes can be effectively washed with hot, soapy water,” Burkholder and Conway comment. “As an extra precaution, you can use a solution of one tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach in one gallon of water to sanitize washed surfaces and utensils.”
According to the FDA officials, the important thing is that the dish or bowl gets cleaned and does not have residual food or film adhering to it, whether it is washed by hand or in a dishwasher. The dishwasher can be a useful alternative to hand-washing for dishwasher-safe bowls, but food residue remaining on the dish or bowl can still harbor bacteria that can go on to multiply after washing.
Michael San Filippo, a spokesman for the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) agrees that it’s generally fine to load pet dishes in the dishwasher with other dishes. Washing them regularly will prevent the growth of bacteria that can make both you and your pet sick. However, if you have a baby or a family member with a suppressed immune system, you should probably run a separate load or use the dishwasher’s sanitize cycle, just to be safe.
Biofilm is a grouping of different types of bacteria that can grow on the walls of a pet’s water bowl. Some sources say it is beneficial; others say to scrub it off. FDA officials Burkholder and Conway recommend you treat your pet’s water bowl like you would your own drinking glass — thoroughly washing it with hot, soapy water (by hand or in the dishwasher) at least every day or two.
There have been several recent outbreaks of pet foods recalled due to contamination with Salmonella. This microbe can not only make your pet sick, but it can cause your pet to become a long-term carrier of a bacteria that can sicken humans. In addition, raw food is a potential carrier of harmful bacteria, and any pet owners who choose to feed raw food should take proper precautions, including thoroughly disinfecting any surface used to prepare raw ingredients, and washing food bowls and utensils daily. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children under 5 years should not handle pet food or treats since their immune systems are still developing. Furthermore, adults over age 65, people with weakened immune systems and organ-transplant patients are also at an increased risk for getting seriously ill from Salmonella.
Here’s the bottom line: If you’re guilty of leaving your pet’s food and water bowls out for days without cleaning them, you run the risk of spreading dangerous bacteria and contracting a foodborne illness. Clean out your animal’s excess food and wash the bowls in hot, soapy water or pop them in the dishwasher after every meal. It might be a good idea to have several food and water bowls on hand, so you’ll always have a clean one ready for the next meal. And don’t forget to wash your hands every time you handle pet food
Cartoon animals may drum up hilarious antics, but millions of real-life cats and dogs have learned to love (or at least respect) one another. Perhaps that’s why millions of pet owners feel their house isn’t complete until they’ve added a puppy anda feline to the family. It’s easy, as long as you stick to a few steps.
Under no circumstances should you “let them work out things on their own.” That method is far too stressful, even in the best of circumstances. It’s important to keep in mind that introductions can be dangerous, especially for the cat. Some dogs see cats as prey, and even those who are generally easygoing may react instinctively to a feline on the run.
Introductions must be supervised and handled with planning, care and patience. If you have a cat and are going to bring in a dog, try to find an animal that is familiar with cats. Shelters, rescue groups or private parties looking to place puppies and dogs often know whether an animal has successfully lived with one.
If you have a dog and are planning to bring in a cat, start working on Fido’s obedience before you add the new animal. Your dog should be comfortable on a leash and trained to mind your requests for him to stay in either a “sit” or “down” position while on that leash.
For the cat’s comfort, he should be confined to a small area during the early stages of introductions. A second bathroom or guest bedroom will offer the cat a safe space while acclimating to the dog’s sounds and smells. Be sure the room has everything he needs (including food and water bowls and a litterbox) and that he has frequent one-on-one visits with human members of the family.
After the cat has been sequestered for a few days, you can begin the introductions. Put the dog on leash and open the door to the room. Allow the animals to see one another, but do not let the dog chase the cat, even in play. Use “sit-stay” or “down-stay” to keep the dog in place while the cat gets used to his presence. Don’t force the cat to interact with the dog; if the cat wishes to watch him from the darkest recesses of the bed, so be it. Reward both animals with treats and praise.
Keep the dog on leash for a couple of weeks in the cat’s presence. You should always make sure the cat has a way to escape from the dog — baby gates are especially effective. Build up the time the animals spend together, and continue to make the introductions rewarding with more treats and praise.
When can you take off the leash and let the two begin their lives together? When the dog isn’t interested in bothering the cat and the cat feels secure enough to come out from under the bed. How long it will take to get to this step will depend on the animals involved, and you must work at their pace.
It’s not uncommon for dogs and cats to become friends and to enjoy each other’s company. Take the time to manage the introduction properly, and you could be setting up a friendship that will last for the rest of your pets’ lives.
Surf City Pet Hospital 