Here are some of our favorite links &
helpful
resources...
Visit us on FaceBook
for current news & announcements
click
here to go to current pet announcements from our clients (on Lost &
Found page)
Lost and Found in Yellowstone Country, Montana. Here is
a list of resources to check if you have lost or found a pet, or if
you would like to adopt a pet, in the Billings, Montana (Yellowstone
County) or surrounding area. Includes important health reasons to spay
or neuter your pet, and "the top 10 reasons to adopt a pet."
We have clients' Bulletin Board at bottom of this page.
Dog
Health Handbook. Online handbook full of up-to-date, great,
basic information.
Pet Docs
On Call. A great online resource for answers to many questions
about your pet. Check it out!
Bring
Your Pet to College. US News, by Ryan Lytle, May 2011.
These schools are among those that offer flexible policies for students
with pets.
Housetraining. Any
dog can be housetrained, at any age. Success depends upon your degree
of dedication!
Noise Phobia: and Canine Fear,
Stress, and Anxiety... This page deals mostly with dogs. Cats
with psychosomatic issues display less obvious symptoms and are handled
differently than dogs. See the Feline page for help with recognizing
and managing cats with stress and behavior problems.
Causes of excessive anxiety may be due to temperament, environment,
their past history (often a combination of issues). The cause is not
our focus here. Here we are going to look at various solutions and treatments
that are available. Fear & anxiety can be as detrimental to your
pet's health & well-being as it is to yours. Since pets don't always
cope as well as we'd hope while sharing their lives with us - whatever
the reasons may be - we owe it to them to do what we can to reduce or
relieve the symptoms of anxiety and fear.
Noise phobia treatments and solutions often work with any type of anxiety
in canines. There are homeopathic remedies, behavioural suggestions,
as well as medications. You can start with the most natural approaches
and experiment with these treatments until you find what will work with
your pet. No dog (or cat) deserves to suffer anxiety, terror or panic;
and when your pet suffers from nervousness or fear, you suffer along
with them. There ARE things that can be done to relieve or reduce your
pet's anxieties.
Microchipping can be as important as
vaccinations, because more dogs are lost forever, than die from disease.
If you don't microchip, ALWAYS keep a current rabies or ID tag on your
dog's collar... because no matter what you or your dog's lifestyle is...
remember what defines an "accident or unexpected event" -
that's when they get lost! Many dogs afraid
of loud noise panic, break out and run away from thunderstorms,
firecrackers, backfires, gun shots etc. Some statistics say that ID
improves the chance of recovering a lost pet by over 90%.
Pet
Poison Helpline. For those of you who live far away from
the nearest Veterinary Emergency Service... remember where this link
is - on the Links page - on LockwoodVet.com website... because when
you need this, you need it ASAP. This service is available 24 hours,
seven days a week for pet owners and veterinary team members who require
assistance treating a potentially poisoned pet and can provide treatment
advice for poisoning cases of all species, including dogs, cats, birds,
small mammals, large animals, and exotic species. As the most cost-effective
option for animal poison control care, Pet Poison Helpline’s fee of
$35 per incident includes follow-up consultation for the duration of
the poisoning case. It is available in North America by calling 800-213-6680
or visit their website (logo is linked).
Animal Eye Center 2011 Schedule (animaleyecenter.com) Mobile
Referral Clinics for Montana area. Animals with involved eye conditions
or disease are referred to make an appointment to see the specialist
the next time he is in Billings.
Animal Chiropractic service
provided by Dr Sid Erickson DVM, of Helena, on periodic trips to Billings.
Go to this page to schedule an appointment for your horse or dog having
muscular skeletal issues on his next visit.
Heartworms continue
to plague pets. They are much more prevalent in warm climates than Montana,
but
inform yourself when deciding whether to put your pet on preventative.
Many dog & cat owners in Montana do a heartworm test when their
dog has been at risk. Also we recommend a HW test when acquiring a new
dog that is mature, with an unknown history. In Montana, mosquito season
- May to Oct - is the time of year to consider regular heartworm preventative,
which controls other worms as well.
8
People Foods that are TOXIC to Pets. Most pet owners have
heard chocolate is poisonous to pets, but do they know that other common
foods may also be dangerous for dogs and cats? Every day Pet Poison
Helpline receives many calls about pets getting into people food. Here
are eight of the most harmful: Grapes/raisins/currants, caffeine, chocolate/cocoa,
Xylitol (sugar-substitute with dental plaque-fighting properties, in
some gum & mints), onions/garlic/chives/leeks, uncooked yeast dough,
alcohol and fatty foods.
Safe & low-calorie People Foods that are GOOD for pets -
make FANTASTIC treats:
• Apples
• Peas
• Green beans
• Unsalted, unbuttered popcorn
• Carrots
• Sweet potatoes
• Zucchini
• Squash
• Lettuce
• Blueberries
• Watermelon
• Ice chips (Freeze cubes of diluted beef or chicken broth for
a real frozen treat.)
When your pet is overweight.
Obesity is a major cause of debilitating,
expensive disease & illness, suffering and
shortened lifespan. If you let your pet become overweight, and
stay that way for very long, it is at much higher risk for diabetes,
arthritis, joint pain, back injury, kidney failure, heart failure and
more, not to mention difficulty breathing and just plain SUFFERING...
Feeds & Feeding. What kind of food should I feed my dog
and cat? What kind of treats? Raw food diets.
Feeding tips, do's and don'ts. More coming soon.
An important tip when choosing a canned pet food: Bypass
any pet food formula that lists non-specific "meat" as an
ingredient, or any formula containing by-products. "Meat by-products",
especially those not specified as a certain kind of meat (chicken, beef,
turkey, etc.) frequently contain dicey ingredients ground into the mix
during processing like beaks, feathers, feet, hooves, hair, entrails
– even tumors - so beware of rendered "meat" by-products.
Also look for food and treats that aren't loaded with grains, fillers,
dyes, sugar, salt, or preservatives.
Our Aging Pets... keeping
them comfortable, happy & beautiful. Tips to minimize the limitations
of aging, and assist your four-legged family member to age comfortably,
gracefully and with dignity...
What
Causes Siezures in Pets, from Healthy Pets. Dr. Karen Becker discusses
the frightening condition of seizures in pets – what to look for, what
can cause the disorder, and what to do if your own pet suddenly has
a seizure.
BLOAT!
Gastric Dilation Volvulus (GDV) Can kill your dog in 20
minutes! 12 breeds are at highest risk. Know the symptoms and be prepared
to RUSH to your vet if necessary. Results in shock, unconsciousness,
stomach rupture, and death - all very quickly. Commonly happens soon
after they eat. Read about preventative measures...
Luxating
Patella or 'Floating Kneecap'Pay attention... If your
dog utters a sharp piercing yelp - then just as suddenly resumes playing
and running around like nothing happened - if you have a little dog
that runs around with one hind leg hiked in the air - these are warning
signals of this serious problem that can require surgery. Take these
3 steps immediately to help prevent pain and suffering, and possibly
help avoid surgery...
Traveling
with your pet (USDA) ......
PetTravel.com
Airline travel will require a veterinarian signed health certificate...
travel by car over state lines and Canada requires a current Rabies
Vaccination certificate. When kittens or puppies younger than 4 months
of age need to fly, get a signed health certificate indicating they
appear healthy but are too young for a rabies vaccination.
• 7 Summer Safety Tips for Pets, a pdf file
brochure - simple basics to help your pets stay healthy and safe during
the summer season marked by pests and high temperatures.
• Allergies
in Your Pet. There are two types of allergies your dog
or cat can acquire: food allergies and environmental allergies. Seasonal
allergies fall under the environmental category. Read more about seasonal
allergy tips.
Pet tips for
the holidays... 4
top holiday hazards for pets... to maintain a safe household
during this festive time of year, it's important that you're aware of
which holiday items put pets at risk. This article outlines four common
holiday hazards that Pet Poison Helpline receives calls about. If you
think the poinsettia plant is the most dangerous part of Christmas to
dogs, think again! Tinsel can be deadly if eaten by cats (turns there
intenstines into a scrunchy) (Other than that Christmas trees are a
great playground for kitties!) In this article, Dr Ahna Brutlag, assistant
director for veterinary services at PPH, describes how each item affects
pets and discusses the appropriate treatments.
Holistic
veterinarians -- DVMs who also practice alternative, complementary
medicine -- are not nearly as plentiful in most areas as allopathic
(conventional) vets, but you may not realize there are other resources
as well, including veterinary specialists in:
FYI: The price of medicine, cost of veterinary compared to human care...
"Vets have the same education (in many
cases even more, since they must learn several species) and from some
of my experience here in Billings -- better service. These prices were
in Florida. We are a much better bargain than even this vet was."
Just for Fun. Submitted by staff & clients, a fun collection
of humor, interesting stories, photos & trivia about pets. To submit
your favorite pet humor, email weblackey.
Dr. Karen Becker... Our links to Karen Becker articles
do not represent complete endorsement of her views. We have included
these links because she does a wonderful job explaining how things work,
and provides valuable information on a wealth of subjects. And we always
support trying the natural and conservative approaches first. We do
not subscribe to extreme views on restricted veterinary care & procedures,
or recommendations for natural & holistic-only
treatments. We at Lockwood Veterinarian Service recommend a safe, balanced
and healthy combination of both orthodox medical and holistic treatment
options. Also, it may be necessary to sign up and login to view some
of her articles. If you cannot view her articles and want more information
on any subject listed here, email the weblackey.
This link does not represent any endorsement of ASPCA's
policies or politics which are not in the best interests of our pets.
for current news & announcements
Pet
Poison Helpline
but
inform yourself when deciding whether to put your pet on preventative.
Many dog & cat owners in Montana do a heartworm test when their
dog has been at risk. Also we recommend a HW test when acquiring a new
dog that is mature, with an unknown history. In Montana, mosquito season
- May to Oct - is the time of year to consider regular heartworm preventative,
which controls other worms as well.
...
Pet tips 
Just for Fun. Submitted by staff & clients, a fun collection
of humor, interesting stories, photos & trivia about pets. To submit
your favorite pet humor, email 
