To keep your pet's teeth healthy, Aldie Vet recommends regular brushing. Please read our "How To" for tips on brushing your pet's teeth.

How to Brush Your Pets Teeth

As a reminder, although our supplies are going fast, we still have Frontline Plus at a special price, plus you get two free! In addition, our Merial Representative has agreed to continue providing an instant rebate of $15.00 for every 12-month supply of Heartgard® purchased. We do not know how long this will be offered, so take the deal while you can. This deal may be combined with the $5.00 mail-in rebate you will receive at the time of purchase.

As a reminder, Merial, the maker of Frontline Plus® is still offering the supplier discount which brings the product to $10.50 per dose. In addition, for every 12-month supply of Heartgard® purchased, you will receive an instant rebate of $15.00 as well as a $5.00 mail-in rebate. Our supplies are going fast on the heartworm prevention.

If your pet does not have a microchip, the Vet Tech Club of Northern Virginia Community College Loudoun Campus is hosting a Dog Wash on Saturday, April 30th. In addition to dog baths, they are offering rabies shots and free microchipping. For more information, please visit their posting here.

• Vaccinate your dog this Spring with the Lyme vaccine.

• Use a flea and tick control product, such as Frontline Plus on your pet YEAR ROUND.

• Check your dogs, cats, children and yourself regularly for ticks. Make sure to examine your pet between toes, behind ears, under armpits and around tail and head as ticks like to hide in these areas.

A great resource for information about tick-borne disease in animals may be found at dogsandticks.com. In addition, we will be providing additional information regarding Lyme disease in your pet in our next issue of the Aldie Vet Pet Gazette.

As for our feline pets, unlike with dogs, heartworm disease is not detectable, which makes prevention even more important. Even "inside only" cats can be bitten by an infected mosquito that has made its way into your home.

For more information click on this link.

• Heat Stroke
• Plants & Flowers
• Jumping or falling out open windows
• Locked in vehicles reaching extreme heat

We encourage you to click on this link to learn more about keeping your pets safe and sound while still enjoying your summer.

A pet's home can be a minefield of poisons. Here are the Top 10 Pet Toxins according to the 167,000 calls Animal Poison Control received in 2010:

1. Human Medications
2. Insecticides
3. Rodenticides
4. People Food
5. Vet Meds
6. Chocolate
7. Household Toxins
8. Plants
9. Herbicides
10. Outdoor Toxins.

Click here to review more information on these pet poisons. For more information about Animal Poison Control, visit their website.

Purchasing Pet Drugs Online: Buyer Beware

Our office will be closing early at 1PM on Friday, December 24th. We will be closed all day on Saturday, December 25th.

In the event you have an emergency, please call 703.327.0909 for our 24 hr vet.

Happy Holidays!

Leesburg Today released its Best of Loudoun 2010 survey (click link to vote). We hope you will participate, as this is a way for you to recognize your favorite Loudoun Locals.

You must complete at least 50% of the questions and submit your survey by December 19, 2010.

We would really appreciate your vote for Aldie Vet when listing your favorite Veterinary Practice; and naming one of our Doctors when voting for your favorite Veterinarian.

What makes for a great review?

Yelp reviews are useful, funny and cool because people like you take the time to share thoughtful insights on local businesses and services. The best reviews are personal and experiential, and tend to offer helpful suggestions, perhaps even an insider tip or two. The most useful reviews sometimes make mention of unique qualities that make the business special or the type of person who might also like this business.

If you wish to write a review of your a recent experience, please click on the link below. We love reviews from our Yelpers!

Holistic Veterinary Medicine has been an area of interest for Dr. Pattie, which will be a great compliment to all the other services we offer at our location in South Riding, Va.

This virus has the same symptoms as Kennel Cough. These symptoms include coughing, runny nose, fever, and lethargy. Because this is a new virus to the canine species, 100% of our canine family friends can be affected. Eighty percent of the dogs infected will show mild to moderate symptoms, while 20% of the infected will carry the virus, but not show ANY symptoms. Any dog diagnosed with the virus is HIGHLY contagious and should be kept away from any other dogs.

The virus is transmitted via direct contact with respiratory secretions. This includes coughing, sneezing, and contact with food/water bowls, toys, or bedding. We are also able to carry the virus on our clothing, hair, skin, and shoes. The virus lives in the environment for up to 12 hours.

Aldie Veterinary Hospital is taking all precautions to help prevent the spread of the virus. If your animal is exhibiting any of the symptoms listed above, and you have an appointment with us, we ask that you help us by staying in your car with the air conditioning running until we are ready to see you and your pet.

There is a vaccine available for prevention of the serious complications associated with this virus. At this time, we we are reviewing information provided by the vaccine manufacturer as well as test results from suspected infected animals to determine which dogs we recommend receiving the vaccine.

What's Wrong With Tethering?  Dogs are social beings that thrive on interaction with humans and other animals. Tethered dogs are often the victims of abuse and neglect, suffering from sporadic feedings, empty water bowls, inadequate veterinary care and exposure to weather extremes. They are forced to eat, sleep, urinate and defecate in the same confined area, which goes against their natural instincts. Tethered dogs also suffer neck injuries from collars that have become embedded into their skin—some even strangle to death when chains become entangled with other objects. Chained in place, they are also helpless to defend themselves against abusive people, stray dogs and wild animals who may invade their space. In addition, unaltered, chained female dogs are likely to attract strays, leading to unwanted litters.

What Are the Effects of Long-Term Tethering on Dogs? Tethering for short time periods, using appropriate equipment, in an animal-friendly environment (access to water, shelter and toys, for example) is generally harmless. However, keeping a dog on a tether for the majority of the day often leads to negative behavior changes. Tethered dogs run a high risk of becoming “stir crazy” due to the inability to release their energy and socialize with others. With dogs, boredom often leads to frustration, which, in turn, often leads to aggression. An additional contributor to aggression is that, given only a small area in which to dwell, tethered dogs are known to become irrationally protective of that area because it is essentially their whole world. Studies have shown that chained or tethered dog is nearly three times more likely to bite than a dog that is not chained or tethered.

"Chaining and Tethering." ASPCA.org. American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Web.  5 February 2012. < http://www.aspca.org/fight-animal-cruelty/advocacy-center/animal-laws-about-the-issues/tethering.aspx>.

There are laws in our quad-state area that specifically discuss tethering or chaining your dog and the penalties for not obeying the laws. Below are excerpts from each state.

Virginia - Class 4 misdemeanor, VA ST§ 3.2-6500

Each owner shall provide for each of his companion animals adequate space. For purposes of tethering "adequate space" means a tether that: is appropriate to the age and size of the animal; is attached to the animal by a properly applied collar, halter, or harness; configured so as to protect the animal from injury and prevent the animal or tether from becoming entangled with other objects or animals; ius at least three times the length of the animal, as measured from the tip of its nose to the base of its tail.

Maryland - Misdemeanor subject to imprisonment not exceeding 90 days or a fine not exceeding $1,000 orboth, MD CRIM LAW § 10-623

A person may not leave a dog outside and unattended by use of a restraint that unreasonably limits the movement of the dog; Or one that uses a collar that: is made primarily of metal; is not at least as large as the circumference of the dog's neck plus 1 inch; that restricts the access of the dog to suitable and sufficient clean water or appropriate shelter; in unsafe or unsanitary conditions; that causes injury to the dog.

West Virginia - Misdemeanor with fine of not less than $300 nor more than $2,000 or confined in jail not more than six months, WV ST§ 61-8-19

It is unlawful for any person to intentionally, knowingly or recklessly cruelly chain or tether an animal.

District of Columbia - Imprisonment in jail not exceeding 180 days, or by fine not exceeding $250, or by both, DC ST§ 22.1001

For the purposes of this section, "cruelly chains" means attaching an animal to a stationary object or a pulley by means of a chain, rope, tether, leash, cable, or similar restraint under circumstances that may endanger its health, safety, or well-being. Cruelly chains includes a tether that:  Causes the animal to choke; does not permit the animal to reach food, water, shade, dry ground; does not permit the animal to escape harm.

Wisch, Rebecca F. "Overview of State Dog Tethering Laws." animallaw.info. Animal Legal & Historical Center. Michigan State University College of Law. 2009/2011. Web. 5 February 2012. < http://www.animallaw.info/articles/ovustetherlaws.htm>.