We Do! We recycle paper, cardboard, aluminum cans, glass, plastics, plastic bags, and styrofoam coolers and trays. We also shred our computer-generated paper and re-use it as paper litter for our cats’ litter boxes. Here’s what’s new for this spring!

Cans for CrittersWhat is Cans for Critters?
The critters at Bear Hollow Wildlife Trail need new or expanded habitats! You can help by recycling aluminum cans! We here at Hope Animal Medical Center are contributing all of our cans to the program, and want to spread the word!

To raise the funds for these habitats, Athens-Clarke County Recycling Division and Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services (Bear Hollow Wildlife Trail) will be challenging the community to collect as many aluminum cans as possible. The collection began in January, but will run through April, which is Earth Month . The proceeds from can recycling during this period will go toward improved animal habitats at Bear Hollow Wildlife Trail. One needed habitat is a night enclosure for the new bear cubs. The collection goal is $1,000, which is approximately 2,000 pounds (1 ton) of aluminum cans.

Where can we drop off the cans for the collection?

Aluminum cans may be dropped off at Bear Hollow Wildlife Trail, 293 Gran Ellen Drive (within Memorial Park). Another location is the ACC Solid Waste Department, 725 Hancock Industrial Way. And, if you live close to our clinic, you may also drop clean, empty aluminum cans here at Hope Animal Medical Center, 1150 Mitchell Bridge Road. We have arranged with the ACC Recycling Division to have our aluminum cans picked up from our clinic.

Why participate?

• Recycling diverts recyclables from our local landfill.
• It provides raw material to industry.
• This collection provides funding for Bear Hollow Wildlife Trail.
• The new habitats will improve the lives of the animals at Bear Hollow.
• A cleaner planet makes for happier, healthier animals and people.

Please recycle! And, donate your cans for the critters!

Spring has sprung! 

We all want to wish you a Happy March! With the warmer weather, we officially mark the beginning of flea and tick season. Fleas and ticks are external parasites that affect dogs, cats and humans too. The harmful effects of fleas and ticks can include more than just itchiness and discomfort. In fact, both fleas and ticks can carry serious diseases that are dangerous to both owner and pet. Thankfully, today there are a variety of products available through veterinarians that can help ensure protection from these pesky parasites.

Fleas 
In addition to itchiness, or pruritus, fleas can cause numerous health problems in our pets. Fleas are small, brown, wingless insects that bite the skin and feed on blood. Because they feed on blood, flea infestations can lead to anemia. When a flea bites a pet, it injects small amounts of saliva into the skin that works to prevent blood clotting and allows it to better siphon blood. Some pets are allergic to the flea saliva, which can cause severe skin reactions, known as flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) or flea bite hypersensitivity. Fleas can also carry tapeworm larvae, which a pet can ingest and become infected with tapeworms and then pass through its feces (often looks like “pieces of rice”). Plus, fleas can carry the organism Bartonella henselae , one of the causes of “cat-scratch disease (CSD)” in humans.

Ticks 
Ticks are another blood-sucking parasite of the arachnid family related to mites and spiders. Ticks are most commonly found on the ears or in between the toes, but they can be found anywhere on the body. Ticks can be harmful in small or large numbers, as they can transmit serious diseases to both animals and humans. Tick-borne diseases include: Ehrlichia, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Lyme disease. Erhlichia can cause anemia, low platelet counts, bleeding, fever, lethargy, neurologic disease and multiple leg arthritis. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever can cause fever, neurologic disease, breathing difficulty, bleeding disorders and anemia. Lyme disease, caused by the organism Borrelia burgdorferi , is transmitted by the deer tick and can cause multiple leg arthritis, weight loss, lack of appetite, lethargy and fever. Ticks can also cause localized inflammatory lesions of the skin, and occasionally, a syndrome called tick-bite paralysis: weakness or paralysis associated with a toxin the tick secretes as it feeds.

Signs of Infestation 
Often times pet owners will find fleas or ticks on their pets; however, some pets with flea allergy dermatitis/flea bite hypersensitivity may just be itchy, but no fleas are visible. Finding an adult flea is just the “tip of the iceberg” as the flea has other life-cycle stages that are more numerous and often times too small to see easily. Fleas lay eggs that fall off the pet into the surrounding environment. These eggs hatch into larval-stage fleas then form a pupa before maturing into an adult flea. Other signs of flea infestation are finding pepper-like debris (flea feces) in the pet’s fur, pruritus (itching/scratching/over-grooming), and irritated skin. Flea infestations can lead to secondary skin infections as well. Another indicator of a flea or tick problem is if pet owners find a tick or small bites on themselves.

Flea and Tick Preventives 
Fortunately, there are a variety of flea and tick preventives available through your veterinarian. These products are safe and effective, and come in either topical or oral formulations. It is crucial that products designed for dogs should never be used for cats and vice-versa. The use of over-the-counter products is not recommended as they can have harsher ingredients and harmful side effects, especially if used incorrectly. Harmful side effects can include: allergic reactions, muscle tremors, seizures, and in severe cases, death for a pet. We have a variety of products here at Hope Animal Medical Center that can help you and your pet. We recommend using flea/tick control products once monthly year-round as insects are a year-round problem here in the south. Below is a brief explanation of the different products available.

FOR DOGS: 
Capstar = Nitenpyram, oral flea control, kills fleas quickly,lasts 1 day only
Comfortis = Spinosad, oral flea control, lasts 1 month (DOGS ONLY)
Advantage = Imidacloprid, topical flea control, lasts 1 month 
K9Advantix = Imidacloprid/Permethrin, topical flea/tick control, lasts 1 month (DOGS ONLY)
Frontline = Fipronil/S-Methoprene, topical flea/tick control, lasts 1 month
Preventic Collar = Amitraz, tick collar, lasts 3 months (DOGSONLY)
Trifexis = Spinosad/Milbemycin Oxime, oral flea control plus heartworm prevention, intestinal parasite control, lasts 1 month (DOGS ONLY)
Sentinel = Lufenuron/Milbemycin Oxime, oral flea sterilizer plus heartworm prevention, intestinal parasite control, lasts 1 month (DOGS ONLY)
Revolution = Selamectin, topical flea/tick control plus heartworm prevention, lasts 1 month

FOR CATS: 
Capstar = Nitenpyram, oral flea control, kills fleas quickly,lasts 1 day only 
Advantage = Imidacloprid, topical flea control, lasts 1 month
Advantage Multi = Imidacloprid/Moxidectin, topical flea control plus heartworm prevention, intestinal parasite control, and ear mite treatment/prevention, lasts 1 month
Frontline = Fipronil, topical flea/tick control, lasts 1 month
Revolution = Selamectin, topical flea control plus heartworm prevention, intestinal parasite control, and earmite treatment/prevention, lasts 1 month.

Please call for more information or visit our clinic’s website at www.HopeAMC.com.