09.12.12 Pet Expo

2 | 2012 Pet Expo An advertising supplement to The Post and Courier

An advertising supplement to The Post and Courier 2012 Pet Expo | 3

Kid-Friendly Fish TanksSetting up a home aquariumcan be fun and educational!

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CHOOSing the rightfeathered friendSquawk!What birds make the best pets?

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kids and theirUNIQUE PETSHedgehogs, sugar gliders,bearded dragons... Oh My!

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A Tail WaggingGood TimeDetails on the 2012 Lowcountry Pawsand Claws Pet Expo.

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What you need to knowEvent schedule, exhibitor list, booth map.

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Pet DisastersWhen is it an emergency?

pet photo contestMeet our winner Violet and all the other

amazing contestants.

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SATURDAY, SEPT. 1511 A.M. TO 4 P.M.

EXCHANGE PARK • HWY. 78 LADSON, SCINSIDE & OUTSIDE EXHIBIT BUILDING

Adult Admission $2, Cash OnlyKids 12 & Under FREE!

Free Parking!

PETS WELCOME!On 4-foot leash only. No retractable leashes.

The Lowcountry Paws & Claws Pet Expo is back for another greatyear! We will have fun events and educational demonstrations,

adorable and adoptable animals from local shelters and plenty oflocal businesses looking to cater to you and your pet’s needs!

Proceeds benefit all participating animal shelter and rescue groups.

C NTENTS

Shannon BrighamEditor

Laurie HellmannGraphic Designer

Aya Khalil, Ryan Nelson, Joyce NevilleContributing Writers

Julie NocidaSenior Marketing Designer

Tamara MurrayWrightAdvertising Art Director

SPONSORED BYFREEPARKING!SATURDAY

SEPT. 15, 201211 A.M. - 4 P.M.

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Andrew Hayes of Saint George loves the aquarium in his housefilled with Plecos, Harlequins, Clown Loaches and more.“I like my fish because they look cool. I feed them every day and

make sure the lights are on and I make sure everything is fine with myfish before I leave or go to bed,” the 6-year-old says.Having an aquarium at home can be fun and educational for children,

says Chris Deer, owner of Tideline Aquatics in Hanahan.Children love having aquariums in their homes – especially when they

can touch the fish, he says.Families can build their own aquariums in their homes, but should

consider several factors before starting, Deer says.“We ask families what kind of maintenance they’re willing to do and

how much space they have and what their budget is,” he says.The two main types of aquariums are freshwater and saltwater reef.“Freshwater is very forgiving, and there are so many fish that come

from diverse types of water that adapt to the water during changes,” hesays.Freshwater aquariums, however, don’t require a lot of maintenance

and are less expensive than saltwater reef.Deer says aquariums need to be checked every day to make sure there

are no problems with the fish.“If a fish stops eating, there’s usually a problem,” he says.He says it’s also important families test the water once a week and for

the aquarium’s temperature to be 78 degrees for most species.Some cool water animals to have in aquariums are shrimp, starfish,

Oscar, puffer fish, Blue Tang and clownfish, Deer says.Charlotte Hayes who lives in Saint George, say both of her sons enjoy

their fish tanks.S.Q., 7, who has severe autism, enjoys aquariums just as much as his

brother Andrew. They have a freshwater tank and S.Q.’s favorite fish towatch is the Red Marlboro Discus.“We have [had] a tank in our home for a few years, a 72-gallon bow

front, and [S.Q.] just sits and watches. It still calms [S.Q.] and thesound of the water is an added benefit for him. We have had to build acustom hood that can be locked to keep him from ‘helping’ the fish,”Charlotte says.Charlotte’s family added an extra 20-gallon-tall freshwater tank that

looks like Bikini Bottom from SpongeBob Squarepants.“[Andrew] has named his fish SpongeBob, Patrick, Sandy, Mr. Krabs

and Spatula. He tries to train his fish and they have school daily,” shesays. “We are using the tank to teach responsibilities such as feedingand cleaning the tank. He turns the lights on and off daily. I think it’sbetter than a puppy because there are no puddles to clean, but responsi-bility is learned.”

Kid-Friendly Fish tanksSetting up a home aquariumcan be fun and educational

by Aya Khalil

photos by Brad Nettles

Jordan Fanning, 3, of Charleston checks out a fishtank at Tideline Aquatics in Hanahan.


Adam Kernen of Daniel Island has two daughters, Annika, 10, and Joelle, 7, whoboth enjoy the aquariums in their home. They have a 300-gallon saltwater reef thatAdam takes care of.Annika has a 6-gallon freshwater tank in her room with guppies, tetras, a catfish and

an algae eater.“The guppies just had four babies, and one of the babies has survived and is grow-

ing. This was really big news in our house when she saw the babies,” Kernen says. “Italso gave us a chance to research together how to care for the babies and what toexpect.”Joelle has a betta in its own container in her room, he says.“The girls now care for their own tanks. Mostly this just means that they change part

of the water every two to three days and they feed them appropriate amounts everyday,” Kernen says. “This took a few reminders to get them started, but now it is ahabit for them and rarely do I have to get involved.”Casey Hullette, an active duty Senior Airman in the United States Air Force has had

an aquarium in his house for nine years. He’s from North Carolina and is stationed inDelaware, but is trying to go to Charleston’s Air Force Base.Hullette’s 8-month-old son, Tripp, enjoys looking at the aquariums. They have a

50-gallon coral reef tank with a small Foxface Rabbitfish and a 14-gallon soft coraltank with two clownfish, a peppermint shrimp and a fire shrimp.

Chris Deer, owner of TidelineAquatics, cleans a tank.


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Jordan Fanning, 3, of Charleston loves fish.

“I love having an aquarium in the home with my son because I person-ally think it has helped him with his motor skills and coordination,” hesays. “At 4 months old he was moving his head and eyes, watching the fishswim, which in turn helped his neck muscles develop.Tripp loves the fish, his dad says.“Usually after his dinner time, before bath and bed time, we will spend

some time in the front room looking at the aquariums. He loves to standon the side of the aquarium stand and watch the fish eat, sometimes we getlucky and the little guys come right up in front of him to eat.”

Aya Khalil is a freelance journalist. She’s a graduate from College ofCharleston with a Master of Education with a focus in teaching English asa second language. She can be contacted at www.ayakhalil.blogspot.com.


Learning advantages/lessons:• Consistent care – Understanding that the animalsdepend on you entirely to provide for them, and willthrive or struggle depending on your quality of care.

• Proper care – Overfeeding is bad because it pol-lutes the water, and changing part of the water isnecessary to help keep their water clean. We mustalso acclimate new fish carefully so they don’t getsick or stressed. We also have to prepare our waterto add to the tank so it is free of chemicals and theright temperature.

• Community and selection – That some animalsdo not get along with others, and that we mustchoose the inhabitants carefully. You cannot choosea fish just because it is neat or pretty, nor can youoverload the tank because they’ll all suffer.

• Loss – That not everything lives forever. It is nofun to lose a fish, but it is an important life lesson.

• The life cycle of fish and even the bacteria inthe water (nitrogen cycle). This creates in them alarger sense of the Earth’s environment.

• Problem solving. Annika had a problem earlywhere she lost some fish due to high nitrates in the

water. We solved this by changing the water morefrequently and using a supplement.

• One big tip…Like many other things in life, ifyou teach them why to do something, then you’llrarely have to nag them to do it. For example, oncethey understand the basics of the nitrogen cycle*,they know why they have to change some of thewater twice a week.

*(different bacterias in the water turn food andwaste in to ammonia, the ammonia in to nitrite, thenitrite in to nitrate, but Nitrates are harder to getrid of and slowly build up in the water, choking thefish. So it is important to change some of the waterregularly, or else nitrates will build up and the fishwill suffer. But you can’t change too much of thewater at once because then you’ll lose a lot of thegood bacteria in the water.)

• Disadvantages – As for disadvantages, there are afew, like having the tanks cared for while on vaca-tion, a small spill here or there, or some tears whenyou lose a fish, but I feel strongly that the advan-tages and lessons far outweigh any cost or troubleinvolved.

—Adam Kernan, of Daniel Island

Pros and cons of a home aquarium


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When it comes to choosing a bird as a pet,many people are far less experienced thanthey might be if they were looking to

adopt a cat or dog. As a result, those looking toadopt a pet bird are often unsure as to the bestway to do so, or if the bird they truly want is go-ing to make a good pet.As the Humane Society of the United States

notes, not all birds make appropriate pets. Muchlike dogs, some birds have greater needs thanprospective owners might understand. These caninclude physical as well as behavioral needs.In addition, it’s common for those looking toadopt a pet bird to assume the birds will be lowmaintenance. However, some birds need lots ofattention, something they simply cannot get inthe average household.For those serious about adding a pet bird to

their home, it helps to understand a few thingsfirst. The HSUS offers the following advice tothose hoping to find the right feathered friend.

Choosing the RightFeathered Friend

— Metro Creative Services


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◗ Go with the standards. Certain birds havea reputation as good pets. Canaries, finches,parakeets, and cockatiels among others, have along history of selective breeding in captivityand can be considered domesticated. These spe-cies also aren’t terribly needy, making it easy forpet owners to meet their basic needs and pick upany necessary supplies at the local pet store.

◗ Leave wild birds to the wild. While someprospective bird owners envision adding acolorful exotic bird to their homes, oftentimesthese birds are not ideal for the average home.Macaws, cockatoos, toucans, and many variet-ies of parrots have not been captivity bred aslong as birds like canaries and finches, andtherefore might not prove as domesticated. Theless domesticated a bird is, the more difficult it’slikely to be to live with that bird. Birds can bedestructive and noisy and even bite their ownersor others. So when looking for a bird, it’s bestfor buyers to find species that are more domesti-cated and less likely to prove problematic.

◗ Visit the shelter. It’s easy to assume the local

shelter just specializes in cats and dogs, but theymay have birds available for adoption as well.Just like cats and dogs, birds at a shelter aren’tnecessarily problematic. In fact, many animalsat the local shelter are there through no fault oftheir own, whether they’re victims of a fam-ily’s financial problems or a move to a new, lesspet-friendly home. Chances are, the shelter hasplenty of great birds available.

◗ Consider the source. When adopting a bird,it’s tempting to adopt a beautiful bird withoutconsideration for where it might have comefrom. However, many exotic birds are anunwilling part of the wild animal trade. Theseanimals might be abused and are often caughtand sold illegally. When caught, these beautifulanimals might be treated inhumanely. If the birdat the local store was wild-caught or if buyerssuspect something isn’t quite right, avoid adop-tion and consult local law enforcement.For more information, visit the Humane Soci-

ety of the United States online at www.hsus.org.


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by Ryan Nelson


Kids and theirUnique PetsHedgehogs, sugar gliders,bearded dragons... Oh My!

More kids and families are stepping outside ofthe box when it comes to pet ownership andtaking a more exotic route. But just like any

other pet, owning an exotic animal takes responsibil-ity, knowledge and care.Jose Biascoechea, DVM, DABVP (Avian Specialty)

at Birds and Exotics Animal Care in Mount Pleasant,says many people are unaware that exotic pets needveterinary care just like other types of pets and saysthose considering owning an exotic pet should look atthe pros and cons.“Most avian and exotic animals have specialized di-

etary and habitat needs, and often the most accessiblesupplies and diets for these pets are not sufficient fortheir needs,” he says.Biascoechea sees all types of pet birds, domestic

poultry and waterfowl, small mammals, reptiles, fishand amphibians of all types and sizes.“Because many of these animals are native to

entirely different environments than the AmericanSoutheast, it can be challenging to provide them withthe proper lighting, temperature, humidity, diet andcare,” he says.But even with the fun names or exotic looks, these

animals should never be purchased as an impulse buy,Biascoechea says.“If you see a pet you want today, do some research

to make sure it will be a good fit in the long run,” hesays. “Don’t fall for gimmicks such as dealers whoare only in town for a day or weekend, sales on avianor exotic pets, or other advertising techniques that canresult in you making a spontaneous decision you maylater regret.”

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PHOTOS PROVIDED

Kayla Suggs, 12, of Hollywood owns a sugar glider

named Jujube.


For 12-year-old Kayla Suggs of Hollywood, her introductionto sugar gliders came through a cousin that owned two of thesesmall marsupials native to Australia and Indonesia. Sugar glid-ers are social mammals that resemble flying squirrels and canglide up to 150 feet. They get their name for their fondness forgetting sap out of eucalyptus, gum and other trees and live ingroups. Like kangaroos, they have a pouch where baby gilders,Joeys, live for up to 2 months when born.“She fell in love with them and researched them,” says mom,

Ashly. Quickly, Kayla knew that owning a sugar glider wouldbe different than a domestic cat or dog and got a female sugarglider, Jujube, a year ago. She named her new pet after herfavorite candy.“She is her main handler. Sugar gliders have a period where

they go through bonding. Kayla wears a pouch around her neckduring the day when she takes her out of her cage. When Ju-jube has to go to the bathroom, she will crawl out of the pouchand let her know. They’ve really bonded,” she says.Sugar gliders can live up to 15 years in captivity and require a

special diet. Kayla chops fresh vegetables and fruits for Ju-jube weekly and cleans her cage every five days. Jujube livesin Kayla’s room, which at first wasn’t such a great idea sincethese animals are nocturnal.“When they first started bonding, she would make different

noises almost like a puppy barking. One night, Kayla had to gosleep on the couch,” Ashly admits. Bonding doesn’t happen-ing overnight and can take months for the sugar glider to feelcompletely comfortable.Although, Kayla is Jujube’s primary caretaker, the Suggs fam-

ily assists when socializing Jujube, who now glides across theroom to Ashly or Kayla’s sister, Alyssa, 14, thanks to a skin-like membrane that stretches from its fifth finger to its big toe.

PHOTOS PROVIDED

Kayla Suggs, 12, of Hollywood owns a sugar glider


Sadly, a large percentage of sugar glider owners give them up withina year. So far, Kayla and Jujube are enjoying their lives together andstill bonding daily.Positive stories are always good news for Dr. Biascoechea and his

staff, who unfortunately have also seen some accidents when it comesto owning an exotic pet.“We regularly see guinea pigs with broken backs and other injuries

due to being dropped. We also see many rabbits with leg and backinjuries resulting from being carried,” he says. “We also see a lotof problems caused by feeding inappropriate diets or treats and weclearly express what should and should not be fed to the pet.”Incidents like this is why he suggests a pre-purchase consultation tak-

ing into consideration things such as the pet’s life span – as some birdscan live 50 years or longer – and other precautions.“Rabbits do not generally like being picked up and are not recom-

mended for young children,” he says. “Hamsters can be nippy andmay frighten a child. Guinea pigs have very poor depth perception andcan be easily injured should they fall or be dropped from any height.”Bearded dragons are good ‘starter reptiles’, and when cared for with

a parent’s supervision can be a wonderful pet for a younger person.Leopard geckos can also be an enjoyable pet for children and do nothave the specialized lighting requirements of many other reptiles,Biascoechea says, who encourages adoption when possible.

In the end, it’s all about taking care of a living creature in the bestway possible, he says.“It is a privilege and a responsibility to own a pet of any type. If you

don’t have the time, resources, or desire to care for one properly, thenplease do not get one.”

Ryan Nelson owns a 12 year-old Chocolate Lab, Fletcher, and 7year-old neutered Feral cat, Marley. Email her at [email protected] follow her on Twitter @Ryan_NelsonSC.

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Some Pros & Cons ofChoosing an Exotic Pet:


African Grey: Pro - Highly intelligent, excellent talkersCon - Can be aloof, needy, very dusty.

BoxTurtle: Pro - Quiet.Con - Eats live prey, includingworm, prone to respiratory andeye problems if care not ideal.

Chameleon: Pro - Intriguing.Con - Very difficult and costly to care for, easily stressed,needs UVA/UVB light, special water system.

Hedgehog: Pro - Very interesting to watch, can be littertrained.Con - Nocturnal, can be very shy, do not tolerate cold well,must be spayed to avoid reproductive tumors, cancers.

Macaw: Pro - Big impressive bird for right person.Con - Can be quick-tempered and aggressive, noisy andmessy. Never belong on your shoulder.

Ball Python: Pro - Small-medium size, hardy, friendlyCon - Escape artists, eats rodents, very susceptible to ther-mal burns.

For more on exotic pets and what to consider, the FAQpage at www.birdsandexotics.com.

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A tail wagginggood time!

The 2012 Lowcountry Paws and ClawsPet Expo is an event not to be missed

Want to win a cool prizeat the Pet Expo?

Color the pets and bring to theLowcountry Parent booth to claim your prize!

Get your photo taken at our boothprovided by Photo Affairs 321…

(www.photoaffairs321.com)

AttentionKids!

Grab Rover – and Fluffy, too! It’s time to headout for a day of fun with the whole family. Petsand their owners are invited to join The Post

and Courier and Lowcountry Paws for a Saturdayfull of entertainment, exhibits, education and moreat Charleston’s premier pet festival, the LowcountryPaws and Claws Pet Expo on Sept. 15 at the ExhibitHall building at the Exchange Park in Ladson.The fourth annual event will take place from 11

a.m. to 4 p.m. and welcomes families and theirfurry, feathered and scaly kids to meet with vendors,rescue groups and shelters from around the Low-country. More than 5,000 people attended the eventlast year, bringing with them dogs, cats, guinea pigs,hamsters, snakes, birds, and even a squirrel.Looking for a new friend? Adorable and adoptable

pets will be waiting! But the fun doesn’t stop there.

Pet races, a costume contest, K-9 demonstrationsand a mixed-breed dog show are just a few of themany activities you can take part in.Pet Helpers also will be on site hosting a vaccina-

tion clinic. Discounted rabies shots and microchipswill be available for all pets. Pets are welcome on4-foot non-retractable leashes, and pet owners arereminded to clean up after them.For more information, visit postandcourier.com/

petexpo.

Give a lick?Date: Sept. 15

Time: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: Exchange Park,Ladson

Details: Free parking, $2admission for adults, 12and younger are free.Admission fees will ben-efit the rescue groups andshelters on site.

PHOTOS BY GRACE BEAHM

Pets and kids had fun atlast year’s Pet Expo.


VENDORS

SATURDAY, SEPT. 15, 11 A.M. TO 4 P.M. • EXCHANGE PARK, LADSON

2 12 EVENTSCHEDULE

1 Lowcountry Paws2 Lowcountry Parent3 Birds & Exotics Animal Care4 Dog Knows Best5 Bone-A-Fide Aussie Rescue Krewe6 Animal Medical Clinic of Goose Creek7 Carolina Custom Screenprinting8 Karen’s Animal Nail Care9 Carolina Bassett Hound Rescue10 Goose Creek Veterinary11 Atlantic Coast Family Chiropractic12 Crowfield Carpet Cleaning13 Carolina Poodle Rescue14 Pet Smart15 Feline Refuge16 Banfield, The Pet Hospital17 Wiggle Butts Bakery18 Carolina Canines19 Charles Towne Landing20 Inn At Middleton Place21 Heritage Trust22 Charleston Veterinary Referral Center23 Harry Barker24 Lowcountry Dog Magazine25 Olsen Imagery26 The Pooch Parlor27 DocWilliams SPCA28 Sawmill Creek Smokehouse29 College Park Road Veterinary Clinic & Boarding Kennel30 Charleston Dog Training Club31 Greyhound Rescue of America32 Charleston Dog House33 Furlife German Shepherd Rescue34 CostcoWholesale35 Residence Inn by Marriott Charleston Downtown/Riverview36 Myatts Monsters37 Pawsitive Style & Puppy Crack38 Invisible Fence Brand39 H.O.P.E. Acres Horse Rescue40 Subaru of Charleston41 Cocker Spaniel Rescue42 Agent Owned Realty - Donna Durscher43 Lowcountry Animal Rescue44 Pet Helpers45 Greystar46 Animal Eye Care of The Lowcountry47 Petco48 Pet Rest49 My Three Dogs50 Charleston DogWizard51 Veterinary Specialty Care52 Dogs for the Paws53 Charleston Animal Society54 HealthSource Chiropractic55 Camp BowWow56 Coastal Carolina Veterinary Specialists57 South Carolina Dog Fence58 Unleashed Mobile Grooming59 Feline Freedom60 Faithful Forever Pet Loss61 In The Dog House: Playcare and Boarding62 Weimaraner Rescue of South Carolina63 Paws ‘N Bows64 Nationwide Insurance65 Coastal Canine Academy66 International Primate Protection League67 West Ashley Pet Care Center68 Boston Terrier Rescue69 Goose Creek Physical Medicine - Back2Health70 AdventureWalking and Positive Pet Sitting & Skydogs Family Dog Park71 Palmetto Animal Assisted Life Services (PAALS)72 Palmetto Dock Dogs73 Spoil ‘Em Rotten

Remember!Don’t forget to

spay & neuter your pets.

On-going throughout the dayCharleston County K9 UnitPresented outside by the Charleston County Sheriff’sDepartment.

Horsein’AroundPresented outside by H.O.P.E. Acres Horse Rescue.

Pet Helpers Vaccination ClinicRabies and Distemper shots will be administered from12 – 3 p.m. in the back of the Exhibit Hall Building. $7each.

11— 11:15 a.m.Let’s Dance!Presented by Dance Explosion.

11:15 – 11:30 a.m.Myatt’s Monsters

11:30— 12 p.m.The Pet Docs Are InPresented by Veterinary Specialty Care’s Dr. PerryJameson and Dr. Henri Bianucci.

12— 12:30 p.m.Meet the PAALS Therapy DogsPresented by Palmetto Animal Assisted Life Services(PAALS).

12:30— 1 p.m.Training and Obedience TipsPresented by Charleston DogWizard.

1— 2 p.m.Lowcountry Paws Costume ContestBring Rover in his best attire for a chance to win a prize!Judges: Laura Olsen of Olsen Imagery, Angie Mizzell,local blogger and Deja Knight of Live 5 News.

2— 3 p.m.America’s Pets Have TalentFetch a frisbee, howl a tune or twist and shout! It’s timeto let Fido shine. Judges: Lauren Lipsey of Pet Helpers, Natalie Caula of The Post and Courier and ShannonBrigham of Lowcountry Parent Magazine.

3— 4 p.m.All Paws On Deck Mixed Breed Dog ShowA contest for every fur-buddy!Presented by Kay Hyman of the Charleston AnimalSociety. Judges: Gary Griffin ofWEZL, Rob Fowler, ChiefMeteorologist of Channel 2 and Pamela Browning,Publisher of The Post and Courier.

CarvelDames and Dawgs

Festival Foods

Hubee D’s

Kool Katz Italian Ice

Ms. Jackie’s Catering

Southern Occasions Catering

FoodVendors

16 | 2012 Pet Expo An advertising supplement to The Post and Courier An advertising supplement to The Post and Courier 2012 Pet Expo | 17

Imagine your boyfriend proposing to you with a spar-kly, four-and-a-half-carat diamond ring. Now imag-ine, you take it off one evening only to find it gone the

next morning. Panic sets in as you search and then youdiscover the thief: your 4-month-old puppy.This is a scenario that Emergency and Critical Care

Veterinarian, Kristin Welch, DVM, DACVECC, en-countered recently when the owners brought in theirdiamond-loving puppy to the Charleston VeterinaryReferral Center in West Ashley.Welch is the only residency-trained, board-certified

critical care specialist in South Carolina and has seen herfair share of pet disasters. She relocated to Charlestonwith her husband, Dr. Arnaldo Torres, who is also anemergency veterinarian at CVRC, along with their twochildren and two dogs to help open this state-of-the-art16,000 foot veterinarian facility in 2010.Each day brings a wide variety of pet emergencies

– and Dr. David Sachs, the medical director at CVRC,credits that to the fact that many families are treatingtheir pets as family wanting only the best treatmentwhen it comes to their health.“The biggest change is the clients are getting things for

their family members and want the same things for theiranimals,” he says. “When I first started 15 to 20 yearsago, there wasn’t very much available. But now anythingthat can be done for a person, can done for a dog in mostcases.”According to the American Veterinary Medical As-

sociation, of the two most popular pets in America, dogowners were revealed to be more dedicated to providingtheir beloved pets with appropriate veterinary care. Infact, total veterinary visits for dogs in 2011 increased to

PetDisasters

When is itan Emergency?

by Ryan Nelson

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY CHARLESTON VETERINARY REFERRAL CENTER

Dirk got a cool cast at CVRC in West Ashley.


130.4 million, a 9.2 percent increase from 2006. Veteri-nary visits for cats were down 4.4 percent from 2006 to2011, when there were 60.5 million visits.The numbers don’t lie, our pets mean the world to us

and we’ll do anything to keep them healthy.“The pet owner population is very astute,” agrees Dr.

Welch. “Many of them read about pet ownership, trendsin feeding and more.”Many of Welch’s clients come from referring vet-

erinarians around the Lowcountry who may not offeremergency services, neurosurgery, cardiology, oncologyand even dentistry. Some come from as far as Savan-nah and Bluffton. With advanced technologies likeMRI, CT, ultrasound, echocardiography, endoscopy andmore on site, the referring vets can easily access theirfour-legged patients’ records via an advanced electronicmedical records program.

But sometimes, unfortunate accidents can happen,which is when pet owners go directly to this 24-houremergency hospital.“In the summer, we see a lot of snake bites. They’re all

emergencies,” Welch says.“Not all are venomous, as 20 percent are ‘dry bites,’

where the snake bites but doesn’t inject venom. But theanimal is in so much pain. We treat all bites as if they’revenomous.”Since both dogs and cats are covered in fur, finding the

fang mark is virtually impossible. Welch suggests bring-ing them in immediately if you suspect they were bittenand be especially vigilant during the hours of dawn anddusk if you have an outside cat or allow your dog towalk in wooded areas that are snake habitats.“Some nights between the hours of 4 to 8 p.m. we’ll

see one snake bite after another,” she admits.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY CHARLESTON VETERINARY REFERRALCENTER

Dr. Kristin Welch helps Rafi.


Just like the diamond puppy, dogs love to get intothings they shouldn’t, including medications, illicitsubstances, plants and even entire pill boxes. She warnsowners that toxic food like chocolate, macadamia nuts,sugar-free gum with xylitol, raw bread dough may notseem to toxic to humans ... but can be extremely toxic todogs.And be aware, salt water ingestion could lead to salt

water toxicity in dogs especially if you take Scooby outon the boat or to the beach often.“It’s so hot and humid, dogs will drink salt water if

they don’t have fresh water,” she says. “In mild cases,the dog will get dizzy and vomit. They can be treatedwith IV fluids but in the most severe form, which iswhat we see more of, they develop seizures, inability towalk and sodium levels so high it can dehydrate theirbrain.”Even if your pooch is more of a landlubber, Welch ad-

vises not to walk him during the hottest times of the day.

“When dogs are walked between the peak times of 10a.m. and 2 p.m., it’s too humid for them to get throughthe heat. Even with panting, they can’t expire enough tocool off.”Welch suggests walking in the early hours or in the

evening.Also with our temperate climate, it’s imperative that

owners keep up with their heart worm prevention medi-cine.“There’s a thought that heart worms are becoming

more resistant to the older prevention medication. Allanimals should be tested every year in the spring,” shewarns. “Across the country, heart worms are becom-ing more of a problem because people don’t think theymissed a week or month of treatment.”When it comes to our feline friends – which are the

most common pet, with the total U.S. population hover-ing right around 74.1 million, compared to 70 milliondogs, according to the AVMA study – over-the-countertopical medication for flea prevention used on them canbe dangerous, especially if the owner uses medicationmeant for dogs.“These medications meant for dogs but used on cats

can cause tremors that could raise the cat’s temperatureto 110 degrees,” Welch says.She often sees male cats experiencing blockages in

their urethra. Often mistaken as a urinary tract infection,the cats will struggle to urinate so much so that they willvomit because of the pressure put on their kidneys.So no matter the situation for your cat or dog, if you

think you’re having a pet emergency, don’t second guessit, Welch says.“No emergency is too small of an emergency.”

Ryan Nelson has her share of pet emergencies with her12-year-old Labrador, Fletch. Contact her via email [email protected] or via Twitter @Ryan_NelsonSC.

SAFETY TIPS FORYOUR CAT OR DOG

Be sure to schedule yearly vet checks

Watch for snakes during dawn and dusk

Avoid the hottest times of the day to walk yourdog, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Provide themwith fresh water at all times

Watch under cars, lawnmowers and other hidingplaces for cats

Keep all medication out of reach

Keep all toxic foods, plants out of range - dogs willeat anything

Watch for oyster shells, which cause injuries todogs’ feet

Don’t allow your dog to drink salt water

Test for heartworms yearly, use heartwormpreventative monthly

Don’t apply topical medications on cats meant fordogs

Sources: Dr. Kristen Welch and Dr.David Sachs

The Charleston Veterinary Referral Center3484 Shelby Ray CourtCharleston, SC 29414For Appointments:843.614.VETS (8387)or go online to www.charlestonvrc.com

PHOTO PROVIDED BY CHARLESTON VETERINARY REFERRAL CENTER

Dr. Kristin Welch examines Holly Cheney.


Our cover model…Meet Violet

My name is Violet, and I live with my parents in Mount Pleasant. My favorite time of the day is whenI awake and Mom feeds me – what a great moment! My favorite treat is sharing a sugar cookie, dippedin coffee, with my Dad. Afterwards, he and I walk out to get the “Post and Courier” paper.

I enjoy performing, I can “Hi Five,” “Dance,” sit on command, lay down on command, “stay,” andam now learning to put my toys away – not bad for 10 months old.

I love to snuggle with Tyler, who named me, and with Jessica who helps train me. My most favoritethings to do are taking sight seeing trips in the golf cart or the car, and especially fond of shopping atHairy Winston’s – every Diva loves to shop!

Having my picture taken is ‘my thing!’ I’d give butterfly kisses, but since I can’t give you one, I’msending paw kisses to everyone who voted for me. There is nothing like the friendships I find in theLowcountry.

Love,VioletThe Diva of Mount Pleasant

This year’s cover winner, Violet,was photographed by renownedfreelance photographer Laura Olsenof Olsen Imagery, www.olsenimag-ery.com. When not photographinga story for publication or capturingthe personalities of her clients bothtwo and four legged, she can often befound sipping coffee at a local coffeeshop or cuddling with her two rescuedogs Peanut and Calliope on JamesIsland.

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Lowcontry Paws recently held the 2012 Pet Cover Photo Contest. The Public wasinvited to vote for its favorite pet. Violet, of Mount Pleasant, revieved themost votesand got her pugmug on this year’s cover of the 4th annual Lowcountry Paws andClaws Pet Expo publication.

Introducing our 2012 Lowcountry Pet Cover Photo Contestants!


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09.12.12 Pet Expo

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