Rathdrum Animal Clinic

06/16/2026

Screwworm travel advisory: Idaho State Department of Agriculture strongly recommends that people with small animal (dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, etc) avoid traveling with their companion animals to any state with an active infested zone. Per the order, all warm-blooded animals will be required to have an official Certificate of Veterinary Inspection issued within 5 days of their return to Idaho from those states. Currently Texas and New Mexico are the two areas within the United States that screwworm cases have been confirmed. This is an actively changing situation, so if you have plans to travel please consult the USDA APHIS and Idaho State Department of Ag's websites, then call Rathdrum Animal Clinic for further assistance.

06/09/2026

June 10th UPDATE: Pet dog travel to Mexico will proceed according to previously established procedures. Updated requirements will be posted to the Pet Travel Website once they are finalized.

Dogs are prohibited from traveling from USA to Mexico at this time.
www.aphis.usda.gov should have the most up to date requirements for international pet travel.

This page will guide you through the rules and requirements for traveling from the United States to Mexico with your pet.

04/16/2026

April is Canine Fitness Awareness Month specifically focusing on health, mobility, and mental well-being from structured exercising. This will be part 1 of 2. Below is Kelly's story- a 6 year old Sheltie who was rehomed and given a second chance.

Kelly lived with an elderly woman who had alzheimers, consistently forgetting when she fed her meals and snacks. She was kept on a short leash always. When Kelly was adopted she weighed in at 50 pounds, significantly more than what she should be. Her abdomen nearly dragged on the ground. She could not hold herself up for long periods, could not use stairs, could not run.

Kelly's new owner started slow, changing things in her life so that she could have a future. She put her on a diet, cut out ALL snacks, and began walking her daily. At first only the distance she could handle, then a little farther week after week. Eventually it was her natural routine to walk 1/2 mile twice a day- she began to get excited for it. Eventually Kelly was able to go down the stairs, her abdomen was no longer close to the ground. Kelly got a large backyward where she learned to run again and say hello to the neighbors.

Through diet and consistent excersise (even small amounts) Kelly became a whole different dog, filled with life and excitement. She lost 15 pounds and lived another 6 years. Her life would have continued to be significantly impacted by her weight had she not had change implemented.

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There are some medical conditions that cause weight gain in our pets- thyroid disease and Cushings are a few.

If you're pet is overweight, simple changes to their everyday routine can aid in weight loss. Call our clinic today for more information on how you can help your pet increase their excerise.

04/09/2026

Employee Spotlight! Stay and Meet Kathryn, one of our assistants!

03/28/2026

March is National Pet Posion Awareness Month. Here are a few different categories of common toxic items found in our homes.

●Food and Drink
• Apricots • Alcohol • Avocados
• Cherries • Macadameia Nuts •Onions
• Mushrooms • Moldy Food • Green Potatoes
• Homemade Playdough • Salt • Star Fruit
• Xylitol (found in chewing gum, candy, and some food and drinks as an artificial sweetner)
• Chocolate (Dark chocolate is more serious than milk chocolate)
• Grapes (all colors)
● Plants
• There are MANY house plants and flowers (both indoor and outdoor) that are toxic to pets. Too many to name here so please visit Pet Poison Helpline website and search for plants in your home for more information.
● Perscription Medication for both animals and humans
• Many medications for pets are made to be easily admistered in soft chews or tablets that are generally flavored. As well as pets think human medications are treats they are missing out on. Because of this, some pets may try to break into the prescription bottle. This can lead to an overdose of the medication. Always keep prescription medications out of reach of all pets.
● Household and Garage Items
• Antifreeze • Detergent • Firestarter Logs
• Fireworks • Floride •Matches
• Gourilla Glue / Super Glue
• Hand Sanitizer (Ethanol) •Potpourri
• Herbicides • Insecticides
• Mothballs • Paintballs • Pine Oil
• Tinsel • Windshield Wiper Fluid
• Rat or Mouse Bait
● Illicit Drugs
• Ma*****na
● Herbals
• Tea Tree Oil

If you belive your pet may have ingested something toxic, you can visit www.petpoisonhelpline.com to look it up for how it is toxic, you can call their phone number (open 24/7) for recommended next steps, you can reach out to Rathdrum Animal Clinic for care, or in the event we are closed you can reach out to our local Emergency Veterinary Hospital of Coeur D'Alene.

03/27/2026

Better than a CEO burger review!
If our patients can eat it, so can we!

03/26/2026

Now offering Cherry payment plans. Call and ask a CSR how to apply today!