If Dogs Could Talk

New Veterinarian Reality Series

2012-01-26T14:21:00.000-06:00

There is a new reality series in town!!! But this time instead of being about rich families and marrying a bachelor its all about veterinarians! It a series called Veterinarian on Call, on YouTube. It is mainly focusing on large animal vets. They even have Dr. Peter Ostrum, who you may all know better as 'Charlie', from Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory! A video of him and a dairy cow are below but go check out all the other videos on YouTube as well.

I watched several of the videos and thought they were wonderful. I really like them because they focus on large animal medicine. I think they are helping people see and understand where their food comes from. I grew up in a rural community have been active in agriculture my whole life. So it is always shocking to me the number of people who have never had the opportunity to see or touch a cow or pig in person! Baby pigs are just about the cutest thing you'll ever see, everyone should have at least one opportunity to see and hold one in their life.

LOVE IT! LOVE IT!!

Best Pet Products of 2011

2012-01-19T15:24:00.000-06:00

Every Year Veterinarian Marty Becker, polls 100 of the top professionals in the veterinary and pet fields to nominate their favorite new products. Becker visited "Good Morning America" to show the top six products that made the list for 2011.

I thought some of the products were super cool, like the challenging cat feeding station and the dog squeaky toy that only the dog can hear!! But...., I didn't really care for the Lickety-Stik, it sounds like it probably smells bad and then the roller ball dispenser is going to be covered in slobbers... Yuck!

Here is the link. Instead of posting it all on my page, this is one that would be better to go to. It has numerous embedded links to take you to all the products.

BEST PET PRODUCTS- 2011

Let me know what you think about these products or if you already have them and love or hate them! I would love to have some feedback.

Bo Has A Home!!

2012-01-12T17:11:00.002-06:00

Just an update: Bo has a new home!! He went to live there about 4 days ago and is doing great per his new owner. I guess Bo is already telling all his new siblings how things are going to be run! I am so thankful that this wonderful little dog has a great home! Thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers!

'Bo' - A Special Dog needs a Special Home

2012-01-02T12:48:00.000-06:00

I'll start by telling you the reason for this blog and then if you want to go ahead and read his story you can. We have been fostering Bo, a 3 year old medium mixed breed for ~2 months. He is in need of a very special home. I would love to have him, but if you follow my blog you know I have 5 pets! And to top it off Ebby the Diva has told me she will tolerate no more pets!!

Bo came to us as hit-by-car. He had some very significant wounds that required aggressive-repetitive surgeries to get them to healed up. It was shortly following one of these surgeries that Bo threw a blood clot. This blood clot lodged in a blood vessel that supplied both of his rear legs. Initially he was very painful and had no pulse or feeling in his rear legs.  Within 24-48 hours he was less painful, pulses had returned and he could feel his legs. The problem was he had long term damage to the muscles and nerves of his rear legs. This kind of trauma would require long term care and management.  Bo had a very compassionate owner that decided at that time she wouldn't be able to provide the care Bo was going to need. So she signed him over to me to continue on with his care and recovery.

At this point I had no idea as to what to expect in terms of Bo's eventual outcome. We contacted several veterinary surgeons and internal medicine specialists, but they had never seen a case likes Bo's. They reported most dogs with his condition had to be put to sleep because they never regained any function in their back legs.  I think Bo's un-ending spirit and wonderful personality is what has allowed for him to make it through this. He has the whole staff here doing his bidding and he makes instant friends with any new person he meets.

He has slowly began to learn to use his rear legs some and depend more on his front legs when needed. He is currently receiving daily physical therapy and goes to the animal physical therapist once to twice a week.    He gets around un-assisted now and even goes up and down stairs without help!! (I included a video of him going up and down stairs when there was snow on the ground!) He is so independent, sometimes you forget he has a disability. As one of my clients said the other day, "He doesn't know he's disabled, he's just a happy dog". He just doesnt' let anything get him down!!

Cherry and Bo

He absolutely loves other dogs! He loves big and little dogs, he is equal opportunity. Him and my dog Cherry(she's big-50#), love to play tug-of-war and chase around my house!! Cherry doesn't treat Bo like his is disabled and he loves that! I would recommend Bo doesn't go to a house with kids. They seem to stress him out (I can understand this, they stress me out a little to!!) If the kids are bigger and not such scary little creatures I think he would be ok with that!!! LOL!!

I feel like Bo will always have some degree of disability with his rear legs. This is why he needs an extra special owner. Someone who is willing to accept this and love him for it! As of right now he is having physical therapy 3 times a day and on pain management. I don't know what long term care he will need, Bo will have to let us know as time goes by. He really is a great dog and with all he's been through he deserves an great home!! Please feel free to comment back or contact us here at the clinic if your interested in Bo. He is taking interviews Monday-Friday! Phone here is 817-465-1401

Cat and Dog Treat Recipes

2011-12-15T18:02:00.004-06:00

I found some tasty and healthy sounding dog and cat treats, for those of you who might want to make your pets a holiday gift of their own. I know tasty and healthy don't usually go together but these really do sound good. In my research of treats I will have to say to beware. There were so many treats out there that we loading with fattening meats(bacon!), grease(lard), and/or dairy(cows) milk. To me, those recipes are going to prompt a trip to the veterinarian for diarrhea and vomiting! And for sure if your pet is on a special diet or has a sensitive stomach these treat recipes may not be for them. Ask your vet to look at the recipe if you have any concerns.

Dog Treat Recipes:
-Peanut Butter Dog Treat with Safflower Oil
-Homemade Peanut Butter Dog Treat with Soy milk

Cat Treat Recipes:
-Tuna Tidbits
-Chick N'Biscuits

Homemade Dog-cat Treats

Hazardous Holiday Plants

2011-12-06T14:34:00.000-06:00

I am reposting this from last year, really good recycled information!!

As everyone is aware the holiday's are upon us. There are trees, decorations, and holiday foods everywhere! In this blog I'm just going to address holiday plants, such as the poinsettia, mistletoe, and the Christmas tree.

-Poinsetta(Euphorbia pulcherrima): The poinsettia has long been deemed highly toxic by folklore, and perhaps is as a result of misidentification of a plant involved in a lethal toxicosis. In experiments is had failed to produce toxicosis... However, in instances where small animals ingest a large quantity it can produce considerable vomiting and diarrhea. All plant parts (leaves, stems, flower) are irritating.

-Mistletoe(Phoradendron Serotinum): This is the American mistletoe, it is actually a parasite of other trees such as oak or walnut. The leaves and red berries are both toxic! As little as three berries could be toxic to your pet or a child if eaten. It causes sudden stomach and intestinal upset, which results in vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea. This can rapidly progress onto collapse of the heart and vascular system. If proper treatment isn't initiated then death can occur within 10-16 hours after ingestion. Due to the toxicity of this plant I recommend people just have the fake-plastic mistletoe if they need a plant to kiss under....

-Live Christmas Tree: Most common types of trees (Spruce, Fir, Pine) are non-toxic. The only real concern is if the pet ingests enough needles that it causes an obstruction (block them up, so feces can't pass). Many pets also decide that the Christmas tree water is a wonderful new watering hole and drink more water than the tree does. This water often has preservatives in it. These preservatives are primarily diluted sugar and NPK fertilizer. Most animals that drink the water develop no signs. On occasion mild stomach and intestinal signs occur, and rarely, bacterial/fungal contamination of the water may lead to more severe signs.

-Amaryllis: This is a common bulb that is forced to bloom at Christmas time. The bulb is actually the most toxic part, but the leaves in a large enough quantity are toxic as well. Eating leaves generally only results in drooling, vomiting, and diarrhea. The bulb on the other hand can cause low blood pressure, weakness, falling over, shaking and seizures. Cats don't generally dig to find the bulb but if ingestion is suspected an immediate trip to the veterinarian is warranted.

-Lily: Lilies are more of an Easter flower but many are used in floral arrangements during the holidays. Lilies(easter lily, day lily, tiger lily) can cause sudden kidney failure in cats. Even minor exposures (bite on a leaf, ingestion of pollen) may result in toxicosis, so all feline exposures to lilies should be considered potentially life-threatening. This means head straight to the vet for care, kidney failure can occur in 48-96 hours after ingestion. These plants are colorful and fragrant which makes them 'uber' attractive to cats! So just don't have lilies if you have cats...

These are the most common plants ingested at the holidays, but don't forget all the yummy people food and stray holiday ribbon that is a source of concern as well. Many of the holiday treats we have are super high in fats and sugars. This can lead to symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea that can become severe enough to need a trip to the doctors office. Those strings that are so pretty and shiny are also crazy exciting to cats! The cats eat them and can they can cause an intestinal blockage.

My cats have never, thankfully, eaten any ribbon. Cedar (the orange cat) haassss pulled an entire Christmas tree over by himself!! He did this by taking some beaded garland in his mouth and taking off in the other direction at full speed. This caused the tree to fall over enough that half of the ornaments fell off, then the other half were smashed when the tree smacked back into the wall when Cedar let go of the garland!!! This all occurred at about 2am when I had a house full of sleeping people! He always has to be the center of attention, no matter the cost(his or mine)...

Everyone have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Be safe and keep your pets safe.

Discover Your Cat's "Real Age"

2011-11-18T15:38:00.000-06:00

Science Diet pet food is hosting an online quiz to help cat owners determine their cat's 'Real Age', not just their calendar age. I often have people ask me how old their cat is, in 'cat years', so as to compare to humans age. Most people like to go by the simple rule of multiplying the cats calender age times 7, to say compare them to a 80 year old person. I find that this isn't uniformly accurate, because of environmental and/or individual cat differences.

Science Diet has taken an innovative approach to cats age. They ask questions about the cats body type and lifestyle, such as eating habits and activity levels, then calculates whether the cat is older, younger, or about the same age as its calendar year. This questions are helpful in making you more aware of things you can do or change to make your cat healthier and live longer. I really like the questions about exercise and measured feedings. I think these are the two biggest things that cat owners aren't aware of. That cats do need exercise and most cats really need to have their food measured and the amount regulated -no free choice..... :-(

Science Diet Age Quiz

FYI: They also have a chance to win a spa vacation and food coupons. I won't lie I signed right up for a chance at that spa vacation!!!

2011-11-08T14:15:00.000-06:00

They Ate What? Second Installment- 2011

One of my first blogs was about the crazy things pets eat. Veterinary Practice News just came out with the 2011 x-ray contest winners, in their September issue!! I had to share these amazing x-rays!!

Grand Prize Winner

Vanessa Hawksin, DVM
Bayshore Animal Hospital
Warrenton, Ore.

The dog was presented for lameness in a hind leg, and while taking radiographs looking for musculoskeletal abnormalities, nine handballs were discovered as an incidental finding.

Runners Up

Lisa Anne Attanasi, DVM
Eaglewood Cliffs Veterinary
Eaglewood Cliffs, N.J.

Wailen, a 12-year-old beagle, ate shoe laces, mulch, knee high stocking, a plastic plant, plastic ties and bristles of a car snow cleaning brush.

Jenny Yanson, practice manager
Suburbia North Animal Hospital

A 6-month-old bulldog, Tinkerbell, ate a training collar off another bulldog in their house. The owners had no idea until she ate a second metal slip collar and then proceeded to become seriously ill. Doctors were surprised to find two slip collars in her stomach.

Honorable Mentions

Michael Herko, DVM
Falls Road Animal Hospital, Baltimore, Md.

Penelope, a 2-year-old duck, presented for left leg lameness and was uncomfortable upon abdominal palpation. Radiographs showed a nail and stones in her gizzard. Surgery was performed and Penelope went home. She was back a month later. Radiographs revealed another nail and a second surgery was performed.

Lisa Anne Attanasi, DVM
Eaglewood Cliffs Veterinary
Eaglewood Cliffs, N.J.

Radiographs showed a 2-inch sewing needle seen in ventral proximal neck in Sally, a 1-year-old dachshund.

Melissa Seavey
Healthy Paws Veterinary Center
Westborough, Mass.

A 4-month-old golden retriever ate 10 baby bottle nipples.

Dr. Shriaz Juma
Sherbrook Animal Hospital
Winnepeg, Manitoba, Canada

A 6-month-old male kitten, Keelee, loved playing with the guitar that the owner was fixing. Owner tried to pull the string and because it wouldn’t come, he brought Keelee in.

Stephen Crosby, CVT, VTS
New Haven Central Hospital for Veterinary Medicine
New Haven, Conn.

The owner was feeding peanut butter off a spoon to her Alaskan malamute, who gulped down more than just its treat. The rads also show a piece of a collar and a toy the dog had eaten earlier (totally unrelated to the spoon incident).

Monica Hazelwood, DVM
VCA Mountainview Animal Hospital and Pet Lodge
Highlands Ranch, Colo.

Barkley, a 5 1⁄2-year old cocker spaniel, presented for vomiting and bloody diarrhea. Radiographs revealed a game board die in his small intestine.

Adam Honeckman, DVM
Mobile Veterinary Diagnostic
Orlando, Fla.

Raven, a 4-year-old female Labrador, was offered a spoonful of peanut butter but decided to eat the spoon, too. The spoon was successfully removed endoscopically.

Beth Shannon, DVM
North Liberty Pet Clinic
North Liberty, Iowa

A 1 1⁄2-year-old male Chi-weenie had chewed on a bottle of Gorilla Glue. The glue expanded in his stomach and molded to it perfectly. He had a complete recovery after the surgery.

Caitlin Fickett
Alaska Veterinary Clinic
Anchorage, Alaska

This dog came in for vomiting and eating grass. A radiograph revealed a foreign body in the stomach. The next morning, an additional X-ray better showed the object: a hard plastic dinosaur.

Bridget Landon, DVM
Fairgrounds Animal Hospital
Reno, Nev.

A 9-month-old golden retriever presented for vaccines. The owner reported that the patient started vomiting two days prior and appetite had decreased. The patient had a gutful of rocks measuring 4-6 cm in diameter.

Patti Klein Manke, DVM
Woodstock Veterinary Clinic
Woodstock, N.Y.

Prince Edward, a 9-year-old bulldog, ate his owner’s false teeth when he found them in a bowl that had ice cream in it. The teeth were returned to the owner and she is smiling again!

TREATMENT for Heartworms

2011-11-01T17:35:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to drop a quick note about Heartworm TREATMENT. I am not talking about the monthly prevention (Heartgard, Interceptor, etc). I'm talking about the medication we use to treat your dog if it actually gets heartworms. The medication is called Immiticide, it comes as an injection that is administered in your dogs back muscles. The problem and concern right now is that Merial has experienced a technical issue at the plant where the FDA-approved version of the drug is manufactured, and it's inventory ran out in August of this year. In simple terms this means if your dog gets heartworms, we have no way of treating it!!! The monthly prevention DOES NOT treat heartworms, it PREVENTS them. The prevention works by killing the baby heartworms before they are able to becomes adult worms.

I have been advising all my clients to be very diligent about giving their heartworm prevention every month. They are currently working on importing a limited amount of Immiticide from Merial's European supplier. Please call your veterinarian with any questions or concerns.

2011-09-13T16:31:00.004-05:00

DEMODEX

"Demodex" it's such a scary word.. Try saying it, make sure you use a deep voice... Scary, huh? I have heard it called "Red Mange" and/or "Puppy Mange". I searched all over to find out why it was given the name Red Mange and found nothing. I assume the it comes from those untreated dogs whose skin turns bright red from scratching and infection. It is a microscopic mite that infects the skin dogs and cats. It is one of the most common skin problems in puppies. My newest family member "Cherry" had demodex when we got her from the animal shelter.

Cherry is a 6 month old black large breed mix. We got Cherry back in May from the local animal shelter, she was the cutest-ganglest puppy I've ever seen. But then of course being one of my pets she developed a little problem(animals see me and say, she'll fix us lets go to her house!). She started getting very small patches of hair loss. At first it looked like she had just scrapped herself on something. But then the areas started getting bigger and there was suddenly 3 areas of hair loss instead of one. These areas were not red or itchy. The skin was very smooth and it didn't seem to bother Cherry at all. Being the smart Veterinarian that I am I instantly assumed it was Demodex! LOL!

Cherry when we got her in May

Cherry today! 6 months old!

I took Cherry up to the clinic for a skin scraping to diagnosis Demodex. These mites live in the hair follicles, so a fairly deep scraping is needed to find them. The skin scraping is then put on a slide and looked at under the microscope. This is a drawing of the mite.

This mite is not contagious from dog to dog. All dogs raised normally from their mom possess this mite. It is passed from the mom to the pups in the first few days of life. When the pup is about 1 week old it develops and natural immunity to the mite, which allows them to live together in harmony. There are several instances when the mites begin to proliferate and can cause serous skin problems. In Cherry's case I think her young age and the stress associated with being at the shelter suppressed her immune system. An underdeveloped immune system is often the cause of demodex in puppies. Demodex can also occur in older dogs. Some of the cases I've seen occur because of; stressed immune systems, organ dysfunction, or dogs that have chronic skin conditions with extended steroid use.

There are several treatment options available. Everything from medication by mouth, to dipping, to topical drops. It is really up to your veterinarian and their protocols. One thing that will determine treatment is the extent of infection. Cherry had a very mild localized infection. But, I have seen dogs that have mites from their heads to their tails. These poor dogs often have secondary bacterial and yeast infections. This is called generalized demodex, it is usually very itchy.

Most dogs respond very well to treatment, especially the puppies. The adult dogs with generalized demodex are the ones that are often hard to clear up. In these dogs, Demodex is usually secondary to a more serious problem. Many skin problems can look the same so make sure you take your dog in for appropriate testing and treatment at your veterinarian.

Here are some pictures I found online. The first is a very, very severe case of Demodex. The second is just a drawing but it shows where the mite actually lives. Very informative!

Online Pet Pharmacies - BUYER BEWARE

2011-08-30T17:16:00.000-05:00

I just have to put in my 2 cents about online pet pharmacies. I as a veterinarian, I of course, want you to buy your prescription products from me. And it's not all about my bottom line, as most people would think. I truly want what is best for your pet. That includes several things from making sure you get the right size of medicine for your pet to making sure the product is in date.

According to the FDA;   Illegal online pharmacies may sell medicines that are counterfeit, outdated, mislabeled, incorrectly formulated, or improperly made or stored. These medicines may not contain the actual drug, may contain contaminants, or the incorrect amount of drug, may not work as well due to age or being stored in conditions that were too hot, cold, or humid, and may not have the proper directions for use. This is an informational brochure from the FDA, they are trying to help make pet owners A.W.A.R.E of problems with pet pharmacies. Here is the link. http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/ResourcesforYou/AnimalHealthLiteracy/ucm203000.htm

I have numerous clients that use online pharmacies with no problems, but I do have a few examples and words of caution. My number one problem is that most drug companies will not honor their product guarantee's(Ex: paying for heartworm treatment if the dog gets heartworms while on the product) if the product is not sold by a veterinarian. A few of the online pharmacies have gotten around this by they themselves offering a product guarantee. I think this is fine but make sure you clearly understand the pharmacy policy.   FYI: The treatment for heartworms is currently on indefinite manufacture back order, which means we can't get it!

I have also had clients get things online that were in other languages, this one was in French. This really had me wondering what was in the little vials that were supposed to be Frontline....

I have also had clients bring me products that are not the right size/weight for their pet. This is most common in young dogs that are growing, but occasionally with adult pets that just put on a few pounds. It is very important especially with heartworm prevention that you get the right size. I don't like to over or under dose pets.

The last thing that I try to tell clients is: 'We often don't get the requests from the online pharmacy'. I guess instead of telling the owner they were unable to fax the request they just tell them we declined the prescription.   We get a lot of calls from owners that are very upset because of this. So, please if you decide to get your prescriptions filled online and it is declined, Call Us! More than likely we never got a request.

We have owners sign a waiver if they are going to get meds filled online and just like a human doctor we require a yearly wellness exam before writing any prescription. This helps us make sure your pet is healthy enough for those medications and taking the appropriate type and dose. Please don't be shy about asking your veterinarian about online pharmacies, I know I am happy to share my knowledge and give you any advice I can. I agree with the FDA totally, online pharmacies are a definite Buyer Beware!

2011-08-16T15:20:00.000-05:00

****Just so everyone knows when I make a new post I always update it on the clinic's Facebook status. Just look us up, Arlington South Veterinary Hospital****

10 Life- Threatening Behavior Myths in Dogs

Do you think puppy classes pose health risks? Does your dog seem to act angry with you? Do you punish your dog? If so, read on and see the truth behind these and other common misconceptions when it comes to dogs’ behavior.

By Valarie V. Tynes, DVM, DACVB
From dvm360.com, client handouts

Myth #1

I’m embarrassed to talk to my veterinarian about my pet’s behavior. I’m afraid that I’m the cause of the problem!

A variety of factors play a role in the development of behavior problems, including a pet’s genetics, early experiences, and environment. While you can certainly worsen a pet’s behavior problem with inappropriate training methods, it is highly unlikely that you caused your pet’s behavior problems. Many medical conditions and medications can also contribute to behavior changes, so your veterinarian is the best person to consult first when your pet exhibits worrisome behaviors.

FACT: Don’t hesitate to ask your veterinarian about any problem that may affect your pet’s health and well-being. Most behavior problems are at least manageable—if not always curable. But the sooner you seek qualified advice, the higher the likelihood you can successfully treat the problem.

Myth #2
Puppies shouldn’t go to puppy classes until they have had all of their shots or they will get sick.

The critical period for socialization in dogs lasts from the fourth to the 14th week of life. During this time, dogs learn about their environment, other dogs, and people. Poorly socialized dogs are more likely to exhibit behaviors that make them unsuitable as a pet and result in relinquishment to an animal shelter or euthanasia. Thus, the likelihood of death due to poor socialization is greater than the likelihood of illness or death due to contagious disease—as long as the puppy class is managed properly.
All puppy classes should:
• Only mix puppies of similar age
• Require that all puppies have their first vaccination several days before the beginning of the class
• Be held on an indoor surface that can be sanitized
• Clean all puppy waste immediately and disinfect the soiled area
• Not allow any puppies into the class that show signs of illness.
FACT: Proper early socialization can save a dog’s life and is the best way to ensure that you end up with a pet that is well adjusted and a joy to live with for many years.

Myth #3
My dog is aggressive/fearful/shy because he/she was abused as a puppy.

While this may be a possibility in the case of some re-homed dogs whose exact histories are unknown, the most common cause of fearful behavior in dogs is inadequate or inappropriate early socialization. Fearful behavior is also heritable, so some dogs are born with a predisposition to shyness or fearfulness. Proper socialization may be even more critical in these individuals.
FACT: No matter the cause, dogs that exhibit fearful or anxious behavior frequently may be suffering and should be evaluated by a veterinarian. These animals can be helped in many different ways.

Myth #4
I want that new medication I heard about to treat my pet’s .

Medications alone rarely completely solve a behavior problem. Behavior modification and environmental modification are usually necessary to achieve long-term, lasting improvement. Some medications have been shown to increase the speed with which the behavior modification takes effect and can be considered another useful tool in treating behavior problems, but they are not the sole remedy.
FACT: Medications can play an important role in the treatment of a behavior problem but only if used appropriately as a part of a complete treatment plan.

Myth #5
Dogs that are aggressive are acting dominant.

While some dogs truly exhibit dominance aggression, they are much rarer than the popular media would have you believe. The problem with outdated dominance theories is that they result in the recommendation of confrontational styles of training based on the erroneous belief that owners have to physically dominate their dogs. Not only is this dangerous, but it is usually ineffective and has resulted in damage to the human-animal bond far more often than it has led to success.
FACT: Most dogs with aggression problems are anxious or afraid and are more likely to respond to reward-based training under the supervision of a qualified animal behaviorist or board-certified veterinary behaviorist.

Myth #6
He must be angry with me. He knows what he did was wrong.

Many dogs show submissive behaviors when their owners arrive home. These behaviors of tucking the tail, lowering the ears, avoiding eye contact, and slinking away do not mean “I am sorry” in dog language. They mean “Quit acting angry at me.” They mean that the dog has learned to associate the return of people to the home with the presence of feces, garbage, or other destroyed items on the floor. The dog is not angry—he is afraid because in the past when people arrived and these items were on the floor, he was yelled at or hit. Even if the dog was not yelled at or hit, the angry body language of the human is clear to the dog, and the dog still learns to feel fear when people arrive. Punishment in these circumstances does not teach the dog anything (except to fear the arrival of people). The dog is completely incapable of associating any punishment with the behavior he performed minutes or hours before.
FACT: Dogs do not eliminate on the floor or destroy items out of spite. The most likely cause of the behavior is anxiety or lack of appropriate exercise and stimulation(or incomplete housetraining). Rather than being angry at your dog, seek help from a professional. Your dog may be suffering.

Myth #7
If you use treats to train a dog, you will always need them to get the dog to obey your commands.

The principles that govern the laws of learning have shown this to be completely untrue. Treats are an excellent means of reinforcing a behavior. Clear and consistent reinforcement is necessary when you initially begin teaching any animal a new behavior. For some animals, a vocal reward, toys, or petting may serve as good reinforcers, but food is for many animals the most salient reinforcement there is. The rules of learning show that when first teaching a new behavior, reinforcing every single time the behavior is performed on cue will lead to the fastest rate of learning. Once a behavior is learned, intermittent reinforcement is the best means of maintaining the behavior and making it most resistant to extinction. This means that you only have to use the treats periodically once the behavior is learned. People who believe that an animal is not responding because it knows there is no treat available have usually failed to use reinforcement appropriately or don’t realize that the animal has actually not learned the behavior. It is common for pet owners to think that an animal has learned a command long before it actually has.
FACT: When used correctly, positive reinforcement training with food rewards is far more likely to be effective and has less chance of doing harm than most other forms of training.

Myth #8
Dogs chase their tails or spin in circles because they are bored.

Repetitive behaviors such as pacing, spinning, tail chasing, and foot licking have many causes. To infer they are caused by boredom oversimplifies a complicated problem. These behaviors may be caused by frustration or conflict. They may often be secondary to certain medical problems that cause itching, pain, or discomfort in a body part. Sometimes they are caused by seizures, and in other cases they result from other forms of brain dysfunction.
FACT: Repetitive behaviors are complex problems that require evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment by a veterinarian.

Myth #9
Oh, he has a behavior problem? Send him to a trainer.

The behavior of all animals is a result of a complex interaction among their genetics, early development, and environment. For this reason, behavior problems can vary greatly in their underlying causes and must be treated by an appropriate professional. If your dog simply needs to be trained to sit, lie down, or heel, then a trainer is the best person to consult with. If, however, your dog is fearful of other animals, strange people, loud noises, or other benign stimuli; is aggressive under any circumstances; or is destructive when left alone, then you should consult with a veterinarian first. Veterinarians are trained to rule out primary medical causes for these problems and recognize when a problem requires referral to a specialist such as a board-certified veterinary behaviorist.
FACT: Anyone can call himself or herself a trainer or a behaviorist. This does not mean that he or she is the appropriate person to help you with your pet’s particular behavior problem. It is important to be aware of the variety of professionals available to help with pet behavior problems and to choose the proper individual for the problem. The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior’s website (avsabonline.org) contains more information about these professionals and how to choose the right one for you and your pet.

Myth #10
Some punishment is required to teach dogs proper behavior.
Punishment should never be used as the first or only method of dealing with an unwanted behavior. Punishment can cause far more problems than it solves, especially if applied incorrectly or used on a dog with fear- or anxiety-related problems. It is extremely difficult for most people to use punishment effectively, since punishment is only effective if administered within one or two seconds of the unwanted behavior and is administered every time the behavior is performed. Inappropriately used punishment can severely damage your relationship with your pet and worsen many behavior problems.
FACT: It is much easier and more effective for you to teach your dog what behaviors you want it to perform and reward it for those behaviors than it is to punish your dog for unwanted behaviors.

"I wish he was here...'

2011-07-12T14:07:00.000-05:00

I was reading a story written by Dr. Bo Brock. He is a veterinarian in Lamesa, Texas. He writes some very funny stories about the life of a rural veterinarian. He has a wonderful prospective on life and just how humerus animals can be. This story below is actually a very poignant one about his dad and his guidance. It reminded me about a story I love to tell about my Grandpa. My brother and I spent almost everyday growing up at our grandparents house. As little kids we were over there playing and then as teenagers we had our show animals(pigs, sheep and steers) there. My grandparents were so proud of me when I decided to become a Veterinarian and just beside themselves when I actually graduated! It was not long after that Grandpa asked me what kind of animals I would be 'working on'. I responded 'dogs and cats'. Grandpa thought about it for a minute and said; 'Well after you been there for awhile they'll probably let you move up to the big animals'!! I thought about trying to explain to him about the changing views on pets, but thought better of it and just shock my head yes... My Grandpa has passed on now but I often remember those times as a kid and like Dr. Brock I get the 'I wishes'.

'I wish he were here'

Jun 1, 2002
By: Bo Brock, DVM, Dipl. ABVP
DVM NEWSMAGAZINE

"Good throw," Papaw shouted as I completed my first back-of-the-pick-up rope sling.
On the first attempt, I caught the sick calf around the neck. I was about 12-years-old and no words could have made my head swell bigger than any kind of "atta-boy" from him. I called him Papaw and he called me Tirdhead. He was my hero. He had the patience of Job with me as he taught me how to work. He had taught me to whirl that rope and size my loop. He had taught me to keep my slack until just the right moment when I should close it down on my target.

It has been more than six years since he died. Just today I remembered him deeply with the fond memories that can only come after the sting of loss has passed and reveals the voice he left to guide me. It was this little voice I heard with each item I removed from the trailer. My wife, Kerri, and I finally got a storage house. The day after he died, I loaded up all the things out of the barn that he had told me were mine when he passed on. They were all packed neatly into a stock trailer that belonged to his dad. The thing was at least 60 years old but still rolled as smooth as it had the day he built it, attesting to the way he cared for things. The trailer and all my treasures had been in storage since a few days after he died.

Pieces of history
It took me hours to move the pieces of our history together from the trailer to the storage house. Each nugget brought back a moment that he and I had spent together; him teaching me and me not even knowing that there was a lesson in progress. He made learning the lessons of life such fun that it was years later, when I had grown into a man, before I even realized how much he taught me and how much time he spent doing it.

One at a time, I blew the dust away and soaked up the memories. My first bits. Two saddle blankets that were over-used. Vintage syringes that were made of solid glass and needles that were made of stainless steel. These were the things he used to teach me how animals had feelings and needed proper care.

As I dug through the pile I uncovered a bottle of "Thermic Linement." It must be 30 years old. He used it on every sore horse we ever had. Said it "pulled out the swellin'. " When I opened it, the strong menthol medicine smell rushed into my smeller and brought back all the memories of being a kid with him and thinking he was the smartest man alive. He could fix anything that was ailing. He was so particular about how to care for our animals. Everything had to be done correctly and at the right time. Even though he had no idea, Papaw was instilling in me a lifetime mission of seeing about the needs of animals. He gave me an incredible interest in caring for critters that lives on today.

'Find the moments'
He also challenged me to find the moments. He had an incredible way of seeing the world. I would hear him describe an event and his description was much better than actually living through the moment. His way of describing brought things to mind that were generally unnoticed by a less observant person. I used to love to hear him tell someone else an event that he and I had lived through together. Listening to him made me aware that I was not watching the world close enough.

He would often ask me what I thought the horse I was on might be thinking. He would tell me that if I would look at things through the horse's eyes, it would open up an entirely new world. Through the eyes of critters I would find an entirely new perspective.

"Good throw," Papaw shouted as I completed my first back-of-the-pickup rope sling. The thing he had not told me was what to do next. The calf may have been sick, but he still weighed 500 pounds and I weighed in at about 85. I watched as the coils of rope in my hand got smaller and smaller and the calf got farther and farther away. In a panic, I dallied to the nearest thing in sight, a CB antenna coming off the headache rack. Well, it wasn't a whole antenna, just the spring that made up the base. The antenna had broken off years ago. This, of course, didn't even slow him down. As the tension hit the antenna, the knot on the end of the rope hit my hand. Not wanting to disappoint my hero, I held onto that knot for dear life.

The next thing I remember was a moment of peaceful flying before me, the CB antenna, the bracket that held it on and the driver's side rear view mirror that was hung on my boot hit the ground like Johnny Bench sliding into home plate. All I could hear was, "Let go of the rope, Tirdhead!!!!!" He was saying it over and over and the sound was getting softer and softer as the calf pulled me in the direction of his momma. By now, letting go was not an option. The bracket of the antenna had wedged between my hand and the rope and I were being pulled along like a rag doll.

Ear surfing
The only thing I remember hurting while I was being pulled was my left ear. Somehow in the fall it had filled up with dirt and grass. I must have been surfing on that ear for about a hundred yards before any other part of my body hit the ground. The dragging began to slow as the calf wore down. He finally stopped well short of his momma. Being 12-years-old and made of rubber, I hopped right up and jumped on him like a rodeo clown. By the time Papaw got there, I had it tied up and was working it over. If you can tell how bad a dragging is by the amount of dirt in your underwear, this one was monumental! I had enough in my britches to grow potatoes! It was filling up my boots as I got up to walk away.

We gave the calf a few shots to get him well and then I got a total body rubdown with, what else, Thermic Linement. You remember, it "pulls out the swellin'."

Whole new perspective
I miss him. I miss his view of life. I miss being called Tirdhead. I wish I had told him how much he influenced me and how I watched him and hung on his every word. He got to see me become a veterinarian. In his own way, he displayed how proud he was without ever saying those words. I wish he were here now to read these words he spoke as we road through the weeds and mosquitoes and see how they gave me a whole new perspective. I wish he were here now to give me guidance and fill my world with his thoughts, but I guess I'll have to settle for the voice he left to guide me.

It's HOT Out There!!! "Heat Stroke"

2011-06-28T17:28:00.000-05:00

First of all Heat Stroke is an emergency!!! If you are googling because you think your pet has heat stroke, you need to stop and call your vet immediately!

I wanted to write about Heat Stroke now because here in Texas we are experiencing days and days of triple digit heat. It is miserable just walking from your car to inside the store. Even those pets that are used to being outside need some extra measures to make sure they're safe in this heat.

Causes:
Heat Stroke can occur at anytime the temperature rises above 105 F.

• When an animal is left outside in very hot/humid conditions (Texas in general).
This is made worse by; lack of shade, water or proper ventilation. Being very hairy, sick, overweight or having a short nose (pugs, bulldogs, shih tzu's) are things that can impair your pets ability to dissipate the heat.

• Exercising your pet in hot/humid weather.
I feel that it is only safe to exercise your pet very early (before 7am) or very late (after 8pm) here in Texas. And then I wouldn't walk more than 30-40 minutes depending on your pets fitness level.

• Leaving your animal in the car or in an un-air conditioned home, in hot/humid conditions.
I think I have said enough here...

Symptoms:
Signs can vary depending on the degree and duration of elevated temperature.

• Prolonged or excessive panting and increased temperature (over 105 F) are the most common
• Weak and Wobbly
• Collapse or Coma/non-responsive
• Red or blue(cyanotic) gums
• Vomit and/or Diarrhea. Can be bloody.
• Delayed Signs: Can occur 3-5 days after supposed recovery. There could be decreased urine production, yellow color to the gums or eyes (jaundice), or sudden death due to infection or heart malfunction.

Treatment:

• Call your vet or the closest animal emergency center!!
• Get the animal into a cooler environment. Into the shade or in the air conditioned house.
• If possible record the rectal temperature and write it down.
• Wet the pet with cool tap water. NOT ice water. The ice water actually prevents effective inner body cooling.
• Wrap the animal in a cool, wet towel and transport to your vet immediately.
• Once at your Veterinarian office, your pet with most likely be hospitalized. Blood work, intravenous fluids and appropriate medications should be started immediately. Expect a 3-5 day stay for treatment.

Prognosis:

This really depends on the severity of the heat stroke. Survival is poor for animals presented in a coma and for those with secondary organ failure.

Animals that survive heat stroke are more prone to reoccurrence in the future. Please make sure these animals keep in an air conditioned environment during the next heat wave.

Prevention:

• If you live in the south and it's 100+ degrees outside try to have those animals inside. Dogs are easily crate trained.
• If being inside just isn't something you can do, you MUST provide shade, cool/fresh water and an area with air movement.
• Some dogs love water: Get them a children’s wading pool-refill it daily.
• If you don't have shade, make some. Tarps and posts are cheap and easy to make shade out of.
• If your yard is small or if you have a wooden privacy fence the amount of air movement is almost zero. Think about investing in an industrial fan or a outdoor ceiling fan if you have a patio. Putting in grated vent areas in your fence may also help.
• Above all don't take a pet that has been inside and suddenly decide to make them an outdoor dog when it’s 100+ outside. These animals are not used to the heat and are much more susceptible to heat stroke than those that always live outside. It's like asking someone who works at a desk to suddenly change jobs and start replacing roofs for a living!

5 Most Important Things

2011-06-03T14:51:00.000-05:00

"What does my pet need?' Many people haven't had pets before or it has been a long time, and they don't know what they need to do for them. Soooo, I decided I would make a list of the 5 most important things. I feel like Dr. Oz and his 'Top 10 Daily Essentials'!!!! This list is for dogs AND cats.

**This is in no form or way 'everything' you need to do for your pet, but this is a fantastic place to start. I think if you do these 5 things for your pets health, you are on your way to having your pet for many, many years to come.**

1. Yearly Wellness Exam at your Veterinarian
Office

This visit is so important, especially in those older pets, who could be starting to have problems with their teeth, heart, etc.
Just a little trade secret, it helps if your veterinarian and the staff know you. That way we already know what you want. That makes it easier to make the right decisions about your pets care.

2. Vaccinations

These maybe yearly or every few years. It depends on the vaccine. These vaccines prevent many 'non-treatable' diseases. Non-treatable means your pet will most likely die if infected with the disease, for example- Rabies.
Your veterinarian can help with choosing the appropriate vaccines.

3. Heartworm Prevention

Yes! Cats get heartworms!
Heartworms have been found in all 50 states. Below is a map with the number of cases per clinic.
In the state of Texas, where I practice, heartworm prevention is a MUST!
Heartworms cause heart disease and eventually death.
They are super easy to PREVENT. It is just a once a month; topical-drop or a by mouth tablet/chew.
TREATING heartworms is NOT super easy. It requires a series of injections and a pre-treatment workup.
Let me give you a cost break-down on prevention versus treatment. A years worth of prevention for a 60 pound dog costs ~$120 versus ~$920 for treatment!!!! You can prevent heartworms for 9 years before it even starts to even out!!

4. Flea/Tick Prevention

Not only are they disgusting, they also spread disease. These parasites feed on blood and spread numerous life threatening diseases.
When it comes to flea/tick prevention I am a big brand name supporter. There are several cheaper but less effective options out there, I don't think they work very well and they can be harmful to your pets, esp. cats.
Every veterinarian has their favorite products. Mine are Advantage for fleas and Frontline for fleas and ticks. Both are safe but mostly they WORK!!!

5. Good Food

I get asked all the time what the best food is... This is a very touchy question with some people, so my response is usually.

-"Buy the best food you can afford, you get what you pay for."-

My favorite brands are Science Diet, Iam's, Eukanuba, and Purina Pro Plan or O.N.E. All of these companies have been around fooorrreevver. They have years of research in animal nutrition. They also have fantastic customer support. They guarantee all of their products, if the dog won't eat it, they give you your money back!

"Dog's Role in Osama bin Laden Raid"

2011-05-10T17:08:00.001-05:00

I read this headline and was just awed by how amazing these military working dogs are. These dogs are trained to sniff bombs, jump out of planes, protect the human soliders and so much more. Most of us are just happy when our dogs use the restroom outside!!! Here are some articles/links of military working dogs. These pics are not from the actual raid, they just show the dogs in action. Read below to get all the details on Osama.

-The article below is from Fox News Chicago. There are some great pictures on this page as well.
http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpps/news/dogs-role-in-osama-bin-laden-raid-dpgoha-20110506-fc_13082431

What Role did Dogs Play in Osama bin Laden Raid?

Updated: Friday, 06 May 2011, 9:37 AM CDT
Published : Friday, 06 May 2011, 9:37 AM CDT

Among details not yet released about the raid against Osama bin Laden's compound is what kind of breed the four-legged commando was.
NPR reported that the Navy SEAL team that headed into Abbottabad, Pakistan, included at least one canine fighter. It follows a practice more than a century old as dogs have seen combat as early as the Civil War and World War I.
Military sources told The New York Times that the SEALs' dog was likely either a German shepherd or a Belgian Malinois. The Belgian Malinois, a breed trained to herd sheep, along with German shepherds and Labradors are often used in such roles as they have the speed, agility and sense of smell valuable in war zones, according to The Washington Times .
It has launched a battle of speculation among breeders.
The New York Times stated that American Belgian Malinois Club president Suzanne Belger said she hoped it was her breed "and that it did its job and came home safe." Laura Gilbert, corresponding secretary for the German Shepherd Dog Club of America, said her breed was the best and that she was sure it was a German shepherd.
Whatever the breed, the UK Sun concluded it was likely an explosives-sniffing dog that dropped to the ground strapped to an assault team member. The SEAL unit had used dogs equipped with infrared night-sight cameras and protected by ballistic body armor in the past.
The dogs are taught to attack enemies carrying a weapon and can crawl into tunnels or rooms to search for enemy combatants, their cameras giving the troops an idea of what is ahead of them.
"Dogs are relied upon to provide early warnings for potential hazards, many times, saving the lives of the Special Operations Forces with whom they operate," U.S. Special Operations Command spokesman Maj. Wes Ticer told the New York Times.
The Sydney Morning Herald said a military dog likely was also used when former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein was captured in 2003.
Dogs, NPR reported, were first officially inducted into the U.S. Army in 1942. The Army had 2,800 active-duty dogs deployed early in 2010 and numbers are expected to grow

-Here is a link to a War Dog a weekly feature by Rebecca Frankel. Awesome pictures!!

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/05/04/war_dog?sms_ss=email&at_xt=4dc9b8186a168692%2C0

Sweet June, Bug for Short

2011-04-26T17:56:00.000-05:00

I am sorry for the time in between posts, but I have been dealing the loss of one of my pets. This loss is something I have helped many, many clients get through, but have never really had to experience myself. I have lost several of my childhood pets but never one that was my responsibility as an adult. I have been so lucky that all my other pets have been super healthy. My boyfriend and I recently had to euthanize our Labrador June. This was a hard decision for us, and I find myself even more thankful and appreciative of my veterinary staff. They cried with me, offered words of solace and advice. They helped to make this as easy as it could be. I have wanted to talk about June's disease for a long time but could never seem to find the time to write about it. I guess now is the time...

June was only 2 years old when she died; she was born with a liver condition. The fancy name for her condition was a Congenital Portosystemic Shunt. What happens is; the blood from the puppy's intestines bypasses the liver. During pregnancy it is normal for the puppies’ blood to bypass the liver (i.e., the mother's liver filters out the toxins for the fetus). Normally this shunt (the vessel bypass) closes within 3 days after birth. In animals like June, the shunt doesn't close and the blood continues to bypass the liver. Because the liver filters toxins, the toxins build up in the body. This results in the puppy having slow or nonexistent growth. June was only 50 pounds; she should have been more like 70-80 pounds. If this is left untreated, puppies are not likely to survive.

June at diagnosis-12 weeks old
So sad...

Signs we saw:

June was diagnosed very early; she was only 12 weeks old. She was having symptoms like not growing well, not eating well, sleeping alot and drinking and peeing alot. We diagnosed her when she had more severe symptoms after eating a large meal, she become temporarily blind and had a seizure. June had alot of symptoms and they occurred rapidly. This is not a disease that occurs very often in Labradors, it is really more common in little Yorkie Terriers.

Tests:

We took June for some testing at a specialty veterinary clinic. They were able to take pictures using an ultrasound and used nuclear medicine to diagnosis and stage her disease. This step is very important because it can determine if the dog is a candidate for surgery. This is a disease that is usually very fixable in Yorkies, with appropriate surgery and care. The problem with June was, she wasn't a Yorkie... Her shunt was much more involved and deemed a very poor surgical risk. We contacted numerous specialty clinics and university's to see if anyone had any surgical cures for June. The answer was the same every time, they all felt that she would either die during surgery or do very poorly following surgery.

Decision Time:
By the time we had went though the tests and talks with specialists, June was doing great on her medical management. We had a very active and loving puppy. She was in no shape or form 'normal' but she played and terrorized all the other pets, much to their displeasure.... We decided we would treat her medically as long as she was active and healthy. I cautioned my boyfriend that she may only make it a couple of months before she began feeling sick again. But June surprised us all and just kept on doing great! She went through all her puppy shots, got spayed, and became a beautiful adult dog.

Medical Treatment:
June's medical treatment consists of by mouth medications to help prevent protein absorption in the intestines. These proteins are what become toxic to the liver. Some dogs do great with just one drug. June was on 4 drugs! We added drugs as her symptoms progressed. These dogs are also on special diets. These diets are very low in protein. June's was on a prescription food from Science Diet.
Medical management is more a matter of avoiding certain things. If June ate anything other than her food it would prompt a bout of not feeling good and usually a trip to the clinic for fluids and intensive care.

Being a Labrador, June was always trying to, and sometimes succeeding in eating things she shouldn't.... She woke us up once at 5am, during a snow storm, wearing the kitchen trash can lid around her waist(she was in the bed)!!! She had got up very early in the morning and quietly eaten and spread garbage all over the kitchen floor!!! We so badly wanted to be mad at her but it was just too funny.... Needless to say, eating garbage doesn't make a normal dog feel good, June ended up in the clinic once again on fluids...

Prognosis:
The dogs that are able to have surgical repair of their shunt have a very good long-term prognosis. Most of those dogs go on to have normal life expectancies.
Those dogs like June, whose shunts aren't surgically repairable live an average 10 months. There are new studies out there that are saying that with new understanding and medical treatments they maybe able to extend that average to 3 years. June was right in the middle.
This is considered to be an inheritable problem. This means that a dog with a shunt should never be bred because it can pass it on to its puppies. I would also never breed the parents of the dog affected with the shunt. There is a very good chance another puppy will be affected.
After my experience with June, I would whole-heartedly encourage people to medically treat those dogs who aren't candidates for surgery. We had a wonderful 2 years with June! She was a dog like no other! She had everyone who ever met her falling in love with her! We will miss her and think of her often...

Fun Dog Activities

2011-04-07T15:00:00.000-05:00

As more places become pet friendly, the opportunities for new activities has sky rocketed. Dogs are now welcomed everywhere from bookstores to yoga classes!! I have compiled a list of fun and different activities, along with some helpful websites. I personally take my dogs just about everywhere but their favorite places are, of course the P-A-R-K (gotta spell this at our house or a riot occurs) and visiting their grandpa and grandma!

-This is a video of June and Ebby waiting not so patiently to go to the park!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RalfCIcJlk&feature=youtube_gdata_player

The first thing I found was some suggestions for children. This is from the ASPCA website, if you want to check out the entire article. I always caution people to monitor their pets and children. You have to look at it from both sides. To the pets the children are a bit scary! They have these long things(arms) with little pincher's on the ends!! Then you gotta see it from the kids point of view... Here is the super soft and fuzzy thing that resembles their stuffed animals, that they chew and pull on!

Activities for kids 6 months to 2 years:

Your child can lie on the floor and your dog or cat can jump over him.
You and your child can hide and then call your pet to come find you.
Young children love peek-a-boo games. Try holding up a cloth so that your pet is concealed. Let your child pull the cloth aside, making the pet 'appear'

Kids 3-8 years old:

Your child and dog can race with each other to a designated finish line. If necessary, you can run with your dog on a leash. My 6 year old neighbor and June(my lab) love to race on opposite sides of the fence!!
Armed with treats, your child can hide while you stay with your pet. When your child calls out, let your pet go search for him. When your pet finds him, let your child give the treats as a reward.
Your child can blow bubbles for your pet to catch. You can purchase a bubble toy made especially for dogs, such as the Fetch A Bubble Blaster or the Bubble Buddy. These toys produce flavored bubbles that are safe for dogs to ingest. Please do not use regular bubble solution. It can cause mild stomach upset and can sting your pets eyes.

Kids 9-13 years old:

Children of any age can benefit from attending basic dog obedience classes with their dogs.
Your child can play soccer-type games and Frisbee with your dog.
Some children appreciate the challenge of competing with a dog in agility or in games such as flyball. Your child can search the Internet of library to find new tricks to teach your pet, such as Roll Over, Shake, Sit Up and Beg.

Create a sidewalk pet portrait, and show the world the great pets that live in your neighborhood. Dogs, cats, hamsters, fish, birds --whatever the pet you can create its portrait on the sidewalk.

You just need some chalk, a sidewalk, and your favorite pet as a model. I need to see if I can get my neighbor boys to come and help me with my sidewalk.

-There are several off lead dog parks in the DFW area. Make sure your pets are current on all shots and on flea and heartworm prevention before frequenting these places. Everyone may not be such a good dog owner as you.... Some of the parks are maintained by the city and also require your dog have a city license. I would check before going, they can/will write you a ticket for non-compliance. Below is a link with a pretty good list of of parks. The first on the list is the indoor dog park in Dallas, I've heard that it's closed.... I know there is also a park in Arlington, near the Animal Shelter off Green Oaks, near Collins St.

http://dallas.about.com/od/recreation/tp/Dallas-Dog-Parks.htm

-Here is a site that lists animal friendly businesses. I personally called Half-Price Books and they told me they were indeed pet friendly!
http://www.dogfriendly.com/server/travel/uscities/guides/us/cities/usonlinecityTXFort_Worth.shtml

-Lastly, I wanted to put a link for doggie yoga- "Doga". I wasn't able to find any links locally but if your into yoga you may know about one. Here is a very informational link to a studio in Florida.
http://dogadog.com/

More Dental Products

2011-04-01T10:30:00.000-05:00

I just found a great site with Dental Products that have been awarded the Veterinary Oral Health Council Seal of approval. Some are found only at veterinary offices and some over the counter. I always make sure people know, not to assume the products at your vets office are more expensive than at Petsmart or Petco. I have personally comparison shopped and found our prices to be competitive if not cheaper than the pet stores!!

Site for dental products:
http://www.vohc.org/accepted_products.htm

Toxic People Foods

2011-03-08T17:47:00.000-06:00

I like to classify people foods into 3 categories. The first are foods that are 'Toxic'. These are foods that can kill the pet even in small amounts. The second is 'Harmful'. These are those like fried chicken that are going to take more time and a larger amount to cause a problem. The third is 'OK in moderation'. These are things like green beans that can help by supplementing a good quality dog food. Just to clarify 'dog food' is not a bad word.... I personally, think dog kibble is amazing! It's like the gum off of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"! It meets all the pet's nutritional needs in a small bite sized kibble... Amazing! Let's just hope that no pets become little blueberries...

Here's the video from youtube... LOL!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrDuqlk4ZDA

I'm going to start with the 'Toxic' foods, because they are the most exciting to me. Animals can die from eating the following foods. These are not all the possibly toxic foods, just the most common. If you know your pet has eaten them contact your veterinarian immediately.

-Chocolate: All types are toxic but the baking and dark chocolates are the worst.

-Caffeine: This has a very similar affect as chocolate. The lethal dose is 140mg/kg. Instant coffee has ~60mg of caffeine per teaspoon!

-Grapes: Grapes have been shown to cause sudden kidney failure. They are still unsure what part of the grape is causing the disease. I recommend to owners to avoid all grapes and raisins.

-Onions/Garlic: These can cause destruction of the Red Blood Cells. I always put this one in, not becuase many dogs like to go around eating onion or garlic... But, because ALOT of pets eat off their owners plates. Many of the dishes we cook contain onion and/or garlic. I know pretty much everything I cook has one or the other!

-Raw Yeast Dough: I put this one on here because my parent's dog ate a large amount of rising bread once. Within 20 minutes their little skinny Wiener dog, looked like she was pregnant with 10 puppies! She literally was growing before our eyes! The bread will continue to rise in the stomach. It can lead to bloating and the bread also puts off a gas that has a similar affect to alcohol. If the dog isn't made to vomit it up the effects will lead to death.

Next on the list is 'Harmful' foods. I don't have a strict list of foods for this category. I feel like this is any food that is high in calories, salt, sugars, and fat! The first problem with this is obviously that the pet becomes overweight. I read the other day that over 56% of pets in the United States are overweight!! The more life threatening problem to me is pancreatitis. The pancreas has a very important job of helping regulate blood sugar and making enzymes to aid in food digestion. When the pancreas gets inflamed from eating bad foods we call it pancreatitis. The pancreas becomes swollen and painful. It then in turn causes all the organs around it(liver, stomach, intestines) to become inflamed. These dogs are usually painful, vomiting and having diarrhea. If left untreated pancreatitis can lead to death.

I will list the most common foods I come across that cause problems, but I in now way can list them all!
-Fried Anything(usually its chicken-it no longer has any good qualities after its fried)
-Sweets: Pretty much any dessert we eat. Some fruits like bananas and watermelon also have a lot of sugar
-Salt: Chips, French fries, and Hot Dogs(sorry Scrappy)
-Fats: Pretty much anything that comes from a drive thru window, hamburgers, cheese, bacon, etc.
If it's bad for you, it's much worse for your dog!. Please remember your pet weighs a significant amount less than you do! That means they need to eat a significant amount less than you do!

Lastly we have "OK in moderation". This is those foods that I recommend to pets that have health problems. This can be obesity(from all those burgers) to pets with food allergies. I think that these foods are ok if given in moderation or as a treat. I classify a 'treat' as once a day or less. If it becomes more than that it's now part of the daily diet. Here is a short list of foods that are OK.

-Green Beans (low salt if you get the canned)

-Plain White Rice

-Boiled-Boneless Skinless Chicken

-Baby Carrots

-Air popped Popcorn (no salt or butter)

If you have questions about other foods I would encourage you to contact your veterinarian.

Just an addition to Wet Noses...

2011-03-08T15:28:00.000-06:00

I saw in a Dog magazine an ad for a dog nose necklace!!! I thought it was just too great, not to post the add!!
FYI, I'm working on my next blog it's going to be about 'People Food to Avoid'!!! Stay Tuned...

Why Are Dogs Noses Wet?

2011-02-17T16:58:00.000-06:00

Ebby's Nose

This is a question that I actually wondered myself and thought I would research a little and share my knowledge. I know it hard to believe that as a veterinarian I wouldn't know this.... But contrary to popular belief I don't really know 'everything'... Don't tell my boyfriend I like to keep him thinking I'm a genius!

In my research online I found a wide range of thoughts, some very simple and some that seemed a little more scientific. So the next thing I did was to consult my veterinary textbooks. Much to my dismay they never had a clear cut/slam dunk answer either. Soooo, I decided I would share with you what I found online and in my textbooks and end with my own thoughts on the real reason why.

This was an answer written in USA Today as to why noses are always cold:

-We've sure felt them — cold and wet pressed against us — but dogs' noses are not always cold, even when they're well. A dog's nose changes through the day: wet and cool one moment and warmer and drier the next. The nose wetness (or lack thereof) also changes with the humidity. The nose norm varies from dog to dog.

-A dog's nose, though, tends to be cool and moist just as the inside of a human's nose.

-A dog has special glands inside his nose that secrete a watery fluid to keep the inside of the nose moist and to help cool the dog through evaporation," says Holly R. Frisby, veterinarian at Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc. This moisture can extend to the outside of the nose, making it shiny, wet, and cold.

-Also, they continually lick their noses.

Here's one from Wiki Answers:

Dogs noses secrete a small amount of mucus which serves two purposes: to help their sense of smell, and to keep themselves cool. The thin layer of mucus helps with the absorption of scent chemicals from the air. In addition, the nose, along with the mouth and the pads of the feet, is one of the locations where dogs bodies release heat.
A dry nose CAN mean the dog is sick, but a perfectly healthy dog may have a dry nose, as well.

Dr. Mason's Veterinary Textbooks:

The nose or 'nasal plate' is kept moist in cattle, pigs, and dogs. Other species don't have a constantly moist nose!!! Hmmm, that taught me something.. In dogs this is kept moist from an overflow of secretions, from glands in the nasal sinus (space between the outer nose and the airway). These gland secretions may have a social significance, hence the nose-to-nose sniffing dogs do when they meet. (-CRAZY-, the things you learn). These secretions have an important function; they humidify and help cleanse the air before it gets to the lungs.

I also learned that the nose is actually bare skin! I had to go look at my dogs nose! It doesn't look like skin to me!! The surface of the nose (skin!) is irregularly divided, creating a pattern believed to be individual and therefore available as a means of identification (nose printing). Book-em Danno!

My Conclusion:

I think the dog's nose being wet is just a side effect of normal nose secretions. I'm not convinced it was actually designed to be wet, it just happens. Our noses are always moist on the inside, but the dog just wears its nose on the outside! I think it’s normal for there is going to be a wide variance of 'moistness', just like in people. If you see a sudden change either way (runny or dry), I recommend consulting your veterinarian for a physical exam.

I hope this answered everyone's burning questions about 'Wet Noses". I know that I can sleep a lot better knowing that little wet nose touching me is just a little nose juice!

PARVO... The In's and Out's

2011-01-28T14:34:00.000-06:00

Parvo is a disease of alot coming 'out' and not very much going 'in'..... Many people have heard about Parvo, but not many understand what it is and how deadly it can be. Parvo is a virus that is seen in many species of animals, like dogs, cats, cows and even humans. Luckily it is very species specific, meaning that it cann't be trasmitted from dogs to humans or vice versa. It's a virus that attacks rapidly dividing cells which include the intestinal cells and the bone marrow. This can easily cause death in puppies, BUT has an 80% survival rate in puppies properly treated.

How Does Your Puppy Get Parvo:

The virus is shed in an infected animals feces(poop). This virus is super strong in the environment. It can live through a winter freeze and be infective once the ice melts!! It can live in your soil for at least 7 months if not more. It is so common in the environment it is impossible to prevent all exposure.

The puppy gets exposed by getting the virus in it's mouth(mucous membrane), this can be through direct feces eating or just getting a little infected dirt in the mouth. It takes a very, very small amount of the virus to cause infection.

Clinical Signs:

The most common clincal signs are vomiting and diarrhea. The diarrhea is often bloody and stinky. Most of these animals will refuse to eat or drink, very shortly into the disease. The puppy is usually very lethargic and inactive. The signs are very rapidly progressing and if not treated early can cause death.

What is Happening Inside?:

I try to make this complex diease, very simple to understand when I explain it to clients. The virus attacks 'rapidly dividing cells'. These cells are the bone marrow and intestinal cells. It first attacks the bone marrow, this is where the 'defender cells' are made. They help fight off unwanted disease and infection. It then moves onto the intestines. The intestines have these little finger like structures(villi) that absorb nutrients. The parvo virus goes and 'mows' them down, preventing the puppy from absorbing water and nutrients.

The puppy can die from two things: The vomitng and diarrhea can lead to such dehydration that shock occurs. And/Or the loss of the intestinal barrier allows bacterial to get into the blood stream and spread throughout the body. Septic toxins from the bacteria lead to death. This is a horrible disease and an even worse way to die.

Diagnosis:

Deciding if you puppy has Parvo is based upon clinical signs(vomiting/diarrhea) and a very simple stool test. This is a test specially designed to test for Parvo in the feces. It takes about 10 minutes to run and have a diagnosis. Further bloodwork may be needed to check the puppy's organ function and help with prognosis.

Treatment/Prevention:

Of course the best way to avoid Parvo is vaccination. Parvo requires several well timed vaccines. The puppy gets some immunity from its mom, in the form of colostrum. All puppies get a different amount of immunity from their mom, it depends upon how much colostrum they got and how much immunity their mom has. This mommy immunity is great but also inactivates the vaccines immunity. Since there is no easy way to 'quantify' when the mommy immunity wears off the puppy gets a series of vaccines. Many people think dogs need '3' puppy boosters, there is no magic number for the vaccines. They need them EVERY 3-4 weeks until they are AT LEAST 16 WEEKS old!!

If your puppy gets Parvo, then treatment needs to be started immediatlely. The very best thing to do is hospitalize the puppy and start it on intravenous fluids and injectable medications. These help support the puppy while it's own immune system fights off the virus. Be prepared for a 5 to 7 day hospital stay and substantial expense. Intensive care is needed to treat this infection.

There are people who just cann't afford the hospitalization and injections, and want to take the pet home. The chances of survival with at home care go down considerably but can be tried if the only other choice is euthanasia.

After Treatment:

Your veternarian will give you instructions for feeding, watering, exercise, repeat vaccination, etc; when the puppy leaves the hospital. Remember that your yard can be infective for up to 7 months and inside your house(after cleaning) for up to 1 month!! The treated puppy now has immunity against parvo, but any new puppy could get sick from the environment!! Make sure to call you veternarian with any questions. The veternarian and staff are always eager to share information.

Extensive Parvo Information

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=1199

AAHA Vaccine Guidelines

http://www.aahanet.org/PublicDocuments/VaccineGuidelines06Revised.pdf

Feline Leukemia- Finally a Cat Post!

2011-01-14T14:39:00.000-06:00

This is for all the Cat Lovers out there!! Feline Leukemia is one of the most common cat infections.

Leukemia is a virus that causes a permanent infection. This can eventually lead to suppression of the cats immune system, problems with the bone marrow(where the red blood cells and white blood cells are made), or the big "C" (cancer). You notice I put 'eventually' in bold that's because cats can live with the virus for years and have no symptoms. I often have owners decline testing for leukemia because the cat seems 'fine', just because the cat feels fine doesn't mean it isn't carrying the virus.

This virus can just 'hang-out' in the blood and bone marrow. The picture I get in my mind of this virus, is a little kid sitting on a fence just swinging their legs waiting for something to happen. And that is what this virus does it just 'swings its legs' until the cat gets stressed or sick from something else then it jumps down and starts causing problems!

What to look for:

The symptoms of Feline Leukemia are often very vague. The symptoms can be fever, lethargy, enlarged lymph nodes, and/or weakness. Some cats can have stomach and intestinal problems such as weight loss and diarrhea. They can also develop cancer of the lymph nodes or bone marrow.

Testing:
I encourage all new cat owners to have a simple blood test performed to rule out feline leukemia. This will make sure that the new cat isn't a carrier of the virus and therefore spreading the disease to other cats in the household. If you cat tests negative, it can be vaccinated against feline leukemia. I only vaccinate 'at risk' cats, this includes any cat that goes outside or lives with other cats that go outside. If your cat comes up Leukemia positive, this doesn't mean the cat has to be euthanized. It just means the cat needs to be strictly indoors and isolated from other non-infected cats (I usually recommend a single cat household- dogs are fine).

Feline Leukemia Test

Treatment:
There is not a treatment to get rid of the virus. If your cat develops symptoms of feline leukemia, supportive care or chemotherapy are the treatment options. The prognosis is usually very poor once the cat starts developing symptoms. Your veterinarian can help decide what treatment is needed.
The vaccine is only helpful in preventing the disease; it has no benefit for positive cats.

Prevention:
The first way to prevent feline leukemia is by keeping cats indoors and away from other cats that may carry the virus. The second way is to vaccinate at risk cats, your veterinarian can advise you on a vaccine schedule.

Dr. Mason's Tidbit
-Feline Leukemia used to be a disease that we saw very frequently, but with aggressive testing and vaccination we have been able to really decrease the incidence. Any new cat or kitten needs to be tested and all at risk cats need to be vaccinated. I hope one day Feline Leukemia will just be something we read about in textbooks….

Links:
http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/felv.html
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=1482

Ebony - The Man Hater

2011-01-07T16:49:00.000-06:00

I hope everyone is having a very Happy New Year!!! I had a wonderful holiday filled with family and friends. I was kindof stumped as to what to write about this week. It's kindof hard to follow such a wonderful subject as poop eating!! I decided to write about what I know and that is my wonderful pets at my home. As I have told you before I would like to pretend that all my animals are just the picture of perfection! This unfortunately is not the case.... They do things that make me want to pull out my hair but then do something so funny/cute I decide they can stay!

I wanted to start with Ebony, since I have had her the longest. Ebby came to me when I worked at a vet clinic in Oklahoma. She was 8 months old and a repeat escapee from her former home. The former owner brought her in for euthanasia because she got fined every time the dog got out. I was coerced into taking this curly haired and frightened dog home. Ebby was supposed to be a pet shared by my brother and me, 'two independent college students'. Weeeellll, Ebby had other ideas, she took one look at my brother and decided she would rather not. I believe that Ebby had a rough start in life and either was treated badly by men or maybe just never saw one? It took her a good 2-3 years to develop any kind of fondness for anyone of the male gender. If given the choice back then Ebby would have stayed at my side 24/7. During that time she escaped from my brother during the night and he 'reports' he was running down the street barefoot chasing the dog! LOL! He had to call my friend who lived down the street to come catch her!! That was terrifying at the time but now I get a pretty good chuckle out of it! Ebby has slowly worked out of her man-aversion, but will still pick a lady to sit with first.

Ebby also had separation anxiety when I first got her. If left out to roam the house she would destroy pretty much anything she could get her mouth on. Flip flops and toilet paper were her favorite. I immediately started crate training and we enrolled in obedience classes. The obedience class was the best idea; I recommend it to anyone that has a dog. I really learned more than Ebby did. This is something I have been able to use as a veterinarian and with my other animals. The classes helped Ebby develop more confidence and helped me teach her reasonable rules and guidelines.

Ebby made it through vet school with me and is now living the life of a queen. I now have more time to spend at home and taking her to the P-A-R-K (you gotta spell it or she goes crazy). She comes to work with me a lot and she has a bed in my office and a kennel up front where her and June can monitor the clinic activity. When she arrives at work she has to make the rounds to see all the staff and make sure they all tell her she's beautiful! She also occasionally sneaks up to the reception area and visits with the clients. With Ebby this is all most likely treat motivated...

Ebony has turned into a great little dog. It took time and a lot of patience but she has paid me back twice over, with her unconditional devotion. I think that most dogs can be 'great' dogs with some patience and work on the part of 'us' the humans. The thing I tell clients all the time is that dogs are dogs, no matter what; they are going to do dog things on occasion. This maybe chewing you cell phone, or peeing on the floor, even digging up your prize rose bush! But you know what, you just gotta roll your eyes and smile, because what else are you going to do...

"Why do I love eating poop?" Signed the Family Dog

2010-12-29T13:54:00.000-06:00

This is a subject request from one of my clients. And let me tell you she isn't alone, I get asked this question quite frequently. I will also admit to my personal dogs occasionlly having a party snack out of the cat litter box. My standard response as to why they do it; is because to them it tastes good! I know this isn't a very scientific response, so I found a wonderful article that spells it all out in black and white. And it's pretty funny!!

THE CANINE BEHAVIOR SERIES
By Kathy Diamond DavisAuthor and Trainer

Eating Dog Feces

"My dog eats his own poop!" exclaims the shocked human family member of an otherwise-perfect canine. Or, embarrassed to come right out with it, the human says, "I need to ask about this thing my dog does. It's really strange and disgusting…" The average person doesn't seem to discuss poop-eating dogs with friends and family, so people don't realize it's a common dog behavior.

Natural Behavior
Mother dogs clean their nursing puppies and eat the feces. With pups in the nest, you can imagine the unhealthy situation that would result from the waste being allowed to accumulate. Cats perform this task for their kittens, too. Other adult dogs in the family sometimes take over motherly duties in times of need, such as a litter too large for the mother or a mother who is ill or dies.
False pregnancies are normal in intact female dogs, and female dogs tend to cycle on the same schedule with other females in the same household. Other females who are in false pregnancy are often well equipped to mother some or all of the pups in another female's litter.
You can see that eating dog feces is not at all an unusual behavior for dogs. When the pups start eating solid food and walking well enough to get out of the nest to poop, mom can stop the cleaning duty. But the habit can certainly persist in her, and the hard-wired instinct probably exists in most dogs, ready to be triggered by various life situations.

Triggers
Sometimes we don't know why a particular dog starts eating poop, but certain conditions can trigger the behavior. Since some of these indicate a dog who needs help, you'll want to consider them as possibilities for what is going on with your dog.
1. A dog with a physical problem that causes excessive hunger, pain, or other sensations may resort to eating feces. If your adult dog who has not previously had this habit suddenly develops it, take the dog to your veterinarian for a check-up.
2. A dog who is not getting enough to eat or is going too long between meals may eat feces. Your veterinarian can help you evaluate the dog's weight and can suggest a feeding schedule and amount. Sometimes it takes experimentation to see what works best for a particular dog.
3. A dog with intestinal parasites or other condition that creates blood or other fecal changes may eat feces. One dog may eat the feces of another dog who is shedding something like this in the stools. A fresh fecal specimen to your veterinarian for evaluation can detect some of these problems.
4. Sometimes a change of diet helps. There doesn't seem to be any one food that is right for all dogs, and your dog may need something different than you're currently feeding. Be sure to make any changes of diet gradual, mixing the new food in with the old over a period of several days or weeks, to give the dog's intestines time to adjust and avoid diarrhea from the change.
5. Some dogs develop a mental connection that they will be punished if their humans find them in the same room with feces. Dogs react to this fearful situation in various ways, and one way is to eat the feces so it will not be there to make the human angry. This is one of many reasons not to use punishment when housetraining a dog.
6. Boredom can cause dogs to do all sorts of things, including eat feces. Interesting toys that have treats inside them for the dog to get out can help with lots of boredom-based problems.

7. Dogs may do just about any wild thing when suffering from separation anxiety. If that is the problem,

this won't be the only symptom, and you'll want to help your dog work through the separation anxiety.

Sanitation
The number-one thing you can do to help overcome feces eating is to keep your dog's area clean of feces. This means housetraining, and supervising the dog whenever the dog is in the designated relief area. It's obviously not healthy for dogs to eat feces, and preventing the dog from carrying out the habit is also basic to getting the habit to fade.
It's not healthy for humans or dogs to have the feces lying around, either. Until a dog is fully housetrained and the feces-eating habit has died out, picking up after each bowel movement is an important tactic. After the dog's habits are steady, you may be able to pick up just once a day if you have a private place for the dog to use.

Food Additives
Some people swear by food additives to stop a dog from eating feces. Sometimes the theory is that the additive provides a nutrient the dog is seeking when eating feces and thus the dog will no longer crave feces. Other times the theory is that the additive makes the feces taste bad and the dog will not want it.
Before you try adding any of these things to your dog's food, consult your veterinarian about whether the particular additive is safe for your particular dog. Don't expect any additive to be a miracle cure. These things tend to work for the occasional dog, but chances are pretty good that your dog won't be the one.

Bait and Switch
While you're hanging out with your dog to supervise, you can hurry the process of fading out the feces-eating habit with a simple and pleasant training technique. The tools you'll need are a collar or head halter for the dog, a leash, and small treats your dog values highly.
If your dog is easily handled, the collar will do. If the dog is extremely determined to eat the poop, extremely fast or strong, have a behavior specialist fit your dog with the correct size head halter, introduce your dog to it gently, and give you one or more lessons on how to use the head halter safely and effectively. It gives you more control over the dog's mouth than a collar, and if your particular dog needs it for this training you'll be glad to have the skill for other training situations, too.
Take your dog out to potty on leash. As soon as the poop hits the ground and the dog shows interest in it, call the dog to you. Use the leash not to jerk the dog, but simply to keep the dog from being able to reach the feces. Keep the treats out of sight.
The instant the dog reaches you, praise the dog, whip out a treat and give it. Then back away from the dog, praise and give another treat for coming to you, and repeat that for a total of three to five times. At this point you have really taken the dog's mind off the feces.
Go on indoors with the dog and come back out without the dog to clean up. Once you have good control and a good rapport with the dog, you can go ahead and clean up while the dog is still outside. As you set this habit more strongly through repetition, you will be able to do the bait-and-switch with the dog on a long line, coming to you at the back door for a treat. Eventually you'll be able to do bait-and-switch without a leash or line on the dog. Keep up the same energy and level of reward, if you want the dog to keep responding!

Talk about It
After the dog has been prevented from eating feces for a considerable length of time, the habit tends to fade. That makes supervising the dog and working on this in the positive, bait-and-switch way very worth your while. Start the intervention as soon as you notice the dog eating feces, because the less time a habit has been going on, the more easily it will fade.
Help your friends and family by talking about this problem. You'll help their dogs in the process, too, because some people try punishment to break the habit. As you know now, that doesn't work, and it's destructive to the dog's trust in people and to the family's relationship with their dog. Let's bring this "dirty little secret" out into the open.
Date Published: 1/25/2004 11:41:00 AM

Kathy Diamond Davis is the author of the book Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others. Should the training articles available here or elsewhere not be effective, contact your veterinarian. Veterinarians not specializing in behavior can eliminate medical causes of behavior problems. If no medical cause is found, your veterinarian can refer you to a colleague who specializes in behavior or a local behaviorist.

Copyright 2004 - 2010 by Kathy Diamond Davis. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

This article is also available to your clients on our veterinary client site, Veterinary Partner at http://www.VeterinaryPartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=1613. If you'd like to send the article to a client just open the article (click the above link) and click 'Email article'.

QR Code

2010-12-09T18:18:00.000-06:00

This "QR Code" is just the coolest thing for all those like me that didn't know it existed. It is a little square bar code that you can scan with your smartphone and it we take you to a particular website... You have to download a free app on your phone to be able to scan it with your camera. They have apps for the iphone network and the droid network. My boyfriend just goes on and on about the 'droid' network... Anyway I am super excited because we now have a QR Code for our clinic web address and for my blog site!! You can even scan them on the computer screen!!

Stay tuned for my next blog it is about Holiday Safety-mainly toxic plants.

QR for my blog

QR for my Clinic

$$$$ Expensive Dog Breeds $$$$

2010-11-18T18:55:00.000-06:00

I added a poll to see what the favorite dog breed is, as a way to lead into the most expensive dog breeds. This is from Trupanion a pet insurance company. The numbers are based on claims submitted by their policyholders since August 12, 2000. These are only numbers for pets that have insurance, what about the millions that don't???!!!!

The number one most expensive dog breed is the: English Bulldog

The total amount spent was ~1 BILLION DOLLARS!!! The average claim amount was $370.
This breed is prone to such things as cherry eye, brachycephalic syndrome(smushed face/nose causing a whole list of problems), hip dysplasia, etc. I might add that, many I see also have a considerable amount of skin issues as well. This breed just crams in alot of dog into a very compact package. When that happens your just asking for health issues.

The number deux is the: Bernese Mountain Dog
Total spent- $554,000 Million, $412 per claim

This breed is prone to cataracts, elbow dysplasia, stomach torsion, and mast cell tumors.
These are beautiful dogs but I don't really see too many of them in Texas. It's probably a little too hot here in the summer.

The #3 is the: Rottweiler

The total claim amount is: $532,000 Million, $567 per claim.

Trupanion lists breed problems as allergies, elbow dysplasia, stomach torsion, and hypothyroidism. I feel that on Rotties my number one complaint is bone problems(knees, elbows and hips). The next thing I think of when I see a Rottie is bone cancer, yet again a bone problem.

The number four is the: Great Dane

The big one is the Dane

Total amount spent is $462,000 million, with an average claim of $385.

These are massive dogs so most of their problems are also bone problems such as elbow and hip dysplasia. They can also have heart conditions and stomach torsions. When you have such a huge dog, it can come with huge problems as well.

The number 5 is the: French Bulldog(Frenchie)

Policyholders have spent $384,000 with the average claim of $355.

This breed has similar problems as the English Bulldog. It has allergies, brachycephalic syndrome, hip problems, and small nose holes(stenotic nares). To me this breed is just the little brother to the English bulldog, they have their share of medical issues but nothing compared to the English.

-This post is just a FYI, I have no preference to any breed of dog. This will probably get me yelled at by many people but I love a Heinz 57-mixed breed just the same as any purebred. They all have their good things and their bad things. These five breeds just tend to have a little more due to their conformation and size.-

Sorry for my Abscence

2010-11-18T15:42:00.000-06:00

I wanted to start out with an apology for my lack of posting. I recently decided to start a complete renovation of my bathroom. This really sounded like a good idea when I started, but now that the room is missing pretty much all parts that make a bathroom a bathroom, such as a flushing toilet and running water, I am beginning to rethink the entire process.... Anyway with that being said it is coming along fairly well, with the help of my parents and their vast knowledge of all things drywall and hopefully my brother will come soon to help me to some fancy tiling.

I decided this week to repost a blog my brother sent me. It is a hilarious story of a couple moving with their two dogs. The simple dog is by far my favorite part!!
http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/11/dogs-dont-understand-basic-concepts.html

Next week look forward to the most expensive dog breeds!!!

Lepto What??

2010-11-02T16:59:00.000-05:00

Lepto or Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that can occur in dogs, livestock, wildlife and humans. It is spread via the urine into water sources where it can live. I feel that pretty much any dog no matter its environment can be at risk. We are moving into these animals habitats and they are in turn coming into our back yards and public parks in search of food and water sources.

Dogs get Lepto by drinking, swimming and or walking through contaminated water. This can be any stagnant surface water (ex. where your house drains), moist soil and ponds or lakes. The bacteria can enter through any mucous membrane (eyes, nose or mouth) or a simple cut in the skin. Lepto is contagious to other dogs and even PEOPLE through an infected dog’s urine. The Center for Disease Control estimated that ~200 people per year become infected with leptospirosis!!!

The signs of a lepto infection can be very, very nonspecific. I have had dogs come in for something as simple as limping to dogs that are vomiting and not eating, that test positive for lepto. Lepto can cause disease/failure of the kidneys and/or liver, depending on the strain. There are four strains of Lepto that we have identified to cause problems in dogs. There is a test for Lepto but it can take several days to get back from the lab. We often do some screening blood work to look at the dogs organ function. We then use that and the history to make a presumptive diagnosis (big word for an educated guess). These dogs are often treated with hospitalization, intravenous fluids AND antibiotics. If this disease is caught early and treatment is started then the dogs usually do very well.

The best way to protect you dog is vaccinate it against Lepto. The vaccine contains those four common strains of the bacteria. The vaccine is very safe and effective if given properly. I always warn my clients that we must 'boost' this vaccine. 'Boost' just means we give the initial vaccine and then in 2-3 weeks we give another vaccine. This vaccine is different than some of our other vaccines that help prevent Rabies and Parvo. Rabies and Parvo are both viruses, Lepto is a bacteria. This only matters because the 'booster' vaccine MUST be giving in that 2-3 week period. If it is not, then we need to start again with the 2 vaccine series to get adequate protection. After the 2 shot series this then becomes part of the dogs once a year vaccines.

Let me briefly tell you how vaccines work: The vaccine has little inactive parts of the actual disease (lepto) in it. It is so small that is doesn't cause your dog to get sick with Lepto but it does cause the dogs body to start an immune response (it sends in the soldiers)! The dog’s body easily takes care of the 'little' Lepto BUT now the body remembers lepto... Just like you remember that kid that stole your dessert as a child! Sooo, the next time your dog gets exposed to Lepto (drinking pond water) its body says; "Heh dude, I remember you and can easily fight off the infection". The immune system is amazing!!!

I have seen numerous cases of Lepto, in everything from a little Chihuahua to a gigantic Rottweiler. They have lived everywhere from out in the country to an apartment. I encourage every owner to vaccinate if there is even the slightest risk of exposure. I doubly encourage those owners with little ones and teenagers with 'irregular hygiene' to prevent with vaccination. Your veterinarian can advise you on current protocols and options.

Here are some links about Lepto:

THE CDC:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/leptospirosis_g_pet.htm

Pfizer Animal Health:
http://www.factsonlepto.com/index.htm

Shedding versus Non-shedding breeds

2010-10-25T14:29:00.000-05:00

I just realized I forgot to post the pics of all my other pets. So here they are... These 3 are the real trouble makers at our house!

"Gracie"

"Cedar"

'June' or 'Bug'

Ok, now down to business... I had a request to write about this and it's a pretty interesting subject. Just to start with, there really are not any non-shedding breeds unless your talking about hairless breeds(Sphinx and Mexican hairless). And truthfully I have seen some of these breeds have a little hair on their heads or legs...

When we usually think of non-shedding breeds we think of Poodles, Shih-tzu's, Malteses, etc. My dog Ebony is a poodle-cocker spaniel mix or a cockapoo. I don't really notice any shedding from her, it's wonderful! These breeds actually have 'hair' or a constantly growing coat. It is very much like our own hair. Pretty much all these breeds require grooming, soooo you trade shedding for grooming.

The shedding breeds have what I call 'fur'. It grows to a pre-determined length and then is shed. These are dogs like labradors, chihuahuas, shepards, etc. The dogs breed, time of year, and/or environment are all normal things that can contribute to shedding. Frequent brushing and bathing can really help with the amount of hair left on you and your furniture. Some of the 'hairier' breeds like; labs, chows, shepards, could really benefit from a visit to the groomer for a 'blow-out and 'under-coat brush' during the high shedding seasons.

Please remember there are also medical reasons an animal might shed excessively. Your veterinarian can help determine if it is something that needs treatment.

I hope everyone found this interesting and informative. I added links to look at these breeds. These are purebred pictures, but there are many wonderful mixes out there as well.

Dogs: http://www.akc.org/breeds/breeds_a.cfm

Cats: http://www.cfa.org/breeds.html

Dental Disease-What the STINK is all about. Part 3

2010-10-12T14:32:00.000-05:00

I want to start this post by thanking those people who have commented on my posts. I didn't realize till today, how to even read those comments!! So I wasn't ignoring anyone, just slow in my learning of this 'blogging' thing. Sooo, onto the topic at hand, dental disease. This section is going to be about how dental disease affects not only the mouth but the pets overall health.

Dental Disease and Health:

All dental disease starts with disease of the periodontium. The periodontium is simply all the 'stuff' holding a tooth in the mouth. It is the bone, connective tissue, and gum surrounding and supporting a tooth. In one of my veterinary text it says, "according to the Guinness World Book of Records, periodontal disease is the most common infectious disease of man". That is amazing to me when you think that the common cold is an infectious disease!! More people have periodontal disease than get the common cold....

Periodontal disease starts by bacteria mixing with our saliva and forming 'plaque'. This is the stuff we brush off twice daily, that makes your teeth feel kinda 'hairy' and causes that wonderful morning breath! Well, if you can imagine what happens when this plaque isn't brushed off, it becomes hard and forms calculus. Once this hard calculus forms that's when the bacteria start to have a real "party". The bacteria starts causing inflammation of the gum(gingivitis) and over time destruction of the actual tooth. This bacteria and tissue destruction is what causes the terrible odor. This bacteria can also take the blood highway/blood stream to all the other body organs. This can cause damage to the heart, kidney, liver, etc. over time. This is the concerning part about poor mouth health is that it can affect the entire body!

I talked about prevention in my first blog of this series. I have so many pets that we have started with teeth cleaning too late. The pet is already in need of extractions on the first cleaning. This means we are already behind, there is already destruction of the teeth and gums. I explain it as a domino effect, you have one rotten tooth and it starts causing destruction of the teeth on each side of it. This pet is most likely going to require more extractions in the future, as well as regular cleanings. Many owners are concerned the pet won't be able to eat if there are alot of teeth pulled. The teeth that need to be pulled are usually rotten or the root/pulp is exposed. These teeth for sure are causing the pet pain. I can't even imagine what a rotten tooth feels like, moving around in there rubbing on sensitive nerves. I am pretty sure the pet is not chewing with those teeth anyways. Most dogs I've seen with rotten teeth just swallow their food whole.

I guess I should stop prattling on about prevention and dental health... It is just one of those things that is totally preventable and provides such an improvement in your pets quality and length of life. I think it is one of the things that makes my oldest baby-Ebony, so lively and healthy. She has gorgeous teeth, that are cleaned regularly and we do dental maintenance at home. Just a reminder she is 11 and has all of her teeth! Pretty good for a little fluffy princess!

There are two really good sites listed on my favorites: Pets need Dental Care, too and CET Dental Health.

Dental Disease-What the STINK is all about -PART 2

2010-10-05T15:31:00.000-05:00

Product:

I usually recommend several things when it comes to products. Brushing is by far the very best thing you can do. I encourage everyone to try, and to start slow. I bet your mom didn't get you to completely brush all your teeth in one day... Even with the best intentions there are going to be those pets that are absolutely not going to allow teeth brushing. I have some suggestions for those pets as well.

When it comes to brushing I recommend only using a pet toothpaste, in a flavor the pet likes(chicken, beef, etc). Human toothpastes contain alot of fluoride and can be toxic to pets. I would start with just letting your pet eat some toothpaste. My dogs love the CET poultry, they actually ate a whole tube once! Luckily, they didn't actually eat the 'tube' just all the toothpaste! I like the CET brand by Virbac because it's 'Enzymatic', which means, and I quote: "Dual-Enzyme System activated by saliva to produce Hypothiocyanite ions which eliminates plaque-forming bacteria." Sooooo, even if you have trouble brushing, the toothpaste in the mouth helps eliminate bacteria.

There are several chews I like. CET makes numerous chews, some are enzymatic and some have an antiseptic called chlorhexidine. They have a great cat chew-treat as well. All my cats really like it and they actually have to chew it, instead of just swallowing. Greenies are great, they act like a 'Squeegee', like you would use on your windshield. The only draw back with Greenies is they are pretty high in calories. When you pick out a chew make sure you pick a size appropriate chew. For example: Don't get a small chew for a Labrador and a grande for the toy poodle. If the chew gets small enough to swallow take it away to prevent choking.

Treats have come a long way in the last few years. Science Diet now has an Oral Care Treat, that helps 'scratch' away the tartar when crunched. It comes in several different sizes which is great. There are several other treats, that are aimed at making the breath fresh, kinda like a breath mint. Any crunchy treat is going to be better than a jerky or soft treat. Those soft treats are just going to 'gum-up' on the teeth.

The last few things can be done daily to help with dental disease. There are special foods that can help prevent dental disease. There are veterinary diets like Science Diet T/D and Purina DH. I have also seen 'similar' over the counter formula's. Breathalyser is a daily water additive. It helps decrease plaque formation and improve stinky breath(halitosis).

I always tell people; find something you and your pet can do on a fairly regular basis and stick to it. Then get them in once a year to have your vet evaluate the teeth and perform a dental if needed. This should help your pet have it's teeth for many years to come.

Stay tuned for Part 3, it is going to be about how dental disease affects you pets overall health.

Here is CET's website, has a pretty entertaining video on how to brush your pets teeth:
http://www.virbacvet.com/cet/

Dental Disease-What the STINK is all about

2010-09-28T16:29:00.000-05:00

***UPDATE:
My baking contest was cancelled due to raining... I haven't heard anything about rescheduling but will let you all know, so you can root for me!!***

I was prompted by my boyfriend to write this post about dental disease and cleaning. He'd never been present when we did a dental cleaning until just this week. This is a very routine procedure for me and I don't often stop to think, that it is actually a very involved procedure. Dogs and cats have to be put under general anesthesia for a dental cleaning. Other than my perfect dog Ebony(mentioned in my first post), I haven't found any dog/cat that will allow much dental work while they are awake.

So as my boyfriend watched: I placed a catheter in the vein and gave the dog some anesthesia to allow for a tracheal tube to be placed. I then hooked up the dog to the gas anesthesia machine and started the anesthesia monitoring equipment.  All the while my veterinary technician was starting the ultrasonic scaling of the teeth. Now I don't want to brag; but my team is a well-oiled machine and this usually goes very quickly and smoothly.

Therefore a "routine" cleaning might only take about 45 minutes from start to finish. On the other hand an animal that has a lot of dental disease that requires extractions(teeth pulling) may take at least 1 hour to complete. My technicians do the cleaning and polishing of the teeth but any extractions or surgical procedures are done by the veterinarian. Pretty similar to the hygienist and dentist for humans...

I always get asked how often animals need their teeth cleaned.  There is no straight forward answer to this, because every patient is different. I have seen dogs go their whole lives and really have very little tartar to
1 year-old dogs having rotten teeth. It is affected by numerous things: breed, genetics, diet, etc. My recommendation is to have your vet evaluate the teeth yearly to see if they need cleaning. To me the goal is to "PREVENT", this includes regular cleanings, at home brushing, dental treats and dental chews. I can't speak for all the vets out there but I personally don't really enjoy pulling teeth, so if I can avoid that by recommended good prevention, then that's what I'm gonna do!!

I think I might end on that but I will make this a series with more blogs about dental care. I might do one about at home care with suggestions(specific brands and things to do) and maybe one more about how dental disease affects the pets overall health. So stay tuned for part 2 and part 3!!
Below is some pretty gross pics of dental disease, just thought I'd share!! I find that alot of people are kinda scared to lift up that lip and take a look!

Stage 1

Stage4

Stage 4

Baking Contest

2010-09-23T15:59:00.000-05:00

I know, I know, my blog is supposed to be about veterinary medicine... But, the very next most dear thing to my heart is 'sweets'. I have a terrible sweet tooth that I inherited from my Grandma Mason. She is also the one who taught me how to bake, so not only do I love to EAT sweets I love to cook them as well!!
I just wanted to share that I have entered myself in my very first baking contest. It is for a Pecan Festival, so of course the dessert must contain pecans. I am making 'Deceivingly Delicious Mini Muffins", which are kinda like a mini pecan pie without the crust. I have been bringing samples to work and making the girls sample them and tell me which ones are the prettiest and tastiest. This has really been a strain for them....
The contest is on Saturday, so I will update you on the outcome. I will try to snap a picture of the finished product to post as well.

They Ate What?

2010-09-19T10:15:00.000-05:00

Dogs and even Cats often eat things we would never suspect. I can count on one hand the number of owners that actually knew that their pet had eaten something. Most tell me, "No, never, Fido would never eat anything" Then low and behold we end up pulling out everything from bouncy balls, to ribbons and rubber bands! I have attached a link from Animal Planet of amazing things animals have swallowed. Then there is a link to a radiograph contest of crazy things animals ate. I am always shocked about what animal will put in their mouths and swallow!! I just think what is going through their minds as they down a bucket of nails or as a cat sucks a ribbon down???
Enjoy!!

ANIMAL PLANET LINK:
http://animal.discovery.com/videos/weird-things-animals-swallow/

X-RAY CONTEST
http://media.animalnetwork.com/channelmedia/vpn/TheyAteWhat.pdf

The O-So Dramatic Reverse Sneeze

2010-08-31T18:51:00.000-05:00

I often have owners bring their dog in for what turns out to be reverse sneezing. I have owners describe it in all different ways, some describe it as choking or gagging, others describe episodes of the dog being unable to breath. I do a pretty good re-enactment of a reverse sneeze... I am sure this is looks quite ridiculous and am soooo glad there are no mirrors in our rooms. I am not including a video of myself and the reverse sneeze but have found some good videos on YouTube.

The most common cause of reverse sneezing is an irritation of the soft palate(top, back part of the mouth) and the throat that results in a spasm. Allergies are often to blame for this irritation. Usually if the allergies are treated then the reverse sneezing seems to get better, your veterinarian can help you with treatment choices. Other causes include: mites, physical trauma, perfumes, foreign bodies, tumors and viruses.

During the sneezing it sometimes helps if you will rub the throat or cover the nose to make the dog swallow. I think it helps stop the spasm and clear out any allergen from the throat. Reverse sneezing doesn't usually worry me, unless it continues to persist. If it continues or worsens, a trip to the veterinarian is definitely warranted to make sure the nose and nasal passages are normal.

Videos:
Good Audio, not such a good video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdPUX8mnFE4&feature=related

Very Classic Reverse Sneeze:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HXcMLokADc&feature=related

My Story

2010-08-24T18:05:00.000-05:00

Ebby

Well, I guess to get the ball rolling, I should tell you about myself. I went to vet school at the beautiful Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma. I have been practicing veterinary medicine in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex since graduation. My boyfriend and I have a menagerie of pets that are constantly into something.

We have 2 dogs: My sweet girl Ebby who is my 11-year old Cockapoo.(Don't tell her she's eleven, she thinks she's a puppy...) Ebby is probably the best dog in the whole world! Never sick and minds better than most people's children. Then there is June a 1-year old Labrador. We got June as a puppy and soon found out she had "special needs". To make a long story short June has a liver problem that requires daily medication and special food. June in turns feels that this makes her special and she therefore can do whatever she wants whenever she wants!

Jade

We also have 3 cats: All the cats are unique and will require a brief description each. Jade is my long haired tabby. She is a cats-cat, which means for all you non-cat people, that she only wants petted when it's her idea and rarely shows her face except to demand food. Next is Cedar, he is my orange tabby. He is my cat-dog, this means he is unsure if he is a cat or a dog. Cedar is constantly into or doing something. He once took down a whole Christmas tree in a matter of seconds. Lastly is Gracie, she is my boyfriends cat. She is, a very petite, short haired tabby. This cat pretty much hates my guts, and being a veterinarian(who pets usually love), it kinda hurts my feelings! But I guess everyone is entitled to their own opinions...

I hope to pass on stories of interesting cases, general pet wellness, updates on my personal animals and maybe even some funny things that happen in my life through this blog. So stay tuned in for my next installment.