February is National Pet Dental Health Month.  Bad breath can be a sign of serious health risk.  The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has produced the following informative video on pet dental health – enjoy!

AMVA, dental, dogs, Health and Care, teeth, veterinarian, video Hide

A distressed call from my mother came just last week. While in the vet’s office for her geriatric Labrador’s checkup, she asked them about the holidays. Sadly, they only had 5 of the 10 days she hoped to travel available for her dog. Holiday travel plans had to be changed because the facilityof choice was full.

The quality boarding facilities fill up fast, so check with them early if you are thinking about travel plans around the holidays. A couple of tips:

• You can cancel the reservation or the days you won’t use as the date approaches.
• Don’t wait too long to cancel part or all of your reservation as fees may apply.
• If you are not familiar with the facility, ask for references.
• Ask if they have staff on site overnight.
• Ask the facility about their emergency plan should a natural or man-made disaster causes evacuation of their neighborhood.

If facilities are already full, consider a pet sitter that can come to your house. When choosing this option, consider the following:

• This is much easier if you have a dog door. Make sure you have a secure yard.
• I recommend 3 visits/day. Early morning for breakfast and opening dog door; early evening for dinner; and late evening for closing of the dog door. Prevents overnight accidents after dinner.
• Check references and insurance/bonding of your pet sitter. A professional is a must for longer trips.
• Make sure your dog has tags with your mobile number or a neighbor’s number in case they get loose.

 Today is the day to call your boarding facility and make holiday reservations for your pet!

boarding facilities, care, Christmas, dogs, Holidays, Pet Sitters, travel Hide

Summer is here – we all want to get out there and play!  When packing up the family for a summer road trip or even just to buzz around town remember that summer temperatures can result in dangerous conditions within vehicles.   For example, your vehicle temperature could be well over 100F even with an outdoor temperature as low as 82F.

There is a super cool website called mydogiscool.com that has great tips on keeping your dog happy, healthy and cool during the summer months.  It has a weather reporter that tells you based on your zip code whether it is safe to keep your dog in the car.   The website also has temperature comparisons for a car with closed windows, 2 windows cracked and 4 windows cracked.   While cracking a window or two helps to keep the temperature down somewhat, you might be surprised at how hot the car will remain.

Be an advocate for dogs… remember that we are all human and that we may not realize how dangerous it can be to leave a dog in a hot car.  So, if you see a fellow pet owner leaving their car with fido still inside on a hot day, you will want to gently remind them of the danger.

No tags Hide

Time to Spring Ahead!  Daylight savings time is a great bi-annual reminder for a variety of safety checks including smoke detectors and your canine first aid kit.  You never now when you’ll need to use your canine first aid kit and having the right supplies could save your dog’s life.  Now is a great time to take an inventory, check all expiration dates, and restock as needed.  Your kit should include items such as:

Current emergency phone numbers

1. Veterinary clinic
2. Nearest emergency hospital
3. Poison control

Supplies

1. E-collar
2. Scissors
3. Tweezers
4. Styptic powder to stop bleeding
5. Various size gauze (both square and rolled)
6. First aid tape (be sure to check that the adhesive has not dried out)
7. Dog booties that will keep a foot wound dry (check out PAWZ disposable booties)
8. Q-tips and cotton balls
9. Flashlight
10. Disposable gloves
11. Nasal aspirator that can be used to flush a wound
12. Towel or blanket that can be used to transport your pet
13. First aid reference manual

Medications

1. Saline wash
2. Disinfectant
3. Benadryl (ask your veterinarian for the appropriate dosage and write it on the box)
4. Antibiotic ointment
5. Ear cleaning solution

dogs, Health and Care Hide

As I was reading the February 2011 Morris Animal Foundation newsletter, I came across an article summarizing a study from Michigan State University which ranked the most costly canine chronic diseases as follows (estimated annual cost of treatment):

1. Cancer ($2,447)
2. Obesity with ruptured ACL ($2,367)
3. Heart disease ($1,912)
4. Chronic kidney disease ($1,823)
5. Hypertension ($1,700)
6. Osteoarthritis ($1,656)
7. Pancreatitis ($1,422)
8. Diabetes ($1,108)

I think most of us are aware that a growing number of our dogs suffer from obesity (some studies estimate that approx. 25% of the U.S. canine population is obese).   Sadly when you review the above list several of the most costly chronic diseases can be attributed in some part to obesity.  The good news is that obesity is manageable with proper diet and exercise.   As a responsible dog owner, you are probably very aware of the need to keep your dog at a healthy weight.   If you need a few tips for yourself or to share with a friend, check out our Weight Management article by Christine Daigler, DVM and consult with your veterinarian.

Notes: Morris Animal Foundation improves the health and well-being of companion animals and wildlife by funding humane health studies and disseminating information about these studies.   Interesting fact – Betty White has been a Morris Animal Foundation trustee since 1971.

dogs, Health and Care Hide