On the Road With your Pets

With summer around the corner and vacations in the makings, many of us will be including our pets in our travels. Having just returned from a week on the road with our 2 dogs, I ran across a great resource to help make ours....and Fido's....vacation more enjoyable, and most importantly, safe.

When visiting our local AAA for maps and info regarding our trip, I spotted a book entitled Traveling With Your Pet, and of course I had to have it! It is chock full of state-by-state information including Pet Friendly Lodging, Campgrounds, Parks, as well as Emergency Animal Clinics! The AAA club has really done their research, and offers some great suggestions from packing Fido's suitcase to what to do if you lose a pet while traveling.

We all look forward to our well-deserved vacation time, and including our pets in our plans is becoming easier and less-stressful with great resources like this one!

"Bone" Voyage

Thunderstorm Anxiety, Yikes!

Yes, this picture is Buddy and Shiloh assuming the Thunderstorm Position in our house. Now just imagine this scene enhanced at 1:00 a.m. with 2 adults in the bed who were sleeping soundly. Ahhhhhh, it’s Spring and the flowers are blooming and the weather is warm and it just feels good to be outside again. There is one downside… Thunderstorms. Any of us who have dogs who suffer from thunderstorm anxiety know how much we dread that first rumble.
Thunderstorm anxiety can be mild; trembling, hiding under the bed or in the tub or shower. Thunderstorm anxiety can also be a lot more dramatic though; soiling in the house, destroying the furniture, crashing through walls and digging in an effort to flee their fear. Particularly in this situation you must take control for your dog’s safety and for the sake of your home.

Next time a storm is brewing, try engaging your dog in one of his or her favorite activities. This can help your dog associate having fun with the approach of a storm and keep him or her distracted rather than focusing on fear. If fear does override fun at some point, see if your dog can find a safe place in the house where he or she is comfortable and reward her for going there. Many dogs like to go to the tub, or the shower or into a crate that is draped with a blanket to block out lightning. It is a good idea to put a portable fan near the safe place for “white noise” to drown out thunder and crank up some soothing music on the stereo. If your dog does not choose a safe place, try creating one for him or her.
Remain neutral when dealing with your dog. It is tempting to drop to your knees and just hug and kiss your dog and go on and on about how it will all be ok. This often serves to reinforce the fear reaction and tells the dog that this really is a scary experience so we better always hunker down when this happens. Hopefully it needs not be said, but never punish your dog for any fear behavior.

So what do you do if you try all of this and still have a dog that dissolves into puddles when a storm approaches? There are some natural therapies available to start with.

Melatonin, which is sold over the counter and used by humans for insomnia, has had particular
success in calming canines without putting them to sleep. Most articles noted a dosage of 3mg for an average size dog and a dose is effective for a few hours so may be administered well before a storm.

Flower Essences, most notably Rescue Remedy or Calming Essence can actually foster emotional healing without causing side effects.

Music Therapy, particularly the tones in harp music, seems to speak to and calm some dogs. Can’t hurt the dog parent too much either…

Tellington Touch Body Wrap: The Tellington Touch is a gentle approach using massage therapy to influence your dog’s behavior that started with horses. Massaging their ears can be very calming during a storm. Another method that has enjoyed substantial success is the body wrap. Linda Tellington-Jones demonstrates it in her book: Getting in TTouch with your Dog, and it involves wrapping cloth around your dog in a particular fashion to give him or her a sense of security and calm. This has had such success that there are now many sites online that sell Anxiety Wraps or Thunder Shirts for dogs that are easy to slip on to your dog and give them a remarkable sense of security.

If all of this fails, don’t give up yet! Give your vet a call and have a good talk. There are some pharmaceutical remedies available that might just do the trick or that are longer lasting for those of you who work all day and need something you can administer in the morning when storms are predicted. Hang in there, we all have our quirks. You stand by your dog on this one and you are a good human. I bet you still can’t count how many times your dog has had your back!

Muggs

I'm back on the road the next 3 weeks pet sitting for these 2 hapless mugs, Sophie and Sebastian. I mean, how can you not look at these faces and just crack up?? A lot of people wonder exactly what happens when they leave their babies. The goal is to have their life continue as if nothing has happened with all of their routines in place. Dog's and cats are very particular about their routines and get pretty stressed when their people leave and their whole routine is changed. Having a pet sitter come in immediately solves the routine problem. Sophie and Sebastian's parents did a great job briefing me ahead of time on what a typical day is like around here and covered lots of contingencies too. Naturally, Sophie and Sebastian spent the first day trying to give me a whole new briefing... No deal Lucille. Like kids with a sitter they will try to tell you they always stay up until midnight and eat steak off the good china. They are also working with a trainer and I am going to keep that schedule up while their parents are gone so who knows, maybe we'll get some good training tips?? I'll let you know. I knew we had bonded when we all fell asleep watching tv the first night. Gently Boxer snoring lulls you to sleep like nothing else! We'll keep you posted on how it's going so check back with us.

Beware the... Mulch?????

Oh for the love of Peat (pardon the pun, couldn't help myself). Buddy here again. Back to tell you about something else we can't eat. Will this list never end??
You might recall from yesterday's post that pets should not eat a list of things that are just fine and dandy for humans to eat. On that list was a big one: Chocolate. Well, turns out some brainiac (yes, I checked with Mr. Colbert on that word too) decided to put a cocoa derivative in MULCH to make it smell real good and repel cats. Helllloooooo. Where do dogs dig, and roll, and pee, and dig some more, and "gee that smells good I think I'll eat some of this stuff," snack? Now it appears to be my responsibility to spread the word not to spread this kind of mulch as it can kill your beloved pets. Now THAT'S serious! Please read the following article for the details that were a little over my head but that you will need so you know what kind is dangerous. Even if you know about this, please pass this along to all friends with pets. Maybe we will tell some folks who already know, but maybe we will end up saving even one fellow four legger. Now THAT'S a good day!



Over the weekend, the doting owner of two young lab mixes purchased Cocoa Mulch from Target to use in their garden. The dogs loved the way it smelled and it was advertised to keep cats away from their garden. Their dog (Calypso) decided the mulch smelled good enough to eat and devoured a large helping. She vomited a few times which was typical when she eats something new but wasn't acting lethargic in any way. The next day, Mom woke up and took Calypso out for her morning walk . Half way through the walk, she had a seizure and died instantly.

Although the mulch had NO warnings printed on the label, upon further investigation on the company's web site,

this product is HIGHLY toxic to dogs and cats.

Cocoa Mulch is manufactured by Hershey's, and they claim that "It is true that studies have shown that 50% of the dogs that eat Cocoa Mulch can suffer physical harm to a variety of degrees (depending on each individual dog). However, 98% of all dogs won't eat it."
*Snopes site gives the following information:http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/cocoamulch.asp *

Cocoa Mulch, which is sold by Home Depot, Foreman's Garden Supply and other Garden supply stores contains a lethal ingredient called 'Theobromine'. It is lethal to dogs and cats. It smells li ke chocolate and it really attracts dogs. They will ingest this stuff and die. Several deaths already occurred in the last 2-3 weeks.

Theobromine is in all chocolate, especially dark or baker's chocolate which is toxic to dogs. Cocoa bean shells contain potentially toxic quantities of theobromine, a xanthine compound similar in effects to caffeine and theophylline. A dog that ingested a lethal quantity of garden mulch made from cacao bean shells developed severe convulsions and died 17 hours later. Analysis of the stomach contents and the ingested cacao bean shells revealed the presence of lethal amounts of theobromine.

**PLEASE PASS THIS ON**

Beware the Raisin!

Hi, Buddy here again to talk about one of my most favoritist subjects (I checked with Mr. Colbert, yes that is a word): FOOD! As you know from past posts, I love food. I'll eat pretty much everything and I have a lot of friends who are just like me. Dogs evaluate life with their nose. We are pretty much just one big heart and nose wrapped up in a lot of fur. Pretty simple, there ya go. If I see my parents eating it, well it is absolutely certified as food. So I was a little curious the other day when my Mom dropped a raisin on the floor and practically did back flips fighting to get to it before I did. Dog rule number 4: once it hits the floor... it's mine! So what is this about? Turns out she had read this article that follows and was just trying to protect me. Who knew or even guessed that such a tiny thing that does no harm to a human when eaten can take down a big guy like me? I really wanted that raisin, but I sure do love my Mom for knowing about these things. Pass this important information along to anyone who has a dog please!!!! It is not that widely known and can save some of our lives. Hold out for the sweet potato treats, they're bigger anyway. Bone apetit!







Written by:
Laurinda Morris, DVM
Danville Veterinary Clinic
Danville , OH




This week I had the first case in history of raisin
toxicity ever seen at MedVet. My patient was
a 56-pound, 5 yr old male neutered lab mix
that ate half a canister of raisins sometime
between 7:30 AM and 4:30 PM on Tuesday. He
started with vomiting, diarrhea and shaking
about 1 AM on Wednesday but the owner didn't
call my emergency service until 7 AM..

I had heard somewhere about raisins AND
grapes causing acute Renal failure but hadn't
seen any formal paper on the subject. We
had her bring the dog in immediately. In the
meantime, I called the ER service at MedVet,
and the doctor there was like me - had heard
something about it, but.... Anyway, we
contacted the ASPCA National Animal Poison
Control Center and they said to give IV fluids
at 1 & 1/2 times maintenance and watch the
kidney values for the next 48-72 hours.
The dog's BUN (blood urea nitrogen level) was
already at 32 (normal less than 27) and
creatinine over 5 (1.9 is the high end of normal).
Both are monitors of kidney function in the
bloodstream. We placed an IV catheter and
started the fluids. Rechecked the renal values
at 5 PM and the BUN was over 40 and creatinine
over 7 with no urine production after a liter of
fluids. At that point I felt the dog was in acute
renal failure and sent him on to MedVet for a
urinary catheter to monitor urine output overnight
as well as overnight care.
He started vomiting again overnight at MedVet
and his renal values continued to increase
daily. He produced urine when given lasix as a
diuretic. He was on 3 different anti-vomiting
medications and they still couldn't control his
vomiting. Today his urine output decreased
again, his BUN was over 120, his creatinine was
at 10, his phosphorus was very elevated and his
blood pressure, which had been staying around
150, skyrocketed to 220 .... He continued to vomit
and the owners elected to Euthanize.

This is a very sad case - great dog, great owners
who had no idea raisins could be a toxin. Please
alert everyone you know who has a dog of this
very serious risk.
Poison control said as few as 7 raisins or grapes could
be toxic. Many people I know give their dogs grapes
or raisins as treats including our ex-handler's. Any
exposure should give rise to immediate concern...
Onions, chocolate, cocoa, avocadoes and macadamia nuts can
be fatal, too.

Even if you don't have a dog, you might have friends
who do. This is worth passing on to them.

Words To Save Your Dog's Life

I came across this great article in the April Issue of Body and Soul magazine. A very well written piece by Dixie Laite that keeps it simple and gets right to the point. Take a few moments and do you and your BFF (best furry friend) a favor and read this. It makes such sense but never occurs to you in the heat of the moment. Now that it is Spring and we're all getting out more with our pets, let's make sure it is all good fun!


Body+Soul
By Dixie Laite

My dogs are such good listeners, letting me prattle on about my weight, the deficit, Hugh Laurie. But as important as those topics are, the words I really want them to pay attention to are two life-saving commands.

"DOWN!" Returning from a romp in New York City's Central Park, my friend Alice stopped to reattach her dog Jet's leash when the tennis ball he'd been chasing rolled into a busy street. Jet thought, Don't worry, I've got this one, as he bolted into traffic to rescue it.

Alice bellowed, "Down!" and Jet immediately dropped into position while cars pummeled his ball into oblivion.

"I believe the most important thing we can teach our dog is 'Down,' says Kevin Behan, author of Natural Dog Training. It's one of the first commands he teaches. "Most people yell a dog's name in a crisis, which is often a mistake," Behan says. That just makes him excited but gives no direction. "There's no instinct in a dog to come when called if something thrilling beckons on the horizon," Behan explains. But the "Down" command aligns with a dog's "natural response to lie down as a means of coping with danger," he says.

"LEAVE IT!" This is the other command you need in your lexicon, according to certified trainer Sherry Woodard from Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kenab, Utah. It's critical, she says, in case Sparky "picks up something dangerous, starts to drink from a toxic puddle, or even gets in a squabble." Woodard promises teaching the command isn't hard:

* Prepare a pouch with treats.
* Place a boring, unfamiliar item (like an unopened can of human food) on the floor.
* As your dog starts to sniff it, say "Leave it" happily while popping a treat into his mouth.
* Change the item to something else he won't want, and repeat. Each time have the dog move farther to reach the treat.
* After using five different items at ever-growing distances, you can start putting down more exciting things. (Don't use ordinary stuff your dog would likely find on a walk, like a tissue. The goal is that eventually your dog will turn to you every single time he hears "Leave it!") You can change the reward to a toy, but always praise lavishly.

Keep the lessons short, and stop if your dog seems overwhelmed. Training will help your dog gain confidence, Woodard says, as well as stay safe and live longer.

Hear that, Lulu and Dr.Waffles? Think of all the fascinating conversations -- and House marathons -- we have ahead of us.

From Body+Soul, April 2010


Words To Save Your Dog's Life

Buddy Comes Un-Stitched

Free At Last!!!!!!
Got my stitches out and am free to hit the water again. We Golden Retrievers love to swim and it has been very confusing as the warm Spring weather sets in down here in South Carolina and my Mom wouldn't let me go swimming. Man, I'm all about a little dip in the river every day during our walk. Swim a bit, chase a few tennis balls, chase a few more tennis balls... you just can't much beat it. Thanks again to all of you who have been following my surgery and recovery. I think this is the end of that saga. I am feeling great and because I am Buddy, each day is a new day and a great day and a day to go out and have FUN! Let's all try that tomorrow ok?

Dog Camp! WoooHoooooo

Saw this info in USA Today and thought I might pass it along to any of you who live in a place where it is not so easy to get out and just "play" with your bff (best furry friend) and enjoy nature. I mean, could you pick a better travel companion?? Just don't plan to share the toothbrush with your roomie on this one...

Camp for Dog Owners and Pets!


Have yourselves a Hoo-Ha this summer!!

Have a Happy Easter...but do watch out for those Easter-related pet hazards!

Easter is a welcome holiday for many....especially since it falls so close to the onset of Spring! But much like the Christmas season, there are several Easter-related items which have potential hidden dangers to our furry friends. Please refer to a great article entitled Easter Hazards in Dogs on one of my favorite websites http://www.petplace.com/. Pet Place is a fantastic resource site for all pet owners....I "play" there often!

Happy Bunny Day!