Pet Myth: Spaying or neutering leads to weight gain

Just like with humans, there are way too may obese dogs our there. I hear every excuse from our clients at the hospital. The one that I hear most frequently thought is that the weight gain happened after they had their dog or cat spayed or neutered. It probably has nothing to do with the fact that they are free feeding the animal (rather than limiting their food intake), they don't spend the time playing/walking/exercising their dog or cat or that they are feeding them human food. No, probably has nothing to do with those things. Have another twinky Goldy!

The reality is that they dogs or cats are pretty young (typically) when they are spayed or neutered. Generaly they are very active for the first few years of their lives. The very act of spaying or neutering does not make an animal lazy or somehow sap them of their energy. Granted, there are hormonal changes that do occur after a spay or neuter, but these, by themselves, do not lead to weight gain. As I mentioned earlier, if you regularly exercise your dog or cat and do not over feed them, they will be fine.  The upside of spaying or neutering includes greatly reduced (if eliminated) chance of testicular cancer, better behaved animals (I'll elaborate) and of course, the biggest benefit is no young animals being born that need homes. Good homes.

If the procedure is done young enough, the behavior angle that I mentioned refers to less of a chance of roaming and a mellower (typically) animal.

Dental procedures for Dogs and cats

Months ago I wrote about non anesthetic dental procedures and how you could save money (by not having to pay extra to have your dog or cat put under) and how POTENTIALLY this is much safer for your dog or cat. Let me clarify: although most meds used these days are very safe for animals, there is always a risk when ever you are put under anesthesia. Humans too. It's why we have to sign a waiver when we have a procedure. There is always a risk. That being said and all things being equal, I still think this is the way to go simply because it is a lot easier on an animal. They don't have to wake up groggy, have no idea what is going on and be terrified until the drug(s) wear off. 

One other point I'd like to emphasize is that there are very, very few people who are qualified to do a non anesthetic dental. Pet Dental Services  and their staff.  Again, the point that I brought up last time is "do your homework"... check references, check qualifications, ask questions. 

Once again, I'll post the video for those who have not seen it. 

Keep Wagging!

Pet Myths: fearful dogs have been abused

I hear this one all the time too. That all dogs that are skittish have been abused at one point in their life. Typically what makes dogs fearful is....drum roll please...a lack of socialization. This by far is the most important factor in a dogs behavior. There are so many dogs that are given up simple because of their behavior and instead of working with the dog, they are given up and passed to yet another home and guess what? They have behavioral problems. Think of this in human terms. A kid gets bounced from one home to another, they're going to be messed up unless they get help. Same with a dog. They have to be trained and socialized from day one...or you're simply creating a monster for yourself, or if you give the dog up, for someone else. It breaks my heart when I hear about the countless dogs that get put to sleep simply because of a behavioral problem. 

Do the right thing. Socialize and train and you will both be happy.

Oh yea. Back to the point. Most fearful dogs have not been abused. 

Pet Myths: A dogs mouth is cleaner than a humans

I'm not sure where/how this one got started but I hear this a couple of times a month. I hear these voices, asserting with absolute certainty that it is a proven fact that a dogs mouth is cleaner than a humans, every time I catch one of my bulldogs eating some steaming fetid mass on our property before I run after them and rinse their mouth out. 

I'd like to find one human, just one, that could watch a dog eat a 1/4lb scat burger left by the local fox or bobcat and tell me that, yes, I'd let my dog kiss me goodnight. As someone once said, "A dogs tongue is an all purpose tool: washcloth, scrubber, toilet paper" Basically a dog isn't terribly choosy about where they stick their tongue and what they will eat. As an example, I give you Big Tuna, our youngest English Bulldog with a voracious appetite. She won't turn down any meal, no matter how long it has been dead and baking in the sun. I recall on one occasion (yes, this scared me for life) I caught her staring at me, a somewhat guilty look on her face. Then I noticed something sticking out of her mouth. I proceeded to grab the object and engaged her in a brief tug of war (she's wasn't going to give it up easily which is always a warning sign) before removing something that was approximately two to three inches long. Upon closer inspection, I realized that it was the atrophied remains of a squirrels arm, complete with dried skin, radius, ulna, etc. Obviously the hawks didn't finish their meal or dropped the offensive limb from a pine tree ( I don't believe it was an unusually aggressive rare meat eating orchid either). Yes, there are even more disgusting stories that I can regale you with but I'll save those. 

So back to the ever elusive point I was originally trying to make: a dogs mouth is not cleaner than a humans mouth. 

Advice for President Barack Obama

Thinking of getting a pet? Of course, everyone will recommend that you buy their favorite breed thinking that you will fall in love with, say, a Bully, just like they have. But they don't tell you about all the problems that a pure breed like an english bulldog comes with. Their rich genetic legacy guarantees that a black hole will form and inhale your money, forgoing such luxuries such as eating or getting gas for the car.

My advice, always, is this: there are so many wonderful dogs that need homes. Visit the humane society and you'll see a large number of wonderfully healthy dogs with dynamic personalities begging to be given a forever home. Generally these are mutts but that is an advantage: you won't be shelling out hard earned money to take care of the myriad problems the pure breed dogs typically come with. Sure, everyone knows someone who has a purebreed dog that is in perfect health. But for everyone of these people, there are twenty who have a pure bred dog that has nasty skin allergies, bad hips or knees, etc Think of it this way: the mutts are a blend of the sturidest genes out there...they're built for survival and are typically very healthy animals. Pure breeds, on the other hand, would have a difficult time surviving on their own. English Bulldogs would barely make a second generation since almost all of them have to be delivered ceasarian due to the size of their heads. Their inability to adapt to a hot climate (and this would apply to all of the smush faced breeds (pugs, french bulldogs, english bulldogs, etc)) guarantees there line would die out fairly quickly. Bad genes don't survive a long time for a good reason. The only reason pure breed dogs exist is because we continue to breed them and continue to breed bad traits.

The biggest benefit of adopting a mutt? The mutts are forever grateful that you've saved there lives! Good Karma goes a long way my friends.

Keep wagging!

Pet Myths: a dog wagging his tail will not bite

Ugggh...I hear this one several times a week. And I wish I could have five bucks for each time I've been cornered in a room by a dog wagging his tail and snarling. Okay, maybe I exaggerate a little...but not much. For many dogs, this can be a nervous gesture...yes, the dog may be wagging its' tail but the hair is also standing up on their back and they're showing you some lip (industry jargon for the dog is starting to snarl).

So keep in mind that their are a number of indications that a dog is actually afraid or aggressive and you should use caution, in spite of what the dog tail is telling you. Here are a couple of hints on how to tell a friendly dog from one that may want to take a piece of you home.
- ears are "flat back"
- growling
- showing "lip" i.e. dog is baring or showing their pearly whites
- hair on the dogs back is raised
- snarling - never a good sign, even if the dog is tap dancing

Best rule of thumb is don't move toward a dog that you're not sure if it is friendly. It may feel trapped or misinterpret your move as being one of aggression. Play it safe, walk away slowly!

Be safe, Keep Wagging!

Hip Dysplasia Facts

Canine Hip Dysplasia

The hip is a ball-and-socket joint in which the rounded portion of the femoral head inserts into a socket (called the acetabulum) in the pelvic bone. When this joint functions normally, it allows a wide range of motion, as well as provides maximum body support.

Hip dysplasia is a complex disease. It was first described in the 1930s and was thought to be a rare, uncommon disease. The disease process begins early in life, and as it progresses, causes a deformation of the hip joint as well as the development of degenerative joint disease (commonly called arthritis). Abnormal hip joint laxity (looseness between the femoral head and the acetabulum) is the initiating factor that results in hip dysplasia.

Hip dysplasia can be seen in almost all breeds of dogs although it occurs most commonly in the large and giant-breeds. It is the most common inherited joint disease of large dogs and the most important cause of arthritis in the hip.

Breeds of dogs with a high incidence of hip dysplasia include Akitas, German Shepherds, Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, Rottweilers, Newfoundlands, and Chow Chows.

Hip dysplasia is not caused by one single gene. It is a polygenitic, complex disease, caused by several genes. The expression of the disease, or how it affects individual animals, depends upon several factors. Altering the environment in which the puppy is raised can contribute to the severity of symptoms. Experiments have shown that low protein diets and reduced activity during the puppy stage may reduce the symptoms of hip dysplasia. In these dogs, even though symptoms may not be as severe, they still have dysplastic hips and carry the genes that contribute to the disease. Another factor that influences the symptoms of hip dysplasia is pain tolerance level. Like humans, individual dogs have different pain tolerance levels. Some dogs with mild hip dysplasia have painful hips and are severely crippled. Other dogs with similar radiographic features do not have painful hips and do not exhibit the same degree of lameness. In both situations, the dogs have dysplastic hips and should not be considered for breeding.

The only current method for reducing the occurrence of the disease is by selective breeding. Only dogs that have sound hips, with no radiographic signs of hip dysplasia, should be used for breeding. Dogs with radiographic signs of hip dysplasia should not be used for breeding and should be neutered at the appropriate age.

Radiography (X-rays) is the only method for accurately diagnosing canine hip dysplasia.

Symptoms of Hip Dysplasia

Clinical symptoms of hip dysplasia commonly begin between five to eight months of age. In some dogs, symptoms appear earlier. In other dogs, symptoms appear later in life. A small percentage of dogs with radiographic signs of hip dysplasia show no symptoms at all. Dogs that are radiographically positive for hip dysplasia that show no clinical symptoms of the disease should not be bred as they contribute their genes to their offspring.

There is a wide range of symptoms for dogs with hip dysplasia. Some animals have a slight limp, while others are severely crippled. A hind end lameness is the most common feature seen in dogs suffering from hip dysplasia.

Symptoms seen in dogs with hip dysplasia include:

• Wobbly gait—the back end appears wobbly
• Bunny-hopping gait (in the rear legs) when running
• Difficulty manipulating stairs—particularly climbing stairs.
• Difficulty rising from sleep or a sitting position—when rising, the weight is often placed on the front legs to relieve the pressure on the hips.
• Dogs often shift their weight from the back end to the front. These dogs often have well-developed muscles in the front and lack muscular development in the rear.
• Dogs with hip dysplasia often have degenerative joint disease (arthritis). Like humans, the disease is worse in the mornings and improves after mild exercise.
• All dogs with hip dysplasia do not experience severe pain. Some dogs experience little pain and you would never know that they had the disease.

Diagnosis

Since hip dysplasia can often be confused with other rear leg injuries, a complete veterinary exam (along with X-rays) is required for a diagnosis. X-rays are essential for confirming the diagnosis as well as evaluating the nature and severity of the disease.

X-rays and Hip Dysplasia

There appears to be a general misunderstanding regarding x-rays and hip dysplasia. A dog showing symptoms of hip dysplasia can be x-rayed at any age. If there is radiographic evidence of hip dysplasia, the diagnosis is for the entire life of the dog. It doesn’t matter if the dog is three months or eight years old: once x-rays are taken and there are radiographic signs of hip dysplasia, the animal is labeled for the rest of his or her life. Even if the dog exhibits absolutely no symptoms of hip dysplasia (limping, etc.), if there is radiographic evidence, the animal has the disease. If used for breeding, these dogs can pass their dysplastic genes to their puppies as easily as a dog exhibiting severe symptoms of the disease. This is the rationale behind radiographing all medium and large-breed dogs before establishing a breeding program.

All puppies appear to be born with normal hips. In dogs affected with hip dysplasia, radiographic changes become evident within several months to several years. A good x-ray at a young age does not rule out the possibility of hip dysplasia occurring later in life. At 24 months, more than 95 percent of dogs with hip dysplasia show radiographic changes associated with the disease. The O.F.A. does not classify a dog’s hips until he or she is at least two years old.

The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA)

For more detailed information, visit their excellent and informative website.The OFA is a private non-profit foundation. Presently, they maintain the largest data base on canine hip conformation in the world.The purpose of the OFA is twofold:

1. To provide a standardized evaluation for hip dysplasia.
2. Serve as a database for the control of hip dysplasia.

How the OFA Functions

Veterinarians who have specialty degrees in veterinary radiology evaluate all x-rays that are sent to the OFA. There are about 20-25 board certified veterinary radiologists who make up the OFA. These radiologists are located throughout the United States in both private practice and at universities. From the pool of 20-25 veterinary radiologists, three are randomly selected for each case. Each radiologist independently evaluates an animal’s hip x-ray. This evaluation takes into consideration variations due to sex, age, and breed. After interpreting the x-ray, each radiologist independently assigns a rating to the hip.

Hip ratings fall into 7 classifications. These categories include:

1. Excellent
2. Good
   
3. Fair
4. Borderline
5. Mild Hip Dysplasia
6. Moderate Hip Dysplasia
   
7. Severe Hip Dysplasia
   
   

Hip grades of excellent, good, and fair are considered within the normal limits for the breed and are given OFA certificates with OFA numbers. Radiographs classified as borderline, mild, moderate, and severe hip dysplasia do not receive OFA numbers. Dogs must be at least two years old in order to receive an OFA number.

This dog was x-rayed again at two years and had normal hips.

The OFA accepts radiographs of puppies as young as four months of age for preliminary hip evaluation. These dogs do not receive an OFA number and must be radiographed again at two years of age (or later). This is often done for dog breeders who are interested in detecting puppies with hip dysplasia. If a puppy is diagnosed with hip dysplasia at a young age, the economic loss associated with training, handling, and showing is greatly reduced.

PennHip

The PennHip is a new evaluation technique for measuring hip joint laxity (looseness of the ball in the socket). Introduced in 1983 by a veterinary orthopedic surgeon at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, this test assigns an index rating to each dog’s hips. The rating is called "Distraction Index" (DI) and is based on the degree of looseness of the hip joint when the dog’s hips are completely relaxed. Dogs with a low DI rating are less likely to develop hip dysplasia. Conversely, dogs with a high DI rating are more likely to develop hip dysplasia. This test appears to be very accurate and can be used on puppies as young as 16 weeks of age.The PennHip method (for detecting canine hip dysplasia) has a promising future.

Treatment

Both medical and surgical treatments are available for dogs with hip dysplasia. Medical treatment focuses on exercise restriction, controlling body weight, and management of pain. Most cases of moderate hip dysplasia are managed this way. Swimming is an excellent form of exercise for dogs suffering from mild hip dysplasia.

Pain killers and anti-inflammatory medications are commonly used to control symptoms associated with hip dysplasia. Medications frequently used include:

• Aspirin
• Naproxen
• Adequan
• Cosequin
• Phenylbutazone

One of the leading pain relief treatments for dogs with hip dysplasia is Rimadyl. Developed by Pfizer, Rimadyl has been proven clinically effective for pain relief associated with arthritis, hip dysplasia and other ailments. More than 10 million pets have been prescribed Rimadyl. That doesn't mean it's the perfect drug and that dogs haven't had problems with it. There are always risks in taking medications. This includes humans and our four legged friends. I can tell you that I have benn a veterinary technician ofr 20 years and I haven't witnessed a dog dying from taking any of the above medications above. There isthe occasional GI upset and the occasional elevated liver enzyme (which lowers down to normal once medication is stopped).

Many of these drugs can cause harmful side effects. Before beginning a treatment regime, a thorough consultation with your veterinarian is required and lab work. Frequent visits to the veterinarian may be necessary in order to adjust dosages and change medications.

Surgery is generally performed on young dogs or dogs with severe cases of hip dysplasia. The decision for surgery should not be taken lightly, and should be discussed in detail with your veterinarian. Surgery is expensive and often requires extensive post-surgical home care.

Presently, three surgical techniques are used for dogs with hip dysplasia. Each one is briefly described below.

1. Triple pelvic osteotomy—This surgery is almost exclusively reserved for young animals (usually aged five months to one year). Radiographs of the dog’s hips cannot show any signs of degenerative joint disease (arthritis). The surgery involves rotating the acetabulum (socket portion of the hip) to a more normal position in relation to the femoral head. This changes the orientation of the hip socket. 
   Results of the Surgery 
   
   Ball is seated more deeply in socket.
   Eliminates joint laxity and corrects the abnormal conformation of the ball and socket.
   
2. Femoral head excision—This procedure eliminates the pain of hip dysplasia associated with arthritis. It is considered a salvage procedure, recommended when pain and irreversible arthritis are present. The surgery involves the removal of the femoral head (ball portion of the joint). After a period of time, scar tissue fills the area between the femur and the acetabulum. This scar tissue functions like a joint and about 70% of hip-joint functionality is restored. Femoral head excision surgery is relatively inexpensive, requires minimal post-surgical home care, and can be done at any age. The surgery works well in small and medium-size dogs (dogs weighing less than 45 lbs.).
   
3. Total hip replacement—This surgery is similar to total hip replacement in humans. The ball and socket are removed and replaced with implants. Success rates are high (95 percent) as optimal joint function is generally restored. Presently, this is the best surgical technique for correcting hip dysplasia in adult large-breed dogs. After a recuperation period, most dogs regain full, pain free hip function and live normal active lives.
   

The decision to perform surgery should not be taken lightly. Discuss the various options with your veterinarian before making your decision.

Forty years have passed since hip dysplasia was first described. Despite years of research, it is still the most common inherited joint disease of large-breed dogs.

Therpeutic Canine Massage Therapy

by Stevi Quick of BEAUTIFUL BALANCE

Therapeutic massage is a study of both structure and movement; and how one affects the other.  In pets structure greatly effects how the animal can move and can be indicative of what injuries they are susceptible to.

As a part of overall health and wellness, diet and fitness are of paramount importance.

That said therapeutic massage helps in the health and well being of dogs in many of the same ways it is beneficial to humans.  It feels good and increases circulation, and the dispersal of both well giving chemicals like cytokines and endorphins as well as helping the body to release toxins.

It also increases flexibility and range of motion of muscles and joints, which relieves pain associated with arthritis and other joint and skeletal abnormalities.  When doing bodywork you can focus on specific areas or muscle groups to disperse pain and allow specific joints better range of motion to enjoy more activities.  This ultimately improves the quality of life and the relationship you have with your pet, which everyone wants for their loved ones.

Studies also show that behaviours can be modified by the use of therapeutic massage.  Because of the release of certain endorphins during the use of certain strokes at certain points along the body, stress and fear can be reduced.  At the other end of the spectrum, sports massage is used to stimulate and pump up animals in performance competitions; again a matter of different stroke at different positions.

Surgery recovery can be sped by increasing circulation, and helping dissipate the effects of anesthesia.

As society moves toward searching for natural ways of increasing longevity, I think they are looking for the same for their companions.

Along with regular veterinary care, eating well in appropriate amounts and increased physical activity needs to be stressed in all of our pets well being.  Why not make that more comfortable and enjoyable for our companions as we do for ourselves. 

Strength training is an important part of canine and equine athletes, but for pets it should be as well, especially those with known musculoskeletal abnormalities.  It only takes a few moments a day and can be used as a training or relationship building session between the pet and owner.  There are specific exercises that are safe for all pets, even with existing conditions of the spine, hips, crutiate ligaments, and patellas, scapula and humerus.

Pet owners should offer this as a gift of comfort and love back to the animals that give them so much (all they are), in the short time they grace us.

Find a certified Canine Massage Therapist in your area by going to the IAAMB (International Association of Animal Massage and Bodywork). to give your four legged friend a life that they deserve.

You can also watch Stevi massaging my dog, Big Tuna. Tuna has a one knee surgery, so far, and she has hip dysplasia so Tuna loves and benefits from her therapeutic massages. 

 

 

ticks and dogs do not go together

We recently found a tick on Mr. Bishi, one of our English Bulldogs after a recent hike. We try to inspect them after they've been marching through grass or simply outside because more often then not they can be pretty good tick collectors. 

For those of  you who are not familiar with ticks, ticks are blood-sucking parasites and there are some theories that suggest they may be related to certain neo-cons but this has not been definatively proven. Ticks are frequently mistaken for insects but they are actually more closely related to spiders. 

Tick bites are painless, but the bite wound can become infected.  More importantly, ticks can carry and spread a greater variety of infectious organisms than any other parasite of pets.  For example, most ticks can carry blood parasites, such as those that causefeline infectious anemia and Rocky Mountain spotter fever.  Black-legged ticks (formerly known as deer ticks) carry Lyme disease, which can cause arthritis and several other chronic conditions in both pets and people.

Six species of ticks commonly infest dogs and (occasionally) cats in the United States:

• the brown dog tick
• the American dog tick
• the black-legged (deer) tick
• the Western black-legged tick
• the Lone Star tick
• the Gulf Coast tick

In general, different species are most common in different areas of the country.

Ticks have complicated life cycles that often take longer than a year and usually involve more than one host.  Adult female ticks feed on blood, which they use to produce eggs.  Tick eggs are usually laid in masses on the ground, where they hatch into tiny, six-legged larvae known as seed ticks.  The larva seeks out a host for feeding, drops off to the ground, andmolts into a nymph.  The nymph seeks out and feeds on a second host, drops off to the ground, and molts to an adult. Male and female adults seek out a third host, feed, mate, and drop off to the ground. Males die soon after, while females eventually lay eggs to carry on the reproductive cycle.  Common hosts include rodents, livestock, dogs, deer, birds, and people.

Ticks usually must be attached for at least 24 hours to transmit disease, so it is important to find and remove them as soon as possible.  You should always do a full body check of pets and family members after they have been in woodland or brush areas.  It is important to look very carefully because some ticks, such as the black-legged tick, may be no bigger than the head of a pin.

If you find ticks on your pet, you should remove them by grabbing the tick with a pair of fine-pointed tweezers or a commercial tick removal device as close to the skin as possible and then pulling straight back with steady and gentle force.  Do not twist or jerk the tick, because this can break off the head, leaving it behind as a source of infection.  Do not crush, prick, or burn the tick because this can release disease organisms within the tick's body.

Many topical flea products include agents that also kill and/or repel ticks. Your veterinarian can recommend a product that is suitable for your pet.

So remember, after every hike or out door adventure, give your dog a quick inspections. Pay particular attention to the area between their toes. Ticks love to nestle up there for a good meal.  

Stay active and keep wagging!

 

kennel cough in dogs

Canine infectious tracheobronchitis, also known as kennel cough, is a very contagious illness among dogs.  This illness spreads rapidly, particularly in areas where dogs are concentrated such as kennels (hence the name), grooming facilities, puppy classes, etc. Even if dogs are vaccinated against kennel cough, it is no guarantee that they will not contract the illness for one reason: the vaccine is made for one strain but unfortunately, there are many strains of the illness. So, even if your dog has been vaccinated, he/she may still contract the disease. Obviously you still want to have the vaccination (I highly recommend you do) but it is no guarantee that they will not contract it in a group of dogs where one is infected. 

Common signs that indicate your dog may have kennel cough are a very deep, almost husky cough. There may be nasal and eye discharge and if it is a yellowish green color, this would indicate an infection has set in. 

Treatment generally provided by your vet would be a course of antibiotics and in some cases a cough suppressant.  Kennel cough typically last 7 to 10 days. If your dog is being treated for kennel cough, do not bring him to a dog park or into contact with other dogs until he/she is non contagious (generally a period of time/after 10 days). This is a highly contagious disease similar to bronchitis in humans. 

Kennel cough can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or both. The most common bacterium involved is Bordetella bronchiseptica, which is the bacterial component of the kennel cough vaccine.

So remember, keep your dogs vaccinated, keep them healthy and happy, and keep wagging!

Puppy Mills

Oprah did it again! She talked about puppy mills and made even more people aware of how horrific and cruel some people are to animals.

Main Line Animal Rescue is doing a fabulous job by not only creating a lot of awareness but getting a lot of these wonderful but neglected animals caring homes.

Want to know what you can do to help stop puppy mills?  These dogs need your help!

Stop Puppy Mills will educate you from the beginning and how you can help put a stop to them.

Microchipping Your Pet (and it's not just for Dogs and Cats)

You may think that your pet is protected from getting lost. But accidents happen, and some things - like hurricanes and other natural disasters - are out of your control. In fact, one in three pets will become lost during their lifetime. And according to the American Humane Association, only about 17 percent of lost dogs and two percent of lost cats ever find their way back to their original owners. Almost 4 million pets are euthanized every year because their owners can't be found in time - if a shelter cannot determine a pet's owner, the pet may be euthanized in as few as three days. To help give your pet the best chance of being identified should he ever become lost, have him implanted with the HomeAgain or equivalent microchip.

Tags and collars are a good start - they're certainly better than no ID at all - but they aren't 100 percent dependable. Tags can fade, rust, or get scratched, making them impossible to read. Collars can tear or slip off, or get caught on something while your pet is wandering. With the HomeAgain or equivalent microchip, on the other hand, your pet's source of identification is always available. To microchip your pet, a veterinarian injects a tiny chip about the size of a grain of rice just under your pet's skin between the shoulder blades. The number on the chip is then entered into the HomeAgain or equivalent database.

When a lost pet is found, any animal hospital, shelter, or humane society can use a special handheld microchip scanner to read our microchip's unique ID number. The veterinarian or shelter then contacts the HomeAgain or equivalent database. The database matches the number to a name and phone number, reuniting the lost pet with its owner.

Now that you have decided to microchip your pet (good person), here's something else to chew on. Only 50% of microchipped pets are registered. Can I tell you that it is very difficult to find an owner that didn't register their pet? So please, DON'T forget to register your pet's microchip.....TODAY!

Pet Food Recall September 2008

Here we go again people....

Mars Petcare US is recalling pet food products manufactured at its Everson, Pa., facility because of a potential salmonella contamination. In addition to being dangerous for pets, the pet food could sicken people who handle the food.

Children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable. If you think you may have been exposed, look for symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping, and fever.

On rare occasions, salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. The FDA urges people with these symptoms who have come into contact with the pet products to contact a health care provider.

Some animals may have similar symptoms, but others may have minimal or no symptoms. Whether or not they have signs, they could infect other animals and humans.

Many pet food brands are produced at the plant, including several varieties of Pedigree and a number of flavors of Special Kitty Gourmet. A complete list of brands is posted on the FDA web site.

Mars Petcare stopped production at the Everson facility July 29 after learning of a possible link between dry pet food produced at the plant and two isolated cases of people infected with salmonella. The company is now implementing a voluntary recall of all products produced at the facility between Feb. 18 and July 29; only the U.S. is affected.

Here's my two cents...or 4........I would recommend staying away from pet food that is made by Mars Petcare US all together. We'll do a blog on foods in the future but keep in mind there are so may wonderful, healthy, diets out there. Don't skimp on something that is so important to your pet's health.

Pet recovering from surgery - what to expect?

Sooner or later you're going to cross this bridge. Particularly if you've purchased a pure bred dog (sometimes a cat too). I can't stress this enough...if you want to have disposable income for things like food and clothing, stick with mutts or dogs that are mixed breeds.

Why would I say such a thing? Let me toss a few words your way: Medication...visits to the vet...surgeries...allergies...
See the x-ray to your right? Check out the hardware on Big Tuna, our English Bulldog after her knee surgery. Can you say a couple grand? And she has also blown out her other knee. Yes, English Bulldogs have a genetic predisposition to blowing out their knees. Consider the rest of the rich genetic legacy that Bulldogs have to pass on: skin problems, breathing issues, renal disease, shorter life spans, eye problems...oh vey! Did I mention that Tuna has also had two eye surgeries to correct issues?

Our other English Bulldog, Mr. Bishop has had surgery for distichis (congenital issue with eye lashes growing back into your eye. Okay, maybe not your eye, but the dogs eye.)  He has hip dysplasia, a not uncommon problem for the bullies (as well as German shepards, etc..) For this we could have bought the second home.

Check out the video below on her post op surgery recovery. She's so stoked on meds you might even notice when she starts to whimper at the hallucinations.

And of course we're gearing up for the second surgery. My husband has taken up a second job catching, skinning (hey, someones got to do it) and selling earth worm pelts to pay for the surgery.

If there is one lesson to take away from this, it's not that I need help but that you should strongly consider adding a mutt to the family. Unless of course money is no object and you understand what you're getting into with the pure breeds. And it goes without saying (so I'll say it again) that you should not buy a pure breed if you cannot afford to address the legion of health issues that will undoubtedly follow and trapse through the door of your home as you welcome your pet. One more time so I'm clear. Do not get a pure bred animal unless you are willing to spend the money to properly care for that dog or cat. Now I know some of you may be thinking, "How dare she dictate what I should consider getting....blah...blah...blah...." You want to know why I feel so strongly about this? Because I'm reminded of it everyday when I see one of these poor kids come in with a horrible skin problem and someone wants to put the animal down because they can't afford to treat them or worse yet, because they don't want to spend the money on an animal that they took in and is dependent on them, I want to scream. Think about that for a moment: being put down because someone doesn't want to spend the money on the animal to take care of a skin condition. I know, not everyone has money. That's why I'm tyring to save you some. Do your homework, take responsibility, and you'll be fine if you know what you're getting into. if you don't have a nice chunk of change set aside for the medical problems, don't do it.

Gentle Leader versus Buddy Belt Harness

I had a viewer ask a question regarding one of our videos in which we profile the collective benefits of the Buddy Belt. Clearly an excellent question and one that I have never fielded before and which I felt was worth responding to before I strap on the hurricane shutters for Hurricane Ike (Go away Ike...just go away):

Pokat21 asks: "How well does it do for large breeds that pull? I would love to see you do a comparison vid with other methods of controlling your dog, like gentle leaders for example. I use a gentle leader for my Newfoundland dog but she hates it so much and it bothers me when it's mistaken for a muzzle.

If you could explain how it prevents pulling or if it handles well with excited pulling (due to motorbikes,other dogs, squirrels etc) that would be awesome.

Thanks:) "

With behaviors that you are talking about and the size of your girl, I wouldn't recommend a Buddy Belt. She will pull you along like a kite in the wind because of her behavior. She is after something and a harness, as good as it is, will not keep her from wanting to get that squirrel : ) The only thing that it will do it not choke her or be uncomfortable while she is pulling but the Gentle Leader is our first recommendation especially while training using positive reinforcements (food or toys). As an aside, the Buddy Belt has also proven to be extremely effective for controlling my husbands erratic behavior which I think may be caused by his habit of eating lead based paint chip sprinkles on his nachos while watching "Man from Uncle" reruns. But that's another story. On to the Gentle Leader.

The Gentle Leader is a wonderful training tool but it is a training tool, and not meant to be used forever. What it does is give you a way to control the dog's movement while you are teaching the behavior you do want. And, fitted and used correctly, it can be phased out rather quickly in most environments. Yet you still have it around for rambunctious adolescents who may tune out to your cues when the distractions in the environment are strong enough. it gives you a way to get them back into focusing on YOU!

Once training is done THEN you can get a fabulous Buddy Belt for her!

Buddy Belts at Nose Prints!

I, at Nose Prints discussed Buddy Belts in the past but for those of you unfamiliar with this type of dog harness, let me tell you a little about them. Buddy Belts have several advantages over collars such as:

1. No neck strain - due to the brilliant design, there is no pressure on the neck . The straps are around the shoulders and the clasp is located between the should blades. Which means that the dogs do not feel the need to pull against the collar that is restraining them. The buddy belt is a much safer way to restrain and control a dog.

2. Seat Belt Friendly - Buddy Belts can be used in a car easily by looping your seat belt through the opening provided in the belt (see video below for demonstration). I can't urge you enough to restrain your dogs in the car...even if they are well behaved.




3. Buckle system is...a metal buckle. High quality, not the plastic snap buckles that break easily on a lot of the harnesses being sold. And speaking of quality...

4. Chances are your Buddy Belt dog harness will be the last harness you buy your dog. Unless he or she grows out of it. I can't tell you how well made it is (well, yes, I can)...but you can tell in the video that there is a reason why we sell a lot of Buddy Belts.


We have a longer video for you to watch and enjoy


If you have any questions about Buddy Belts or...about anything, email me at monique@noseprints.net. If I don't have the answer, I'll get it for you.

Thanks for tuning in!

Your New Puppy

Once or twice a week I am asked by clients thinking of (or they already have) getting a new puppy. I strongly suggest training. Immediately. By training I'm referring to both bathroom (okay, so they don't have a bathroom per se but...) and obedience training. I also direct interested pet owners to the extremely helpful free pdf book that Dr Ian Dunbar wrote. For more wonderful reads go to James and Kenneth's website.


"Before you get your puppy" was written by noted animal behaviorist and Director for the Center of Applied Animal Behavior Dr. Ian Dunbar. Informative and an excellent read, even if you have a puppy.

Most people are unsure of what training their puppy needs and how to go about it. Most importantly, you've got to start training early. The earlier, the better. The earlier you begin training, the quicker you can nip bad behavior in the bud. Such behaviors as jumping up on people (very common), begging for food at the table, aggressive behavior...all can be cured by stern, verbal commands. Notice the use of the word "verbal"....it should go without saying that you should never hit your dog. If you have to hit a dog, you don't deserve to have one.

To illustrate the fruits of successful training (okay, so they're my kids), check out a
a socialization video on www.noseprints.net which clearly illustrates why you need to train your fur kid.

Back story on this video: We were getting ready to shoot a segment on socializing your pet. Before I could even begin the segment, a little girl wandered in to frame and illustrated, without dialog, it is so important to socialize your dogs. Bishop was still young and used to have a problem knocking little kids over. He used to get so excited seeing someone his size and bulldoze them over. He wasn't being mean, he's just a slab of hyper beef that wants to play. So we were worried (okay, our attorneys were) when we went out to shoot, fearing the worst possible scenario of a class action lawsuit by a troop of kids visiting from out of state. However, this didn't materialize and we were pleasantly surprised.

This clip also shows you why you want your kids not to jump on human kids.




As far as crate training...yes, you will want to do this. It is important to pay attention to your dog's behavior. Once you recognize that they are asking you to go to the bathroom, you won't have any problems rewarding them and positively reinforcing their behavior. I give you my two bullies, Bishop and Big Tuna as examples.
Big Tuna was wonderful from day one. She had a few accidents but generally she knew to walk to the door. She never barks or really says anything but sort of hovers near the door and flashed us a look that we quickly learned was her "I'm dying here...is someone got to let me out or do I have to drop a present in your shoes?" face. Mr. Bishop? Oy...that's another story. At first, you would think he simply did not care if he peed or barked (yes, "barked" in our household is shorthand for "barking out a biscuit" or #2) in the house. It took a couple of years....yes, you read this correctly...YEARS...to train him. Now he merrily walks over to the knotty alder doors and digs his claws into the door, stripping the seal and stain from the door in the process while flashing us his best "you've got three seconds to get over here and open this door or buy me a set of opposable thumbs" look. Bottom line: all dogs are different. Some are fine and come readily assembled out of the box (Big Tuna) and others, well, they're special (Mr. Bishi).

What I'm trying to say is just observe and realize that a young puppy cannot hold "it" for a long period of time. Probably every three hours they'll have to go. And the myth that they won't go in their cage? Yes, it is their safe haven and most like to go into their cage to lay down...but, if they have to go and they're locked up, guess what? They're going come hell or high water. Never fully understood this saying but it appears to fit here.

Katrina

Hard to believe that it has been just over three years ago that I traveled to Slidell, Louisiana with Noah's Wish to help care for animals rescued from Hurricane Katrina.  I found myself looking through pictures, reflecting on what I learned from my time there and the impact the experience had on me. In a nutshell, it broadened my perspective in ways I could not have imagined or anticipated.  Below you can find an interview with me that was not published, and a link to another article that was published.

The thought had been gnawing at her for several days. After hurricane Katrina devastated the gulf coast area and reports of the losses, both human and animal, began to bombard our television screens, Monique Pierpont knew she had to make a trip and offer assistance.

“It’s just something I had to do.” she said.

“I have the skills and they don’t have enough help.”

Accompanying her was Dr. Nancy Mettee, a fellow coworker and veterinarian at Harmony Animal Hospital.

On Friday, September 9^th, Monique and Dr. Mettee finished up their work at 5:00 p.m, then left the hospital at 5:30 to catch a 7:30 flight to Atlanta.

“We were greeted by Nita, a wonderful first time volunteer who came to pick us up.” Monique said.

What Monique and Nancy did not know at the time was that Nita was given little information about who she was meeting. Other than an address scribbled on a piece of paper, she had no information on who, how many or what they looked like. The lack of information was a harbinger of things to come.

“Nita drove us into Slidell where, and thank god for the GPS, we found our building.”

Unfortunately, no one was there to greet them. Nita informed them that she was told they were staying on the 3^rd floor and they entered the elevator. Once they entered the elevator, they realized they had a slight problem. The elevator only went to the second floor.

“We’re didn’t think we were in the right building. We had no idea where to go, where to sleep. We left the building and found a policeman to ask if he could help us. He couldn’t. Now keep in mind this is almost 3:00 a.m. and we are utterly exhausted.” Monique said.

After being unsuccessful at finding anyone who could help, they turned around and reentered the building, hoping to find someone, anyone who could offer direction. Taking the elevator to the second floor, they found that there was indeed a third floor.  The elevator only went to the second floor and one had to walk up to the third floor. Once on the third floor, they found a large room full of cubicles. Inside the cubicles, volunteers were asleep.

Having worked in a lab environment for the last 18 years, this was Monique’s first exposure to a cube farm and the arrangement struck her as rather odd. 

“The spaces apparently were on a first come, first serve basis. Nancy, Nita and I finally located an unoccupied cubicle and made our nest.”

Monique finally fell asleep after 3:00, only to be awoken by 6:00 to be taken to the warehouse that was being used to shelter the animals.

“We were exhausted but I don’t think we felt it so much. We knew that there were hundreds of animals that needed our help.” Monique added. "We were running on pure adrenalin at that point."

After eating a quick meal provided by th Red Cross, all three headed over to the warehouse.

“I was expecting to see a lot of animals. And that’s exactly what I was greeted by. There were cages all over and there must have been...and this is a conservative estimate...over 300 animals there. I wasn’t overwhelmed because my thoughts kept revolving around these poor kids...there were so many of them that needed help or that had lost their homes.” 

The first thing that struck both Monique and Nancy was the shelter was poorly organized and basic procedures hadn’t been put into place. Medications were not organized, and there didn’t appear to be anyone in charge.

“There was no one who greeted us, or gave direction. We didn’t know what protocols were being used. Of course the last thing we wanted to do was step on anyone’s toes so Nancy set out to organize the medications and I went about medicating the animals.”

The flow of animals never stopped. Dogs and cats, even rabbits and squirrels found there way there. And it wasn’t just mammals. Exotics such as birds, snakes, even a bearded dragon now had a place to call their temporary home.

“The highlight of my first day was a couple that wandered in looking for their dogs. Obviously a crap shoot given the numbers housed there and not to mention the remote possibility that they were found alive and brought in. After much searching, the couple found both of their dogs. The dogs had quite a bit too say and so did the parents. They cried, I cried.” Monique said, tears welling in her eyes at the thought.

It was a scene Monique hoped would be repeated through out the day. Unfortunately, it wasn't.

Monique, Nancy and Nita returned to their “hotel” and were pleasantly surprised when they discovered a single inflatable mattress in addition to a surprise that Nita brought along.

“Nita, bless her heart, had gone out and purchased a double inflatable mattress. I slept well that night.”

They woke again at 6:00 a.m, Sunday to repeat the day before. The upside was that things becoming more organized, processes streamlined.

“Things flowed much better the second day and we even had a repeat of the previous day in the sense that an owner was reunited with her kids. A  woman found her 4 dogs. None of them could have been any happier than they were at that moment. You should have seen them.”

On Monday, Monique and Nancy made their one and only house call.  Animal Control received a call about a rottweiler and Monique and Nancy accompanied Billy Dwyer, an Animal Control officer out to a home that was miraculously left standing.

“We didn’t know what to expect. Some rottweilers are a bit twitchy and having gone without food for a few days, animals can get aggressive.”

With much trepidation they jumped out of their vehicle and were greeted by three rottweilers emerging from the bushes surrounding the house.

“We recovered two pit bulls as well as four rottweilers. They were all so thin, ribs and vertebrae showing, outlined on their skin, but they were wagging their tails madly. They were just so happy to see someone...anyone. It broke my heart.”

Monique was bone tired and exhausted and looking forward to a night of rest on the inflatable mattress. As she settled in, she was disturbed by something a woman in the cubicle across from her said.

“She warned us that she snored really loudly.” Monique said laughing.

“She even said that her husband sleeps on the floor above her back home. That’s when I left to find another cubicle to sleep in. ”

Red Cross provided them with food and water but couldn’t provide the ability to leave the emotional component out of the rescue work.

“It’s so hard for me to look at these poor animals and not feel like my heart is being ripped out. With humans its different. You can, to an extent, explain things and there is some level of understanding, even with a child. Animals, no matter how hard you try, don’t understand what is happening. But of course you try your best to do so, talking to them as you stitch them up or clean a wound. They stare back, wagging their tail, simply happy that they’re around someone who cares again.”

Monique met a number of wonderful people:  Billy Dwyer works as an Animal Control officer with Slidell Animal Control and hasn’t had a day off since the hurricane. Nita Bowers, PHD. A volunteer and a saint. Susan, another volunteer, Brie Caffey, a vet tech, Cathy, a surgical nurse, Laurie and Karen, veterinarians. The list goes on. Different people, different ages, different backgrounds, all possessing the same character traits:  Dedicated, great attitudes, caring, passionate, hard workers all.

I asked what the over riding issue was for her, the one positive that she saw in the whole time she spent in Slidell.

“I was surprised at how much attention the animals got during the hurricane aftermath. It tells me that there is a profound shift taking place, that animals are coming into their own, that people who don’t share their lives with animals are starting to realize that you can't count the number of legs on family members. Some family have more that two. Personally, I don’t differentiate between a dog, a cat or a human. I can’t. They’re all life forms worthy of respect and love. I know that many people think that is crazy. But just as many, if not more, understand what I’m talking about. When you mention that your child has four legs, they either get it or they don’t.” Monique said.

Monique will return to the area next weekend with another group of volunteers.

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