Keep Wagging

2012-01-14T08:56:00.000-05:00

A friend just sent me this last night and this ties in with the last post. Humans and animals. You can't help but be moved by this video. This group of gorillas treat this human with respect and curiosity - sure, the male gorilla could break this man in half but his intentions seem more to keep the kids in line while they check out the human curiosity. And I can't help but think of how humans repeatedly fail when it comes to respecting other life forms. From horrific factory farming conditions to abusing a family pet, we seem to not lack for new and innovative ways to abuse our fellow life forms. And then you have this flip side, a species that could literally rip us apart but they choose to simply groom the mans hair and remove a twig from it. Truly a magnificent mammal and watching them I couldn't help but feel shame - shame that we aren't a better species. Perhaps with time that will come - I always wonder how many generations out it will take before the population is horrified at how we USED to treat animals. "They used to fight what?" Watch, enjoy and keep wagging!

Animals and humans

2012-01-12T19:47:00.002-05:00

I was thinking about some of the wonderful experiences that I've had working with animals around the world. Helping nurse sea turtles back to health in St. Croix, helping several hundred green turtles recover from a severe cold snap in South Florida, and helping with all the malnourished, abandoned dogs and cats in Slydell Louisiana after hurricane Katrina forcefully introduced herself to the U.S.A., I've been fortunate to experience these things and more. And through these experiences, there are consistencies that leap to mind. One is the positive outlook that animals seem to possess no matter what they are going through. Forget about humans projecting their feelings on to the animal in front of them. If you've ever looked in the eyes of an injured dog that suddenly wags when you look at him/her, you'll know what I am talking about. I've know this about animals for a long time because I've experienced it on a daily basis for over twenty years. But from time to time something rears its head and gives me hope...and just like that my faith in humanity is restored. Just when I get so mad at people for failing to protect/care/nurture animals, a human will show...well, some depth of humanity that is refreshing. In situations where animals need help, that's when you see the good side of people. It doesn't get the headlines that the negative treatment of animals does but it happens and its exhilarating when I see it! Yes, there are millions of us that love and care for animals and I'm proud to be one of them! Keep doing the right thing and Keep Wagging!

Learning The Hard Way

2011-09-27T21:59:00.000-04:00

Being in the veterinary world for over 20 years has shown me how so much has changed for the better.......for better patient care.
Research helps us improve patient care so we become better care givers to our furry, feathery and scaly friends.

Right now it's all about shaping the behavior of a companion. In the old days it was punish them when they did something wrong. Or force them to do something that terrified them (genius of us, huh?)
In turn we created fearful, aggressive and/or anxious animals.

I know a lot of you out there still train the same old way. Well, it's not working. To this day more animals are brought to shelters and euthanized for BEHAVIOR reasons than any other reason. I kid you not! It's not because there aren't enough homes or that they are "just bad". Most of them did not get what they needed at a very young age. The biggest thing was lack of proper socialization.

We are so lucky to have one of only 54 Board Certified Veterinary Behaviorists in our area,
Dr Lisa Radosta, DACVB. She is my hero. She teaches all of us how to look at these magnificent creatures in a new light. I ask that you do the same.

She has some awesome articles that everyone should read. Examples: Why You Shouldn't Use Physical Punishment, Why Dominance Doesn't Work and Top 10 Training Tips.

We now know what doesn't work. Change your way of thinking and do what does work!

Don't learn the hard way like many owners do. Be proactive and give these kids a chance.

Keep Wagging everyone because they will if you just give them the chance to.

You are all they have!

Monique

Keep Wagging success story Part deux

2011-09-27T02:04:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I was trying to make a point that I wanted to spread a positive message, to be a part of the solution on some minimalist scale. Well guess what? I've got an awesome story that makes me tear up...and yes, it involves the message of "Keep Wagging".

Several years ago, my husband met a person who was enjoying a quiet morning at Panera with two baby bulldogs. Duke and Daisy. Ron struck up a conversation wanting to see if they knew what they were getting into. The person who had chosen to share his life with the two baby bulls was a Florida State Trooper and he turned out to be a most generous and kind person. Flash forward a bit and he ends up ordering two buddy belts from Noseprints.net. Unfortunately, shortly thereafter he was in a very bad motorcycle accident and was in a coma for days and in the hospital for a good stretch. After not even being sure that he would survive, he pulled through and went through the arduous task of healing. Obviously a very susceptable time frame and where it is easy to be in a not so good place. In one of the more depressing moments, he happened to glance at a card that I include with all my shipments and this is in a nutshell, what it says.
"Whenever an event occurs in your life you basically have two choices on how to react to it. You can look at it in a positive light or you can cst it in the shadows of negativity. There is absolutely nothing to be gained from negativity. So make a positive choice and KEEP WAGGING!"
When he read the card, he realized that was the key to getting through it all. Staying positive. Knowing that yes, you will eventually heal. I cannot tell you how absolutely thrilled I was to learn that the Keep Wagging message had touched someones life! How awesome is that?

Watch the video please.

Keep Wagging success story

2011-09-26T09:49:00.001-04:00

When I first created my Keep Wagging line of T-shirts, it was with the best intentions. I wanted to spread a positive thought, to underscore what dogs can teach us about dealing with adversity. Sorry for being long winded but I think this is important. With respect to keeping a great attitude, I was always amazed that when an injured dog came into the hospital, it inevitably would wag when I would walk up to them to evaluate or treat them. And I couldn't help but think that, good lord, here's a dog with a compound fracture and he's frickin' wagging at me? In spite of the negative thing that has just happened, he's taking the positive track. And I realized a couple of things: one that an event in your life has no meaning - it just is, it just exists, it's life. And you put the meaning to it. In the case of the dog with the fracture, it isn't "this sucks...I just broke my leg" it's most likely "here's a friendly approaching me and I'm glad to see them!" Okay, maybe not so clear cut but you get the point. You can sulk over your misfortune or you can put the positive spin on it. If that is too Polyannish for you, I can't help you.
And here's the kicker. When you frame life in a positive vibe, guess what? That is what you attract! Because I know most of you know someone who is really negative about everything, and they constantly have bad stuff hitting them. Think there's a correlation? Of course there is. Negative energy does no one any good. So stay positive and keep wagging!

A Warm and Fuzzy Story

2011-09-21T12:49:00.000-04:00

If you know me, you know that I am quite vocal about adopting an animal in need of a home rather than buying a dog from a unscrupulous breeder (there are many bad ones out there) or worse yet, supporting a puppy mill – you know the stores. They’ll have a “puppy 4 sale” out front and they have a million puppies in little cubes or running around in a little pen. Impulse items that frequently get discarded. So, instead of ranting about the problem areas (we'll save this for a future post), I decided to focus on a positive story. Yes, in keeping with the Keep Wagging philosophy, we’ll focus on a good thing. But first we must look at a recent phenomenom, that of the “foreclosure” pet. A pet left behind when a family could no longer afford to take care of it.

Dante

My husband works with someone who noticed a Rottweiler running around the neighborhood for months – animal care and control could not catch the illusive lad after multiple attempts. So he decided he’d try to befriend the dog by walking his dog, making it sit, and see if the dog would come over. It took weeks but the dog finally came over to say hello. This was followed by a few treats and before you know it, this large intimidating dog turned out to be a large lump of sugar. He didn’t want to leave the home but Dave had just recently adopted a dog and could not afford a new member to the family so he did what most people will do. He brought him to the pound. After doing so, he realized he may have made a mistake. There was a very real possibility that the dog would be euthanized after five days if they could not find a home. Long story short, a co-worker of Dave has a 14 year old and was possibly looking to bring in a new member, younger, that could possibly play with his Senior.

Dave was able to rescue the 80 lb Rottwieller and he and his coworker met up so the dogs could meet. The dogs hit it off and there hasn’t been a hiccup since – the Rottweiller is extremely well trained and is respectful of the other dog, his territory and his food.

It is so heartwarming to hear this story – a breed that is typically shunned due to fear about their behavior finding his forever home.

If you're thinking of buying a dog, please consider adopting first.

We found our bulldog, Bishop on www.petfinder.com. They're waiting for you!

Keep Wagging everyone!

Monique

Keeping your dog fit and flexible

2011-09-07T20:09:00.000-04:00

I see a lot of overweight dogs at the hospital. Explaining exercise to owners can be difficult, especially if the owner is overweight themselves. Exercising your dog is as important as you taking care of yourself by watching your diet and exercising. So the obvious and fun solution is to exercise together!

I grew in New York City and walking my dog wasn't an option. It had to be done, three times per day. We walked the streets of Manhattan and make our way to beautiful Central Park. When I moved to Florida, I noticed that people with back yards didn't seem to take their dogs for a walk. They open the door and the dog goes otside by himself and comes in a few minutes later. Not a high caloric burning sort of workout, right? Feel the burn! Feel the burn! Not.

Pretend you don't have a backyard and take your dog out once or twice per day. Make it part of your routine to take you and your dog for a walk. Yes, that's right...I said take yourself for a walk as well.

The benefits of going for a brisk walk (hell, a leisurely walk will even do) is not only the obvious physical exercise but the often overlooked benefit is that you and the pack are out and about! Dogs are not solitary animals. This is their moment to be with someone from the family/pack. That's all these dogs want... is to be with you. So get some exercise at the same time and enjoy the time together! Your dog will love you even more! Stay safe and healthy and remember to keep wagging!

And don't forget to check out noseprints.net for upcoming holiday specials on our Keep Wagging and Barkology clothing !

Pet Amber Alert

2011-09-07T19:53:00.000-04:00

Have you ever had a pet that ran away or even worse, stolen?
Yes, every person who shares their life with a dog or cat probably has this fear. Obviously and sadly enough it happens but the good news is that there are steps you can take to protect your kid and make it easier to find him/her.

The biggest thing is having your kid microchipped. The micropchip is the size of a grain of rice and is injected under your dog or cats skin. They don't have to be sedated and it is painless. I highly recommend that you do so when you invite a four legged in to your home!

If you have any questions, please ask your vet! It could save a lot of grief in the future. Keep smiling, stay positive and Keep Wagging everybody!

Your Dog and the Heat

2011-07-15T19:01:00.001-04:00

I live in South Florida where the heat is pretty intense. The hospital where I work received a frantic call from a client of ours that his dog collapsed. We told him to bring him in immediately.
Unfortunately, his dog passed away on the way over.
We learned that he had taken his 3 year old labrador retriever for a walk at noon.....in South Florida.....in July........... What is my point? Well, most people would think a Golden, pretty hearty dog, young, loves water, etc - they're fine outside. Well, they aren't. And this unfortunately happens more often than you think.
I'm hear to ask all of you to spread the obvious word that dogs should be not be walked during the hottest time of the day, anywhere. Here's another way to think of this - they are wearing a fur coat in the heat! I don't care how efficient their bodies are at cooling off. And it's not just the "squishy face" breeds (bullies, frenchies, pugs, etc) but ALL dogs would quickly find themselves in trouble in this scenario.

If you find yourself in a situation where your dog can't walk any longer, can't stop panting, tongue turning purple, this an emergency. However, you don't want to shock your dog by plunging him in ice water, so offer him/her some water. Not alot because they will end up vomiting. A wet rag on their forehead, getting them out of the sun and heat and wetting the bottom of their paws will all help.
The guilt that this owner is going through right now is something I never want to experience myself and neither do you!

Keep your dogs safe, Keep your dogs cool and always, Keep Wagging™

What did you do with your firework phobia dog last night?

2011-07-04T21:09:00.008-04:00

For many of you it was a very long night last night. Dogs and fireworks are generally not a good mix. You have not been looking forward to this night for weeks. You feel hopeless because you know the grief fireworks cause your dog. Panting, pacing, wanting to hide...you know the drill but you also don't know how to avoid this oft repeated scenario.

Here is some advise for the next time:

If your veterinarian prescribed Acepromazine, find a new doctor for your dog. Acepromazine has been used for storms and fireworks (among other things) for years but what we now know is that it is not an anti-anxiety drug. Acepromazine is a tranquilizer which means it is keeping your dog from reacting....in other words, he is still terrified, he just can't tell you. Not the best way to treat this.
While under the effect of Acepromazine,your dog may be quiet and calm but inside he/she's fear and anxiety is not only still present but may be even worse due to the fact that Acepromazine creates a disconnect with reality and it prevents the dog from understanding his environment in a logical manner. This entire experience couldn't get any worse for this poor animal.
Veterinarian's (with the guidance of Veterinary behaviorists) now prefer the use of drugs in the Valium and Xanax family. These drugs actually reduce anxiety and fear. They kick in quickly (within 30 minutes to 2 hours after giving it to your pet. Your dog will be sedated, his/her muscles are relaxed and their fear and anxiety is greatly reduced or eliminated.

Something else to think about is trying to desensitize your pet. This can be tricky but very affective so I recommend finding a board-certified veterinary behaviorist. You can find one on the American College of Veterinary Behaviorist's website.

You can also talk to your general practitioner veterinarian or behaviorist about anxiety body wraps. A body wrap looks like a shirt for your dog but it is very snug. It applies pressure on acupressure points that can relieve stress and end/lessen fears and anxieties in dogs. Thundershirt is one brand. Another is Anxiety Wrap.

Whatever you decide to do, do something. Don't go through another day/night like yesterday. Get proactive and help your dog for the next day he/she has a high anxiety day!

Keep your dogs safe and happy and always Keep Wagging!

Monique

What is Petco and the other box stores doing wrong?

2011-06-19T17:25:00.013-04:00

I just got back from Petco where I purchased cat litter and I have to share my encounter with you.

I was waiting on line at the check out counter when I overheard a staff member showing a customer Advantage II which is a flea control product.

The customer didn't understand the difference between Advantage and Advantage II. I winced when I heard the staff member inform the customer that she didn't know the difference (an F grade on training and educating your staff for Petco) either. The employee also stated that she didn't know why Petco didn't carry Advantage any longer and the only other product that the customer could buy was Frontline Plus if she didn't feel comfortable buying the Advantage II. At this point I'm near apoplectic....my pet peeve is misinformation being spread around. The only thing worse is when individuals aren't trained properly with critical information.

My blood was boiling at that point so I jumped in and educated (hopefully) not only the customer but the staff member that Advantage is no longer made and the difference between Advantage and Advantage II was that there is an insect growth regulator (IGR) in Advantage II.
The customer was interested in learning more and I answered a few questions for her (yes, doing the employees job). Meanwhile, the staff member simply walked away not terribly concerned that she didn't know much about her store and it's products.

You might be saying to yourself "Monique...chill out. Not a big deal."
Well it is a big deal and for a number of reasons.
First and foremost, Petco drops the ball big time. If you are in the pet industry, you damn well better guarantee that your employees can answer questions regarding any of your products, particularly when your pets safety is at risk. I don't care if these are high school kids working part time, you need to properly train them. Petco is not doing anyone any good by having employees going through the motions.

Secondly, this is a perfect example as to why you should buy directly from a veterinarian. And not just any veterinarian, because not all vets are created equal. Find an AAHA certified hospital. Their standards are higher than most. Only 15% of hospitals are certified and it is voluntary (which should tell you something).

Yes, and I've heard it a million times before. "Vets are so expensive..." Well, yeah, because you're getting someone who understands the products and your pet, not a "well, maybe you can try this one..." response. You get what you pay for. Factor in that some over the counter meds can be lethal if given improperly and you'll understand why this lights my hair on fire.

We see it at the hospital. Someone bought a product at a big box store and didn't realize they bought a product intended for a dog rather than a cat and the next thing they know, their cat is critically ill because a sales person didn't inquire who is the intended recipient of the product. Or here's another example we've seen. Someone will buy (again one of the big box stores) a dog product that is toxic to a cat (in other words, there are products that shouldn't be used in mixed pet households). And predictably their cat grooms their dog and becomes violently ill due to ingesting said product.

I wish I could say this is infrequent but it is not. We see and hear it all too frequently.

Again, let me reiterate where Petco is dropping the ball. They aren't educating their staff so they can educate their customers. And that begins the cycle of misinformation. That customer will then tell a friend "Oh...just go to Petco and save....blah blah blah" Customers assume that the employees at big box stores have been trained, know what they are talking about and are passionate about the four legged ones. I have yet to meet one of these models. Petco needs to get serious about caring for our furkids just as much as we do. If not, they are simply another greedy corporation interested only in their bottom line.

And lest you think that I'm flogging Petco out of some personal bias, I am not. We hear the horror stories regarding similar scenarios from online stores, Pet Smart, Petmeds, Pet Supermarket, etc....
Stay informed everyone and Keep Wagging!

We all CAN get along

2011-06-19T13:36:00.005-04:00

We can learn so much from our 4 legged friends if we simply open ourselves to the lessons that they show us everyday. In this case, a beautiful little bulldog is interested in the cows and the cows are equally curious. I'm not saying that all animals get along all the time - in fact, they frequently kill each other but that is beside the point. I'm saying that when you see this you realize that even though everyone has differences, its possible to get along. I'm not going to use the word "tolerance" because that implies there is something flawed about someone - its just a matter of accepting each other for who and what we are. Even if it doesn't fit our idea of what normal is.

Enjoy and Keep Wagging everyone!

Monique

Pain Management for our Companion Animals

2010-08-30T21:47:00.000-04:00

Pain management has changed drastically in my 21 years in the veterinary industry. I remember just giving an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory) injection and that was it. Pain was not a huge concern in the overall care for our companion animals. The perception for far too long has been that they "don't feel pain" like people or that certain elective procedures were "minor" or likely to cause only minimal discomfort. What research and observations over the years has come to prove is that our patients do perceive pain much the same as humans. These magnificent beings have instinctive behaviors that cause them to hide their pain from outward observation (think about nature - the strong survive and the weak or injured become breakfast) so we must think proactively when it comes to pain management. To put it simply, if a surgical event would be painful for a human, then we should expect a similar level of pain to occur in our pets too.

We now control pain and discomfort starting before the patient is even put under anesthesia. Once they are unconscious we give them different pain medication during their surgical procedure so that their body does not feel or react to the pain that is being inflicted on them and it allows the pet to have a pain free recovery once they are awake.

There are so many different levels of pain and we can take care of all of them now.

Many veterinary hospitals still treat our companion animals the way we did 20 years ago. It is up to you to ask questions. Ask what kind of pain management will be used for your pet.

From dentals, to spays, to neuters to removing a foreign object from your pet's stomach, all of these procedures cause different levels of pain. But don't think for a moment that a "routine spay" doesn't need pain management. That is an abdominal surgery where muscle must be cut into. Imagine how painful that can be!

When your pet goes home after having surgery (with oral pain medications), he/she should have an appetite the next day, they shouldn't be hunched over in pain, and they shouldn't be lethargic. If they are, their pain has not been managed properly.

For more information on how far pain management has come read this article called Pain Management for Pets at www.healthypet.com.

Keep your pets healthy, pain free and make sure they always Keep Wagging!

Monique and the Nose Prints Family

Pet Food Recall

2010-08-01T12:28:00.000-04:00

Proctor and Gamble own the Iams company which also makes Eukanuba. Unfortunately, many of their diets have been recalled. See below....

Proctor & Gamble (P&G) has expanded a recent voluntary recall of certain specialized dry pet foods due to a risk of contamination with Salmonella. The foods recalled include Iams Veterinary Dry Formulas, Eukanuba Naturally Wild, Eukanuba Pure, and Eukanuba Custom Care Sensitive Skin with "best by" dates between July 1, 2010 and December 1, 2010. All UPC codes are included in the recall.

These products are all made at the same facility. There is a risk of contamination in some of the foods made in this facility, so out of an excess of caution, P&G is recalling all the products made at this facility.

Consumers who have purchased the foods listed should discard them immediately. Note that people handling dry pet food can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with surfaces exposed to this product. Salmonella can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping, and fever. It can on rare occasions also result in arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting any of these symptoms after having contact with one of the recalled products should consult a healthcare provider immediately.

Pets with Salmonella infections may suffer from decreased appetite, fever, and abdominal pain, as well as diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. If your pet has consumed any of the recalled products and exhibits these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian immediately.

For further information or a product replacement or refund call P&G toll-free at 877-340-8823.

Keep your pets safe and Keep Wagging!

Monique and the Nose Prints family

Why Punishing Mans Best Friend Doesn't Work in So Many Ways

2010-07-17T08:07:00.000-04:00

I know. I know. We've been punishing dogs the same way for decades. And it seems to work, right? Wrong! The majority of the 4 million animals that are euthanized in shelters every year are for behavior reasons. Think about that for a moment. 4 million animals put down because we did not want to take the time train or the way we trained them just made things worse . That it is our fault isn't terribly surprising. There is good news though and that is why we can start taking steps to prevent this unneeded slaughter of animals. The first step is reading the article below and take it to heart. The second is to pass it along to someone you know who shares their life with a four-legged or is considering doing so. Together we can help stop this old habit and create a more positive one.

Why punishment fails; what works better

Punishing a dog often doesn’t work or can even make a behavior problem worse. Three important

rules must be met for punishment to be effective.

1. The punishment must occur every time the unwanted
behavior occurs.

2. The punishment must be administered within a second or two of the inappropriate behavior.

3. The punishment must be aversive enough to stop the dog from repeating the unwanted behavior in the future but not be so aversive as to frighten the dog.

As seen in the two examples below, meeting all three
of these criteria can be difficult. That’s why punishment
often fails to solve behavior problems and should
not be the first training method of choice. Positive reinforcement training, in which animals are rewarded
for appropriate behaviors, is safer and more effective. Punishment teaches an animal what you don’t want it to
do but fails to teach it what you expect of it.

EXAMPLE A

Problem behavior: A dog gets on the furniture. Owner’s response: Every time the owner sees the dog
on the furniture, she yells at it and threatens it with a rolled up newspaper. When she does this, the dog slinks
off the furniture.

Result: The dog continues to get on the furniture, although it is less likely to do so in the owner’s presence.
Because the dog still gets on the furniture when the owner is away, it is being rewarded part of the time
for the unwanted behavior, and the first rule above is not being met. So the punishment does not solve the
problem. If the owner gets increasingly frustrated with the dog, she may increase the severity of the punishment, and depending on the dog’s temperament, it may respond by becoming fearful of the owner and avoiding her. Some dogs might even begin growling and snapping when the owner approaches.

Suggestion: Success will be more likely if the owner blocks the dog’s access to the furniture whenever she
can’t be around (e.g. confine the dog to a crate or a different room in the house).

Punishment teaches an animal what you don’t want it to do but fails to teach it what you expect of it.

Or the owner can make the furniture less appealing by covering it with plastic. Commercially available devices for keeping animals off surfaces such as electric mats, plastic mats with rigid points (or plastic carpet protector material laid upside down) can also be used. A comfortable bed should also be made available to the dog in the vicinity of the favored furniture, and the dog should be rewarded every time it is caught sleeping on the bed.

EXAMPLE B

Problem behavior: A dog greets people by jumping on them.

Owners’ response: Whenever the dog jumps on its owners, they knee it in the chest or kick it.

Result: The dog avoids the husband (the largest man in the household; he has kicked the dog hard enough that it is now afraid of him) but continues to jump on everyone else. Many dogs are highly motivated to greet people by getting close to their faces. In most cases, kneeing or kicking such a dog is less powerful than
the dog’s desire to greet people by jumping on them. In addition, since not all people the dog meets will knee
it or kick it, the punishment doesn’t meet the first rule. The third rule is also not met because the dog doesn’t
always perceive the kneeing as punishment and, in fact, is reinforced for jumping because it’s getting attention.

Suggestion: Rather than trying to punish the dog for jumping, the owners should use positive reinforcement
to teach the dog to sit to greet everyone. Sitting is an alternative behavior that can be rewarded with petting
or a food treat.

APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION

These examples highlight the fact that when the three punishment criteria are not met, behavior problems can
worsen, and the bond between the pet and the owner can be damaged beyond repair. When punishment is
used incorrectly, it will appear unpredictable and confusing, so many pets become anxious or fearful around
the owner that administers the punishment. When punishment is used in an attempt to train an animal that is
already afraid or anxious, its fear and anxiety are likely to worsen and may lead to aggression.
If your dog is exhibiting inappropriate behavior, consult your veterinarian. He or she will help you develop an
appropriate behavior modification program that focuses on using positive reinforcement or will refer you to
someone with extensive experience in developing such behavior modification programs.

Your veterinarian will help you develop an appropriate behavior modification program that focuses

on using positive reinforcement.

The information for this handout was provided by Valarie V. Tynes, DVM , DACVB, P.O. Box 1040, Fort Worth, TX 76101.

Make the right choice and Keep Wagging™ everyone,

Monique

Preparing for the Oil

2010-05-04T20:28:00.000-04:00

Here we go again. It looks like the oil is on its way to us from the Gulf Coast. I already received a phone call warning me that the turtles will be needing a lot of help soon. My friends at Marine Life Center spoke to our local TV station:

JUNO BEACH, Fla.-- As the massive oil spill spreads across the Gulf, folks at the Loggerhead Marinelife Center are getting ready.
"The best thing that we can do is be prepared. Have a plan in place and be as prepared as we can be for large amounts of animals and turtles coming into our area," said Melissa Ranly, Loggerhead Marinelife Center Hospital Coordinator.
When it comes to turtles in the Gulf, and the oil spill, the first problem will be initial contact.
"Obviously since they need to breathe air, they can come up to the surface and get coated in the oil," said Ranly.
But while oil on the bodies of turtles is of great concern, a potentially more dangerous scenario is when turtles ingest oil.
"Sometimes the oil will turn into tar and they can ingest pieces of it or food that's got the oil on it, and the tar can even cause a problem with them opening their mouth and getting food in the future," said Ranly.
Because the impact of the spill has so many variables right now, it's impossible to know what will be needed. Preparation is the key.
"The advantage is that we know about it ahead of time, unlike the cold stun event we dealt with in January which started and immediately animals were stranding," said Ranly.
You may recall that during the cold stun event this past winter, hundreds of turtles needed to be rescued and cared for. That event may have given experts a better understanding of what might be needed for this event.
"We went and purchased a lot of baby pools and needed extra supplies to handle the patient load," said Ranly.
The hope is that the containment efforts work, because this time of year is crucial for turtles.
"Especially during nesting season if there's a way to contain the oil before it hits the beaches, that would be the most ideal scenario" said Ranly.

I honestly hope that the oil doesn't affect our endangered sea turtles among all the other wonderful wildlife and beautiful ecosystems we have down here but if it does you know where I'll be and I'll report back to you guys!

Keep Wagging everyone and hope for the best!

OTTER in Pond

2010-03-07T14:39:00.000-05:00

Yes, I know this post doesn't involve dogs or cats but I thought this was such a unique event to witness I thought i would share.
About 10 minutes ago, i was on my deck when I spotted a visitor in our pond.

Yes, an otter showed up to check on the fish inventory and sure enough, he caught what appears to a large talapia - about 3 feet in front of me!

Yes, he started gnoshing on this poor guy about twenty feet away - and the crunching noise was a bit off putting. However, it was fascinating to see this life and death struggle (okay, it wasn't much of a struggle) play out in front of me. And here is something that absolutely blew my mind - It was probably less than a minute after the otter caught the fish that the black vultures showed up, circling overhead. Not sure if it is blood they smell or death kicks out some funky vibe that the opportunistic ones pick up on but it was incredible. I'll have some video (Ron was shooting most of this too) in a few days.

Thanks for tuning in and Keep Wagging!

Another Day with the Sea Turtles

2010-01-19T20:44:00.003-05:00

I spent the entire day at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center today. They currently have 58 turtles. 56 of them are ill or awaiting surgery (more on that later). Most of the turtles that we are caring for have Fibropapilloma Tumors. I took several pictures today of these poor souls. The disease is not widely understood yet but it is a tragic virus. Disney is sending a surgery team down to Gumbo Limbo to surgically remove the "PAPS", especially from the turtle's eyes because without their sight, they are doomed.

The image above is of a very young green sea turtle with a fishing hook in his mouth. We had to sedate him to remove the hook and he will be released tomorrow.
The sad part about this is that the fisherman knew what happened and all he did was cut the fishing line and let the turtle go. Thank goodness someone witnessed this and grabbed the turtle and brought it to us. He would have died. The hook went right through his tongue.

The above picture is of the plastron (belly side) of a turtle that was speared. You read that correctly. A human speared this poor turtle. Dr Mettee explored the wound and we hope for a speedy recovery!

The two images above are two different turtles that both have wounds from being hit by a boat's propeller. The turtle in the first image had surgery today and we are hoping that he pulls through it but it's too soon to tell.

These animals need our help so spread the word to your fishing buddies, boating pals and sea turtle lovers. They need us to be a little more responsible and a little more caring.

Do the right thing and Keep Wagging!

The sea turtle saga continues

2010-01-14T21:45:00.000-05:00

I spent the entire day at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center. We had another 20 Green turtles come in last night so they were lined up, awaiting exams, treatments and possible releases today. The picture to the left shows a young greenie with some of his best friends, the barnacles. And directly below, I'm about to give another young green turtle fluids after a cursory exam.

I found out something interesting today: All of these Green (yes, they've all been green turtles) turtles are coming from counties north of here. The water temperature down in Boca Raton has been consistently 70 degrees, which is fine for the turtles (and which is also why we have been releasing the healthy greens down here). When I left today there were about 15 turtles that were not releasable, mostlu due to low blood sugar from not eating for several days. Others had corneal ulcers that need to be treated. Treatment takes about 5 days which is why donations (check out the wish lists on their sites) are critical right now. Others simply don't have the strength yet to be released. But, as you can see from the picture below, this is what we're working toward: Freedom!
Our state is finally warming up a bit so the intake of turtles should slow down now. We shall see what tomorrow will bring.
Until then, Keep Wagging people!

There was a cold Sea Turtle..or two, or three, or three hundred

2010-01-12T19:48:00.009-05:00

The temperatures have been unusually cold here in Florida. We are not used to so many consecutive days of freezing weather and neither are the sea turtles.
So far the state of Florida has seen at least 1,500 "Cold Stunned" sea turtles, mostly green, that just couldn't handle the cold temperatures anymore.
I received a call from Dr Nancy Mettee. She and I went to Slidell, La. after hurricane Katrina hit and we also went to St Croix to save a leatherback turtle together. She asked for my help so I found myself driving down to Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton. There were a lot of cold turtles and there were a lot of wonderful volunteers waiting to help them. We started right away with getting body weights, blood (to make sure they didn't need special or different meds) and fluids into them for support. Some of them were malnourished and depressed. Others were feisty and feeling better and ready to hit the beach. On Sunday they (Gumbo Limbo) had a total of fify Green Turtles recovering.
Once we were done with that group we headed up to Loggerhead Marine Life Center in Juno Beach, 45 minutes north. They had a total of 31 Green Turtles there. The volunteers here were equally wonderful. One volunteer's mom brought us food and hot chocolate...YUM!

It was a long day but not one person complained and every turtle had been taken care of before we left.
Today is another day and more turtles have been brought in for care. I will go back tomorrow for another day of wrestling 125lb turtles, scraping their barnacles off, giving injections and keeping them warm. I can't think of anything else I want to do more!

Thanks for reading and Keep Wagging!

Monique

Sick dogs and cats, Pt. 2

2009-11-30T18:39:00.006-05:00

Now for part 2 of how to spot that your fur kid might have some serious health issues going on. We talked about lack of an appetite, decreased activity. Going hand in hand (or paw to paw for those who favor bad puns) with not eating is a loss of weight. Assuming you don't have them on a diet of course. Losing weight is an issue but when this is combined with other behavioral issues, it could indicate something serious. A friend of mine who recently lost her dog to cancer noticed that her dog wasn't eating...and then dropped weight very suddenly. She took him in shortly after noticing these signs and he was diagnosed with bone cancer. Fortunately he didn't suffer much but sometimes if you catch something early enough, you can give them a fighting chance.

Another sign is a sudden change in how much water they drink. Drinking more water is often associated with a few diseases including kidney disease (which we lost our last bully too) and diabetes mellitus. If you notice that your dog or cat is drinking a lot more water, see your veterinarian.

Yet another sign is not grooming. Dogs and cats that don't feel well don't groom themselves. Or you may notice a dull lusterless coat. If your pet's coat changes, have him/her evaluated by your veterinarian.

The last sign for today is bad breath. Also known as halitosis, bad breath can be the result of dental disease as well as other metabolic disorders. Dental disease is the #1 disease in dogs. If not treated it can lead to many other metabolic diseases that cn shorten your dog's and cat's life.

Sick dogs and cats, Pt. 1

2009-11-30T17:22:00.001-05:00

One comment I hear from our clients is that they don't know if their dog or cat is sick. I generally remind them that any behavior that is out of the ordinary for their animal can be an indication that something is wrong.

I will review the signs that I see/hear about most often and almost all of them I have observed in my animals.

One of the most common signs is when an animal loses its appetite. This is usually the first time that owners will notice that something is amiss. As I mentioned earlier, when a routine differs, this will indicate an issue. For example, our oldest bully gets fed one cup in the morning, one at night. Several times in the last month he looks at his food, sniffs it, then walks away. And we know that his stomach is upset: typically he gets into something outside and eats it upsetting that tender bully gastrointestinal track. Feed your pets at regular time frames, maintain that consistency and it will be easier to spot a problem earlier.

Sometimes running parallel with the loss of appetite is a less active than normal pet. When Bishop's stomach bothers him, he is also a bit subdued and not his normal effervescent upbeat bull. Again, when he is quiet, we start looking a little closer. Try not to confuse this with a dog that is simply getting older when they naturally become less active.

Bufo Toad Poisoning

2009-10-26T19:14:00.003-04:00

Recently a friend of ours contacted us and said that they thought their dog had grabbed a toad. They had heard that toads could be deadly but they weren't sure what to do. Yes, certain species of toads do secrete a very toxic substance that is highly toxic to dogs and cats. The substance is a defense mechanism: when the toad is grabbed (jaws of a predator for example), they secrete the toxin which irritates the mucous membrane of the assailant and they release their grip.

Unfortunately, I have see this a number of times. Take the following steps if you think your dog or cat has come into contact with a toad.

1. wash their mouth out, taking care to rinse the gums thoroughly

2. After rinsing, look carefully at the gums - they should be pink. If the gums are a fiery red, that means the dog has absorbed the toxin and it is crucial that you get to an emergency room.

Symptoms are excessive salivation, restlessness,. If left untreated, dogs will seizure, develop irregular heartbeats and in some cases, die from the toxins.

Keep your pets safe and keep wagging!

Smoking Cigarettes and Your Pets

2009-08-27T20:09:00.013-04:00

A number of clients that we see at the hospital are smokers. How do I know? Their pets reak of cigarettes.

According to the American Cancer Society, second-hand smoke is responsible for:

- an estimated 46,000 deaths from heart disease in non-smokers who live with smokers
- about 3,400 lung cancer deaths in non-smoking adults
other breathing problems in non-smokers, including - coughing, mucus, chest discomfort, and reduced lung function
- 150,000 to 300,000 lung infections (such as pneumonia and bronchitis) in children younger than 18 months of age, which result in 7,500 to 15,000 hospitalizations annually
- increases in the number and severity of asthma attacks in about 200,000 to 1 million children who have asthma
more than 750,000 middle ear infections in children.

There isn't much difference between our lungs and our pet's lungs! Just like humans, our furry friends are also susceptible to lung disease due to second hand smoke.

We've discussed this at a hospital before and we bring it up to our clients that in the best interest of their pets, we recommend that they do not smoke around them.

Even if you choose not to stop smoking (come on people!), maybe you could smoke outside, away from your pet.

These animals don't have a choice. Make the right choice for them!

Keep Wagging and keep your kids (both kinds) safe and healthy.

Monique

Equine Spirit Sanctuary

2009-08-13T21:12:00.005-04:00

I recently visited the Equine Spirit Sanctuary in beautiful Taos, New Mexico and met a wonderful person in Ruth Bourgeois who happens to be the director there. Ruth was very gracious with her time and gave us a tour of the wonderful facility. They do wonderful work there but, predictably, they are understaffed and underfunded! No surprise there! I encourage you to visit their website and see what they are about.

I posted a video so you can see what a beautiful home these horses have...and I encourage you to make a donation! I know times are tough but these are also tough times for some of these horses! Many are brought to the facility after being with someone for 10, 15, 20 years...because the families that raised them can no longer afford to keep them! In fact, there is a timely and informative article in DVM magazine about the impact the economy has had on horses...you can read it here.

Ruth introduced us to Soxy, Bindy and Ginger among others...all were magnificent creatures and you can look for more video to appear shortly!

Keep wagging everyone!

Dog Nail Trimming Part II

2009-06-30T20:27:00.004-04:00

One of the most viewed of our videos is our series on trimming your dogs nails. Yes, we’re also shooting a video on how to trim your cats nails! One question that I hear frequently at the animal hospital is “how often should I trim my dog or cats nails?”

First, we need to understand why it is important to trim your dog or cats nails. I’ve seen some dogs that are brought in that have nails that haven’t been trimmed in a very long time and are actually curling back around into their paw! Obviously for health reasons, this is not a good thing. That’s why reason why you want to trim your dog or cats nails: Health.

If your pets nails are overgrown, they can quickly develop other problems with their hip or back. Bone and joint problems are also common in dogs that have been neglected. Ingrown nails can lead to bleeding, infections and it’s all downhill from their.

Trimming nails does not have to be traumatic experience for your dog or cat. Frequently it’s as traumatic for a pet owner as it is for a dog or cat. As I mention in my videos, you should get your dog used to having his feet touched. This is one of the biggest obstacles…many simply don’t like it…so the sooner that you can get them used to their paws being touched, gently squeezed or groomed, the easier it will be to trim them.

Many owners are reluctant to clip their dog or cats nails. Either they have never attempted to trim their dog or cats nails, attempted but ended up nicking the quick (the blood vessel running through part of the nail) and the dog bled. This can be traumatic for both you and the dog or cat. And of course, the minute they see you with the clippers again, they'll clear out of the room. Which is understandable. Particular if you have a dog or cat that doesn't like to have his/her feet handled.

Some like clippers. Some like grinders/sanders (Dremmel). I use both. I use the clippers to take off the majority of what I'm trimming, then use the sander to smooth out the sharp edges. I say use what is comfortable and if you are comfortable trimming their nails, I recommend having your vet do it.

Of course, getting back to the question: How often? Depends on your dog or cat and what they walk on. Dogs in New York City rarely get their nails trimmed (assuming they're allowed to walk outside on the concrete). Holding all things constant, I would say a general rule of thumb would be every 4 weeks.

Have a great day and keep wagging!

Cat Food Recall

2009-05-29T19:22:00.000-04:00

We wanted you to be aware of the following food recall from Nutro Products:

Franklin, Tennessee (May 21, 2009) -- Today, Nutro Products announced a voluntary recall of select varieties of NUTRO(R) NATURAL CHOICE(R) COMPLETE CARE(R) Dry Cat Foods and NUTRO(R) MAX(R) Cat Dry Foods with "Best If Used By Dates" between May 12, 2010 and August 22, 2010. The cat food is being voluntarily recalled in the United States and ten additional countries. This recall is due to incorrect levels of zinc and potassium in our finished product resulting from a production error by a US-based premix supplier.

Two mineral premixes were affected. One premix contained excessive levels of zinc and under-supplemented potassium. The second premix under-supplemented potassium. Both zinc and potassium are essential nutrients for cats and are added as nutritional supplements to NUTRO(R) dry cat food.

This issue was identified during an audit of our documentation from the supplier. An extensive review confirmed that only these two premixes were affected. This recall does not affect any NUTRO(R) dog food products, wet dog or cat food, or dog and cat treats.

Affected product was distributed to retail customers in all 50 states, as well as to customers in Canada, Mexico, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Israel. We are working with all of our distributors and retail customers, in both the US and internationally, to ensure that the recalled products are not on store shelves. These products should not be sold or distributed further.

Consumers who have purchased affected product should immediately discontinue feeding the product to their cats, and switch to another product with a balanced nutritional profile. While we have received no consumer complaints related to this issue, cat owners should monitor their cat for symptoms, including a reduction in appetite or refusal of food, weight loss, vomiting or diarrhea. If your cat is experiencing health issues or is pregnant, please contact your veterinarian.

Consumers who have purchased product affected by this voluntary recall should return it to their retailer for a full refund or exchange for another NUTRO(R) dry cat food product. Cat owners who have more questions about the recall should call 1-800-833-5330 between the hours 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM CST.

Remember, this affects only NUTRO CAT food marked with the dates identified above. For more detailed product information, visit www.nutroproducts.com and click on "recall". Please direct any questions about the food to the 800# listed above.

Sincerely,
Monique and the Nose Prints Family

Dogs, eating, and exercise

2009-05-10T20:13:00.006-04:00

From time to time you may hear the term "bloat"...and if you are unfamiliar, please read this and watch the video. I'll also provide a link with more detailed information at the end of this post.

My husband, being the clueless type (he would be the first to admit this - in fact, he just received his certification in Florida, making it the third state he has been certified (8A-1) in cluelessness), recently fed the dogs and took them out to play. Yes, it was probably only 90 degrees and about an hour after they ate. In his defense, he believed they had not been fed yet. Well, flash forward 30 minutes after the dogs came inside - and Tuna is pacing around, panting. This I would have expected of Bishop - it takes him a long time to relax and settle down after coming inside but Big Tuna, she settles down in minutes. She was laying on her side and panting, the later being the unusual behavior. I noticed she looked...well, unusually rotund. I poked her abdomen and it barely moved. I realized, to my horror, that she may be experiencing "bloat"...a scenario where a dogs stomach actually twists and pinches off the blood flow to the lower intestines. Long story short, we drove to the emergency clinic and stopped on the way to pick up Mylanta - this actually helped her burp and pass gas...if they can do that, they are not bloating.

Here is an excellent site for information on Bloat. I would encourage you to pass this information along - so few pet owners are aware of this very serious condition!

Cocoa Mulch toxicity in dogs

2009-05-05T22:26:00.005-04:00

I know...I know...it's springtime and everyone wants to have their lawns and yards looking their finest...which means landscaping. Weeding. Mulching. Pesticides. Actually, I'm only concerned with the mulch aspect of landscaping today. Specifically, Cocoa mulch. You see, Cocoa mulch (and I'm sure its a very fine product as far as mulch goes) is not necessarily a good thing to have around a yard if you have a dog in your family. Cocoa mulch is toxic to dogs. And no, this isn't one of those wild internet rumors that rear their head every couple of years. This one has some substance. You can also check out this link here to verify the toxicity risk.

Cleaning a Dogs skin part 2

2009-04-21T21:44:00.006-04:00

Okay...I promised you more and here is an issue that plagues many dogs with funky tails. Since a lot of bulldogs have corkscrew or just downright bizarre tails, they require a bit more care than most. Using Mr. Bishop as an example, we have to make sure that we clean around his big fold of skin above his tail. This is the area most prone to infection and he can't clean it...so it leaves it up to us. We know when it is bothering him when he turns his head from side to side as if something were bitting his rump...but usually it means his skin is acting up a bit and we missed a cleaning or two. So watch the video and learn how easy it is to clean and maintain healthy skin on your dog! A clean dog with infection free skin is a happy dog. My father used to say this all the time when I was growing up and we never owed a dog. Odd man but now I know what he meant. Keep Wagging!

Caring for Bulldog Skin

2009-04-19T22:53:00.004-04:00

I've spoken in the past about the issues that pure breeds pose. Everything from surgeries to repair bad knees, backs and hips to allergies. I'm going to show you how to take care of bulldog skin. Actually any dog that has wrinkles needs to have her/his skin cleaned but most pet owners are not aware of this. If they don't take care of the skin properly, their dog can end up with a nasty infection that can quickly become a very serious problem. So if you see a red inflamed area around a fold, time to wipe it out and clean. If a dogs face smells unusually bad, time to clean their face. Good rule of thumb: clean their face by wiping with a baby wipe or wet gauze at least twice a week. Minimum. Watch the video below to give you an idea of how to do this very easy procedure and keep your dog happy and healthy! Keep wagging!

miracle dog swims six miles

2009-04-12T23:47:00.003-04:00

I have to share this incredible story with you. Just when you think you've heard a story about a dog or a cats resilience...there comes another story that makes your jaw drop. And this is one of those stories. Apparently this dog fell overboard and swam six miles...okay, I won't spoil the rest but you can check out the story here: _ http://tiny.cc/QNwLe

Dogs and cats...okay, not just dogs or cats but all animals...they continue to amaze me with their survival instincts and skills. I can only imagine how the owner reacted when she got word that her dog was alive! This is a wonderful story!

Whimsical clip of the week

2009-03-29T15:22:00.004-04:00

Big Tuna...lets see how I can put this? She does not possess the most intimidating growl to would be intruders. Okay, I should be fair and say that I have no idea what she is trying to communicate with this growl...its always accompanied by a shake of the head and the pursed lips...always the pursed lips. So it may be a play thing. Anyhow, when you hear it, the first instinct is to pinch her ample cheeks rather than run. Too damn cute.

What do Barkology products and Evil laughter have to do with each other?

2009-03-23T20:12:00.003-04:00

Feel free to blame my husband for this one. He insisted that I post this for the "whimsical" value...I still have no idea what he is referring to. This was a commercial for our Barkology products that he put together but ultimately never distributed. But he insisted that the laugh should be heard by the masses and that I should indulge him just this once. Again.

Canine Acupuncture

2009-03-19T21:29:00.007-04:00

Here's a subject which we haven't talked about yet but you should definitely be aware of. Acupuncture has been around seemingly forever and in the past couple of years the use of acupuncture on our four legged companions has become increasingly popular. Acupuncuture is used for treating a variety of ailements as well as a preventative treatement.

Noseprints recently paid a visit to Dr. Gary Zinderman of the Animal Health and Healing Center. You can watch video of Tucker the wonder daschund undergoing treatment for his chronic back pain. Some dogs are prone to back issues and one look at a Daschund and you understand why they have back issues. They have no legs and are basically a tube with a head and a tail. Okay, maybe not that bad but the elongated body and hence spine just scream "back problems just around the corner". What is also very interesting is that acupuncture is used on larger mammals (excluding my cousin Vinnie) as well. In fact, check out the video below on the comparison of needles used on a dog and those used on a horse. The equine acupuncture segment will be posted in a few weeks.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact myself or Dr. Gary Zinderman and we'll get you some answers.

Keep Wagging everybody!

spaying and neutering dogs and cats

2009-03-08T20:45:00.003-04:00

I have to share one of our newest shirts with you because not only is it a beautiful shirt, it also carries a serious message. Stylish and serious...who would have thunk?

The spay and neuter shirt from Barkology not only is a beautiful design with a wonderful charcoal drawing on the front...but it also has the one message that needs to be everyones mantra: spay and neuter. Spay and neuter. Spay and neuter.

Why? Let me whack you upside the head with the following:

The Humane Society of the United States estimates that more than 40 million American households own at least one dog and that more than 38 million own at least one cat. However, millions more unwanted animals are homeless. By having your pet spayed or neutered, you can make sure not to add to the number of unwanted pets and protecting your pet's health at the same time.

Now, for those unfamiliar with the concept of spaying and neutering, let this serve as your primer.

Female dogs and cats are usually spayed around the age of 6 months, preferably before their first heat. Spaying is a surgical procedure in which the uterus and both ovaries are removed. In addition to ensuring that your pet will not have puppies or kittens, spaying provides a number of additional health benefits. Spaying removes the risk of uterine cancer and dramatically reduces the risk of mammary cancer (common in older intact female dogs and cats), especially if it is done before the first heat. Also, spayed animals cannot develop uterine infections or complications due to pregnancy.

Neutering of male pets is also usually done around the age of six months and involves surgically removing the testicles. This surgery does not change your pet's behavior in any negative ways, but it does cut down on the male's desire to roam away from home to find a female. Neutering also dramatically reduces the risk of prostate diseases (including cancer), which are common in older, intact male dogs. I can't tell you how many males (0f the human variety) object to their dogs being "fixed"...they're not thinking about the dogs. They're only thinking about whatever hangup it is that makes men do such things. So guys, remember: it's not about you, it's about your dogs health. And preventing more dogs that needs homes and won't get them.

Both surgeries are performed under general anesthesia, but most pets recover quickly in just a day or two. Your veterinarian will provide instructions for caring for your pet at home after the surgery. For example, you'll need to restrict your pet's activity for a week or two to allow healing to occur. Most pets can return to their usual routine around the time that their sutures are removed.

You can check out Barkology on Nose Prints' web site!

Keep Wagging everybody!

Pied-billed Grebe

2009-02-17T20:24:00.005-05:00

Be still.

You would be surprised what you see when you just stop. And look...pay attention to life around you.

From time to time, I like to remind myself to just...slow down and take in life. Its very easy to get caught up in things and, in a totally oblivious state, take for granted the unique life swirling about you. Case in point. My husband and I went kayaking (without the dogs) and sort of blowing through the river, not really taking in the beautiful life forms around us. We decided to just stop and take a moment...and what do we see? Something that looked like a duck...but not. We drifted along, following the little guy. He had the most unique way of submerging...just sort of slowly going straight down, almost as if he were being pulled straight down. Fortunately, we were able to get a good shot of him on video...we had to look him up and I found out what he was: a pied-billed Grebe.

Take a look at this cutey:

Turtle Rescue

2009-02-15T17:53:00.009-05:00

I am looking forward to the time that I never have to rescue a turtle that has been hit by a car. It happens way too often.

Approximately one year ago, we rescued a turtle that was hit by a car as he/she was attempting to cross the road. Yes, to get to the other side. I grabbed him and he didn't look so good. His shell was cracked and he was bleeding. I brought him to the hospital, had x rays taken and saw that he had a nasty crack in his shell. The crack in his shell is easier to see in the photo at left...it's on the right side, middle of the shell. You can also see where some of the shell was rubbed off from the road. We brought him home and released him in our pond. That was one year ago. We finally saw him for the first time several days ago. Happily sunning himself with a couple of other smaller models. It was so nice to see that he survived. We've rescued a number of turtles but not all of them make it depending on the severity of their injuries. Anyhow, just wanted to share with you a happy success story! Keep wagging!

Yearly whimsical post featuring puppies

2009-02-04T20:23:00.005-05:00

From time to time i like to talk and show dogs being...just themselves. In this case, I ran across video from when Big Tuna was about a year old and was playing with Mr. Bishop our older male English bulldog and Frodo and Ruadh, two wonderful pit bulls and Tonka, a mutt (I think). Anyhow, pay attention the overweight white bio mass of a puppy that resembles an on demand water heater. That girl can swim!

Enjoy and keep wagging!

Car Travel and Your Dog (and Cats too!)

2009-02-03T21:03:00.001-05:00

This is the time of year that people, cooped up for most of the very long winter, want to escape for the weekend. Which means driving someone. With you four leggeds.

That ominous string music you here being queued up in the background doesn't have to be there. Sure, some dogs are a nightmare to travel with. Car sickness, barking, projectile vomiting on the windows....sometimes Dogs just don't travel well. But then there are the others that enjoy jumping in the car, ears flipping in the breeze, not a care in the world where they are headed, just that the pack is out and about. So yes, traveling with your dog can be a rewarding experience, particularly if you prepare ahead of time and ensure your pet's comfort during the trip.

Make sure that your dog is used to being in a car before you take them on a long journey. Begin by taking your pet for short trips and rewarding it with praise and a treat afterward. Avoid feeding your pet just before short rides.

Car (motion) sickness can make travel difficult for both you and your pet. Signs of motion sickness include restlessness, drooling, vomiting and in extreme cases, speaking in tongues. If can remember, please do yourself a favor and don't feed your dog for 5-6 hours before long trips. If necessary, your veterinarian can prescribe medication to relieve your anxious pet's discomfort.

Dogs should ride inside the car rather than inside a camper or in the bed of a pickup truck. Restrict your dog's movement so that it cannot interfere with the driver. Special harnesses and car seats are widely available. Do not let your dog stick its head out the window, which can lead to eye injuries. You may recall in one of my videos that the buddy belt has a built in area to clip a seat belt into. If you don't recall, I'll help you by posting the video here:

Remember to stop for regular breaks every few hours to give your dog a chance to exercise, relieve him/herself, and have a drink of water. Secure your pet with a leash before opening the vehicle door, and pay attention to pet restrictions at rest stops.

Never, never, never leave any animal in a parked vehicle in warm weather, no matter how briefly. The inside temperature can skyrocket to a dangerous level in a few short minutes, even with the windows cracked open. This can lead to heat stroke, brain damage, and death very quickly. Conversely, you don't want to leave them in a car when it is 2 degrees either. Just use common sense.

Many lodging facilities accommodate pets, but be sure to check pet policies and make arrangements well in advance of your travel date.

Keep Wagging!

Caring for your Elderly Dog or Cat

2009-01-17T07:17:00.000-05:00

Let's face it. As we embrace dogs and cats as members of our families, they are living longer, happier lives. And just like humans, as our dogs and cats get older, their health gradually deteriorates. As caretakers, we need to be tuned into what is going on with them since they can't speak to us. Or put another way, they can speak, we just have to learn the language by being cognizant of their behavior and keenly watching them for signs that will tell us if we need to care for them differently.

One of the more obvious adjusments we need to make both as humans and for our four legged companions is that as we become less active, we need to modify our diet AND excercise. We don't need as much fuel so we don't (or shouldn't) take in as much. Weight gain can have serious ramifications for both of us. Overweight dogs have a better chance of injuring a knee and it puts more strain on arthritic joints. A lighter older dog will be much happier and more pain free if they're not lugging around the equivalent of a microwave on their body in the form of extra weight. They don't need to work on their winter layer. That's why they have (or should) a nice, warm comfortable bed. That being said, you should keep them (and yourself) as active as possible within limitations. In other words, you probably don't want your 18 year old lab jumping for frisbees. A walk is probably just fine. And remember the dog massage therapy that I discussed awhile ago? This might make for a wonderful treat for your older dog and cat!

Pay attention to their grooming habits. As our cat Blanche hit 17 years of age, she began to have difficulty cleaning some of the areas of her body. This could have been due to arthritis (no, she wasn't fat). Be sure to brush them and groom them a bit more than usual. And by doing so, you'll notice small differences in skin condition or other things that may alert you to other conditions that may be present (fleas, dander, weight loss etc.).

One of the biggest indications that something is going on will be a change in your dog or cats habits. If they stop grooming, eating, socializing with you or playing, if they begin to vomit, lose weight or stop drinking, or drink in excess. All of these are signs that it's time to get a physical and see what is driving the behavior. Water is key. Our first bullie Maggie began to drink more water than usual and that was the que that I had to bring her in. And it turned out that this was the beginning stage of her renal failure.

Always check with your vet to confirm any suspicions you may have or just to monitor how your dog or cat is holding up. Your pet should have a full physical exam at LEAST once per year. If your pet is a senior (over 7, 5 for giant dogs) then they should be seen at LEAST twice per year. These guys age very quickly so more frequent exams are warranted. The quicker you can diagnose a chronic problem, the better it is for your dog, cat and you.

We were able to have Maggie in our life a bit longer because we caught her renal failure early and began giving her fluids both a.m. and p.m. at home. It became our ritual where she would come over and sit in front of us as we pulled out the fluid bag. She was a good girl and got her treats. One important issue (which will will discuss in a another post) is where do you draw the line with trying to keep an animal in your life.

Till next time, Keep Wagging!

New Year and a time to give thanks

2009-01-01T18:21:00.004-05:00

The start of a new year is a time for most of us to be reflective...take stock of our lives, give thanks and look forward to our lives unfolding for hopefully another year. And unfortunately, there is the other side of the equation that balances out the happy part. Loss.

And today, we lost a beloved member of our four legged family, T2, our rescue African Spur Thighed tortoise. I will save specifics for another post but T2 succumbed to pneumonia.

I know grieving the loss of a reptile becomes an easy target to mock ("It's a frickin' tortoise for Christ's sake!"), but everyone defines family differently. If my friend loves her family of Koi fish and grieves over the loss of one of them, who am I to apply my definition of family to theirs? Grief is grief, loss is loss. And of course, loss helps refocus your attention to the things that you take for granted. Loss gives meaning to what you have.

So, today, I am thankful that I and the rest of my family are healthy. I am thankful that both my husband and I have jobs and a home that isn't being foreclosed on. And of course, we are happy that we did have T2 in our lives for a half decade or so.

I leave you with one final thought. I read today that one of Katie Courics regrets was not telling her husband that she loved him twenty times a day.

So don't wait to lose someone or something to tell them what they mean to you. Be thankful for everything you have in your life and keep wagging baby, keep wagging!

Pet Myth: Spaying or neutering leads to weight gain

2008-12-30T21:07:00.000-05:00

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

2008-12-14T21:53:00.003-05:00

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

2008-12-04T20:29:00.005-05:00

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

2008-12-04T20:02:00.004-05:00

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

2008-11-23T20:38:00.006-05:00

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

2008-11-23T20:04:00.007-05:00

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

2008-11-16T12:47:00.004-05:00

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:

To provide a standardized evaluation for hip dysplasia.
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:

Excellent
Good
Fair
Borderline
Mild Hip Dysplasia
Moderate Hip Dysplasia
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.

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.
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.).
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

2008-11-16T12:12:00.011-05:00

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

2008-11-06T20:45:00.005-05:00

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

2008-11-06T20:42:00.007-05:00

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

2008-09-25T16:57:00.006-04:00

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)

2008-09-23T20:08:00.012-04:00

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

2008-09-17T08:33:00.001-04:00

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?

2008-09-07T12:33:00.005-04:00

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

2008-09-05T19:32:00.002-04:00

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!

2008-09-02T22:16:00.000-04:00

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

2008-09-02T20:07:00.001-04:00

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

2008-09-01T09:10:00.010-04:00

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.

Article

Non Anesthetic dentals

2008-08-27T22:01:00.006-04:00

Now there is one of my favorite topics and it inevitably ruffles some feathers. For the last 2 years, I've had the pleasure of witnessing and participating in numerous non anesthetic dental procedures.

For those of you unfamiliar with them, it's just what it sounds like: your dog or cat has a dental procedure without being put under anesthesia. Now, this is where the controversy comes in.

There are very few qualified individuals in the United States who have been properly trained and can perform non anesthetic dental procedures. As far as my personal experience, I can vouch for Pet Dental Services. No, I'm not being paid or compensated in any manner from them. I just know qualified, professional work when I see and experience it.

The benefits are obvious. You, the client, save money by not having to put your dog or cat under expensive anesthesia. 2. Your fur kid is much safer not having to go under. Granted, anesthesia is far safer than it used to be but there is always a risk (just like there is for humans) when going under.

Many vets do not approve of these procedures. Why? The reasons typically given are that the procedures aren't safe or the individuals haven't been properly trained. The first thing I always think about when I hear someone criticize a procedure is "have you ever seen one performed?
Most vets who voice their opposition have NEVER SEEN A PROCEDURE PERFORMED! This is not unlike someone criticizing a movie without having seen it.

Now factor in the following: Josh states that in ... years of performing these procedures, he has never had a problem. Want to take that with a grain of salt? Fine, let me give you another factoid kibble to gnosh on: In my two years at the hospital, we have had over 700 NADS performed without any issues. Okay, maybe one. My cat Monkey was a bit too ornery to have one performed.

In an effort to cut through the misinformation and ignorance, I received permission to shoot this procedure performed on Buster, a standard poodle.

What gives non anesthetic dental procedures a bad name:
Like anything else that you can think of (car mechanic, engineer, plumber, surgeon), if someone is not properly trained, they are not qualified to perform the task they are stating they can perform. And that is the crux of the problem. There are many people out there who say they can perform non anesthetic dental procedures. The problem? As I mentioned earlier, I can count on one hand how many people can perform these procedures safely.

I can't stress this enough: do your homework, ask questions, check qualifications and you'll minimize your chances of ever having issues!

Keep Wagging!

Traveling with your Dog or Cat

2008-08-25T19:23:00.000-04:00

As we wind down the summer, there are still many humans who are planning trips...yes, trips where you will be driving (we will cover flying in a later post) with your dog or cat. Or Dogs. As someone who has traveled with my dogs, cats and iguana (It wasn't pretty) in addition to dealing with clients every day who ask me for advice on traveling with their dog or cats (no iguanas), I feel that I something of value to pass along.

Always, always have Identification. Not just for yourself, but for Mr. Barkie Vonn Schnauser (hereafter "your dog or cat"). I'm not just talking about a tag on their dog or cat collar, I'm also talking about having them microchipped if they are not already. Why you ask? Well, with some collars that are not as well made or simply worn...they can break off or get snagged on a branch or some other object...and voila! Whose dog is this? And some dogs clearly have a Houdini like knack for shimmying out of their collars like an Emerald Green Boa shedding its skin.

In the case of losing a dog or cat collar, you must have a back up plan. And that is your micro chip. You hope that whomever finds your dog or cat will bring them to the veterinarian and have them checked (the dog, not the vet) for a micro chip. You can never be too safe.

Secondly, you will want to make sure your dog or cat is up to date on vaccines - and have proof that they are. Why? When driving from state to state, you can be pulled over and an Officer of the Law may want to see a health certificate for your dog or cat. Sometimes you can usually get away with your vaccine records. Don't have those records handy? Well, let me tell you a little story. You've probably heard about the couple from Racine, Wisconsin traveling to Boca Raton, Florida to see family and yes, they brought Derrick, their Dog, (cute little boxer - bulldog mix). Stop me if you've heard this one before. No? Okay. Predictably, worst case scenario follows. The couple is pulled over in South Carolina, which, unbeknowst to them happens to have the most stringent pet vaccine documentation laws on the books in the United States. The flustered, disbelieving couple could not produce any evidence that their dog Derrick had been vaccinated nor that they even owned (I hate that word) him. In a fit of anger, one owner who will go unnamed raised his voice and wackiness ensues. Bottom line, aforementioned owner spends two days in jail, Derrick spends 5 days in a gulag like kennel until things are straightened out. The couple, vacation ruined, never complete the trip to see the in laws and end up getting divorced two months later from the lingering he said/she said resentment over the incident. Okay, so this event never occurred but you get the point. Being asked for documentation is rare but it has been known to happen.

Carsickness - you will know your pet best: do they like traveling in a car? If they tend to get stressed out, chances are that they will get an upset stomach and, yes, vomit. Or at the very least foam at the mouth a bit. So, do them and you a favor. If you're going to take your dog with you, talk to your vet about something that you can give them to calm them down. There are even natural remedies that you can pursue to help calm your dog. I have no experience with the holistic remedies for treating stressed dogs and cats but I have heard about the use of ginger or a botanical supplement known as "five-flower remedy" that is a synergistic blend of flower essences. This blend is marketed under a number of brand names but it was first developed in the 1930's by one Dr. Edward Bach. You can find this at many natural food and herbal supplement stores. As with any medication or treatment, please consult your vet before making any decisions.

Remember, when traveling with your dog or cat, the more prepared you are, the less you will have to deal with unpleasant surprises. Talk to you soon!

Healing Hands

2008-08-21T21:49:00.008-04:00

Touch heals. If you've ever received a massage, I want you to close your eyes for a moment and think about how good it felt. Whether as maintenance or to treat injuries, humans have always used massage to heal themselves. So let me say this again: Touch heals.

And what is good for humans is good for our four legged companions (or furkids if you prefer). We have basically the same bodies; nerves, muscle, fascia...there's not much difference among the structural components between dogs and humans. Now think of all the benefits associated with massage and if you've had a massage, you will recognize that stress reduction, pain relief and removing toxins that have accumulated in muscle tissue are a few of the more frequently mentioned.

You may notice that pet massage (dogs and cats) is now being offered in some clinics or by individuals properly trained who will travel to your home. The holistic trend in human care is a template for the animals we share our lives with. Consequently, practices like acupuncture and massage are showing up more frequently at the clinics that we frequent."

There are obvious concerns that may make some of you reluctant to travel down this path with your dog or cat. How do you know if someone is qualified? I can only offer the following: do your home work and ask questions. The individual performing massage therapy should be certified and a member of the International Association of Animal Massage and Bodywork.

Check out the video below. This is a compressed version of a therapy session performed by Stevie, a young lass in the process of gaining her certification. And no, this isn't something you can fill out a form on line and get certified. You have to attend classes, you must learn anatomy, etc. Serious stuff and it should be.

When Stevie comes over, the first thing she will do is take our English Bulldog Big Tuna for a walk and watch her. That's right. She watches her walking. Why? Because she is trained to watch an animals gait...she readily picks up that Big Tuna on some days will favor one leg or perhaps walk a bit stiffly, sort of like my husband does in the morning.

This of course is the information she needs to digest in order to determine what she is going to work on. In Tuna's case, she has had surgery on one knee and is awaiting surgery on the other (one reason to adopt a mutt: cost savings that could result in purchasing a second home. In cash). So there is typically a muscle spasm or tightness due to her overcompensating for the gimpy knee.

Don't dismiss or underestimate the value of a massage for your dog or cat. This is particularly important if your dog or cat is older or recovering from surgery (see my blog titled: post surgery) but in general it's also not a bad thing to do. Treat your dog or cat special and they'll live longer. And if you question if this is spoiling your dog or cat, keep in mind that they are helping you to live longer.

Keep Wagging folks.

Meds for you Dogs and Cats

2008-08-21T21:40:00.000-04:00

I am surprised by how many people do not know this...but I've also been in the industry as a vet tech and practice manager....and sometimes forget. It is only when my Neanderthal like husband brings something up that I realize...

My husband was surprised when I told him that he couldn't give Bishi half of .....I informed him that the easy way to tell was if the medication is segmented (IOW, it has a line through the middle to make it easier to break in half), it is okay to break it up. As he furrowed his meaty brow and grunted, I knew further explanation was needed. I informed him that when it is segmented, the medication is evenly distributed; when it is not, the medicine could be concentrated in one half. And if you gave the wrong half...just remember;

Summer Heat and exercising your Dog

2008-08-19T20:50:00.000-04:00

Dogs, like humans, need to exercise. Lots of it. And the benefits are two fold: one, it allows you to bond with your dog. In fact, when I arrive home, my two English Bulldogs are waiting to play. Yes, instead of going to the bathroom, Big Tuna hovers over her volleyball and Mr. B grabs his basketball and starts doing that growly talking thing he does. Yes, that sound at the end of my videos on noseprints.net? That's Bishop. But I digress.

They need and crave exercise as much as we do or else, surprise, they tend to be lethargic, overweight and somewhat depressed. Sound familiar?

So, the second level that this works on (bonding was the first in case my diatribe wandered too far from my original point) is it keeps both of you in shape and healthier. And if you are healthy, typically you are going to be happy. So, remember, don't chain your dog up outside. They need to run and they're social...they want to be with you. And they want to be active. The dog that is digging a hole in the back yard? Yea, he's trying to tell you something. Like, he's bored. Exercise him and the graves that he's digging will disappear.

A few caveats about exercise. If you live in a warm climate or it's summer, always, always bring water with you. We use very fashionable Travel Bowls that actually work! A brief illustration of how important it is to think about the heat and your animal. My husband and I were driving in South Florida during the summer...around noon for gods sake...and I see a boxer, on the verge of heat stroke, barely able to walk, attempting to follow his owner. Mind you, this is on A1A, at least a mile or two north of nowhere. So we cut across the median, cut across two lanes of traffic and ask him if he needs help. Actually we jumped out and fortunately had ice and water (just coming back from a hike) and bathed his dog in the ice to bring down the temperature. With my nostrils flaring I asked him what he thought he was doing and he said he wanted to grab some beer and took his boxer with him. Walking, in the heat, at noon, several miles. Fortunately the dog survived although for a minute I thought he wouldn't. I've seen plenty of dogs die at the hospital because their owners took them on a boat or out during the day without exercising caution.

So, if you must, and I would encourage you to wait until dawn or dusk, please pay attention to their behavior. Panting, out of breath? Time to take a break. And if they are not used to the activity (i.e. beginning their new active lifestyle), take it easy. Don't run them until they drop...because they will. They're all heart and they want to play! So, go for walks, then work your way up to tossing a ball, jogging etc. And, remember the water!

Another very important thing to keep in mind: Short nosed dogs ("Brachycephalic") which would include my bullies, pugs...all those squashed face guys that are too bloody cute...they have a hard time of it in the heat. They simply are not built for it. So as much as you might want to show off your child to friends, don't bring them to the beach at noon. In florida. Yes, I'm not kidding. I've seen it. You've got a bunch of people with sandals bopping down to the beach and the dog (no sandals, tender pads) tying to figure out why the hell his feet are on fire and why his owner is dragging him across a desert. So think about them. Keep them safe and healthy and you'll enjoy a long life together.

Mars Dog food recall Update

2008-08-17T19:47:00.000-04:00

I was just notified about a correction to the limtited voluntary recall of PEDIGREE Complete Nutrition Small Crunch Bites sold at Albertsons. The stores in question are in Southern California and Las Vegas. At this time, the reason being given is potential Salmonella contamination but there are a couple of corrections that Mars Petcare US has issued in a statement. You can view the press release and the entire list of stores in california selling the Pedigree Dog food at this link:
http://petcare.mars.com/

Leatherback turtles in St. Croix

2008-08-06T20:13:00.002-04:00

Now, before we delve into Dog and Cat related topics I thought I would share what proved to be a singular experience for me. I traveled to St. Croix with Dr. Mettee, a veterinarian who works with exotics. She was contacted to evaluate the condition of a nesting Leatherback turtle that had possibly been hit by a boat (specially, the prop). This seemed to be the case even though the wound had healed. The complication was that the original injury had cut through her shell and apparently partially severed one of her oviducts. Now that she was coming ashore to nest, her eggs were not exiting her body due to the scar tissue and were being deposited into a cavity. The risk of course was one of infection and eventual necrotic tissue. The first two times she came up the wonderful fish and game workers on the island were able to push most of the eggs out of the pocket and back into the oviduct where they passed into the nest.

Since leatherbacks typically come up every 9 to ten days they expected her back shortly (she had already been up twice). We had a very short window for her third trip. unfortunately she never returned and in all probability died of an infection, impaction or fell victim to the numerous sharks patrolling the beachs. The thought was that by the time we arrived, we would meet her when she came ashore, hoist her up, evaluate the injury and perform surgery on her.

However, the trip was not without positive elements. We did find a healthy leatherback population nesting on the island (check out the picture of the big girl below...and no, we did not have lights out there to take the pictures...this has been enhanced via photoshop/picasa)....we also witnessed two groups of hatchlings and assisted some of them in finding the water (due to Light pollution) - amazing as it may seem, there is light pollution on the islands. On one cloudy night, the hatchlings started back up the beach, away from the ocean toward a set of lights....this obviously underscores how sensitive they are to artificial lights. And the lights weren't close to us! Another positive was in meeting a group of dedicated and absolutely wonderful Fish and Game people who have been working on the islands!

Next time I am going to discuss performing dental procedures on dogs and cats...without the use of anesthetics....stay tuned!

What is Nose Prints and Why should I keep wagging?

2008-08-06T19:45:00.001-04:00

My name is Monique and I am the proud owner of www.noseprints.net, an online pet boutique specializing in cat and dog related products. I have over twenty plus years working as a veterinary technician and practice manager. Did I also mention that I am passionate about animals!?!

So, it goes without saying that I bring a certain gravitas to my subjects but I keep it lighthearted too. On my site, you will find unique dog products, such as Nose Prints very own line of dog collars. You will also find products for cats and informative pet related videos. My videos range from introducing new dog products, or even not so new but innovative dog products like the Buddy Belt. I'll also discuss cat and dog related health issues and answer customer queries regarding their dogs and cats. And we also have unique features coming up in the next month or so: introducing Pet dental procedures without the use of anesthetic as well as profiling dog massage techniques. Stick with me, we're going to have fun!

Why should you keep wagging? Let me put it this way: whenever an event occurs in your life (doesn't matter what it is) you basically have two choices on how to react to it. You can look at it in a positive light or you can cast it in the shadows of negativity. There is absolutely nothing to be gained from the negative aspects of anything. So make a positive choice and keep wagging.