Bufo Toad Poisoning

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

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

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

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!