Stopping dogs from inhaling their food

Some dogs – especially labs and beagles – truly “wolf” their food down. The bowl goes down – gulp, gulp, done. Often that’s followed by choke, puke – repeat as necessary. If you didn’t know better, you’d swear the poor thing is starving.

When it comes to food, dogs are designed different than we are – because they’ve got an incredible sense of smell, they’re more olfactory focused than we are. And because they have fewer taste buds, flavour really isn’t that important to them. They don’t need to chew and savour every morsel. Humans have flat teeth, designed for chewing and mixing food with saliva. Dogs are designed to kill, tear and cut (nasty huh), then swallow – digestion happens later in their very acidic stomach.

There’s a genetic component to this too. In times of food scarcity, your dog’s ancestors had to eat fast to get their share and survive. It’s hard to pause that kind of genetic programming.

Since your dog doesn’t need to worry about where their next meal is coming from, and because they can choke or vomit when eating too fast, here are a couple of things you can do to slow them down. A simple trick is to turn a regular dog bowl upside down. As shown in the above photo, the dog has to surf around the bowl’s edges to reach every morsel. Another option is to add water to their kibble to make it mushy. If either of those options don’t work, try the scatter approach – simply throw the full portion of kibble onto the floor in a scattered pattern – not on a pile – so your dog is forced to find each and every morsel.

Read more about dog digestion at:

http://www.best-dog-food-guide.com/dog-digestion.html

http://www.iheartpaws.com/articles/59/1/How-Your-Dogs-Digestion-Works-By-Andrew-Lewis/Page1.html

http://www.dog-nutrition-naturally.com/dog-digestion.html

Spring has sprung, the grass has riz, I wonder where the dog poo is?

The snow is melting and with the beautiful sun and warmth, comes nasty blizzard poo. It’s that horrible stuff that got stuck under a winter blizzard resurfacing with the spring melt.

The best pooper scooper in the world isn’t actually a pooper scooper. It’s a reach extender. People with limited mobility use these extenders to pick up items from the floor or reach items from a top shelf. What engineers likely didn’t think about is that they’re also awesome at picking up dog poo too.

We get ours from a few places. The ones from Regal are consistently good – they work well, don’t get stuck, and last a long time. Peavy Mart and Liquidation World (on Park Street) also sell them, but some times the quality is a bit suspect, so they break easily or get stuck in a locked position, which clamps down too hard on your poo. (There’s not much worse than that, but hey, you’re reading a dog blog, so you know a thing or two about poo.)

A race straight for your heart: adopting a retired racing greyhound

Kim and her young family were looking for a perfect dog for their family. They thought long and hard about it, and had some very specific criteria in mind – a rescue, a bigger dog, one that would be good with young children, one that didn’t need too much extra exercise so it would fit into their already full schedule, already house trained, and with an aversion to chewing shoes – good thing she didn’t impulsively get a Golden puppy!

After looking at local shelters, nothing matched her needs. Kim’s friend recommended that she consider a retired racing greyhound. Originally, Kim thought they were high-energy and way too skinny for her taste, but she soon learned that a greyhound would be a perfect match. Retired racers are low-energy dogs who have been crated 23 hours each day, and like to sleep in soft places. They need a fenced yard so they can run for short bursts, and only require 30 – 60 minutes of walking each day. Many of them do not bark. They are even tempered. Their skin does not produce oil, so they hardly smell. They eat a lot, and may shed a great deal. They can never be let off leash in an unenclosed area, as their drive to run is incredibly strong. In spite of these potential drawbacks, Kim was intrigued. Her vet told her that because they are so calm and even tempered, U of S veterinary students often work on retired racing greyhounds – he also told Kim that they’re very sweet dogs.

Kim found Garfield at the Northwest Canadian Greyhound League. This gorgeous blue fawn dog with incredible toffee coloured eyes had been up for adoption for over three months. He was already neutered, and had been temperament tested for kids, small dogs, and cats, and was found to be safe with all of them. Kim talked with his foster mom, and as a final check NCGL arranged for a home visit from a local family who already had greyhounds. Kim’s family drove to Calgary, paid the $275 adoption fee, and Garfield was theirs.

When she first met him, Kim was intimidated. Garfield is incredibly well muscled, was scared in general, but more specifically of crowds and children, lacked confidence, and needed time to adjust. However, it didn’t take him long to decide that Kim was his. He wanted to be close to her – affectionately putting his head into her lap.

Shortly after, Kim and her children looked into getting a second dog. They turned to NCGL again. The group was looking for a foster home for Dawson, who didn’t like jumping on furniture. This time Kim’s family drove to Medicine Hat to pick up the pathetic looking Dawson. His coat was dull and he had a lot of dandruff. He was so skinny his ribs were sticking out. He had no muscle tone, and very little energy. Yet he leaned against her son, wanting to be petted. He didn’t know how to jump into the van, so Kim lifted him. They took him home, and put him on high-quality food. He was so loving and gentle, they fell in love with him, and decided to keep him. He still doesn’t jump up on couches or beds, but he has learned to enjoy car rides. Unfortunately, he enjoys getting into garbage and counter-surfing, things Garfield doesn’t do – so they have to be careful. He is very gentle and calm, and has been a good influence on Garfield, and he is very good with the kids.

Reading about retired racers really doesn’t prepare a family for one. According to Kim, Greyhounds don’t sit, and you really can’t teach them tricks. They are quietly affectionate – Dawson barks or leans into people when he wants to be petted. Garfield sticks his head in your lap or armpit. Garfield is very curious. Dawson is more inclined to let the world go by and trust that everything will be fine. They eat a lot, and need high quality food because their metabolisms are so fast. Kim gives them raw bones every week to keep their teeth and gums healthy, which is easier than brushing their teeth every day. She can leave them for 10 hours without accidents, and doesn’t crate them. Garfield waits on the stair landing, so he can see her come home. Both love running at the off-leash dog park. She finds them beautiful, inside and out – very different from the image of a competitive racing machine.

Kim and her family did everything right. Dogs are long-term commitments and they didn’t pick one up on impulse. They did their homework to get a temperament that matched their lifestyle, and they rescued rather than going to a pet store.

When you’re considering bringing a new dog into your home and into your life, take your time and do your homework. If you don’t find one that matches your family’s needs at your local shelter, check into breed-specific rescue groups. There are lots of them out there with thousands of beautiful dogs who are waiting to find their perfect new families, families just like yours.

A special thank you to Kim for providing so much rich information for this post.

- Louise

Dogs love green tripe

If you want to give your dogs something they’ll go ga ga about, try tripe.

White tripe is animal stomach. Green tripe includes the stomach’s content. It’s nasty stuff. My husband describes it as poop that hasn't hit the ground yet. I know – ewwww. It’s stinky. It’s called green tripe because it’s high in chlorophyll, but it’s actually more gray in colour.

It’s hard for any dog to resist the stuff. Even if they go on a hunger strike for most other foods, they’ll usually eat tripe either on its own or mixed in with other food.

You can buy it either canned or in fresh frozen patties from better pet food stores. I prefer the frozen stuff because there’s less stink involved when you feed it straight from the freezer.

Helping cats and dogs by fostering

Louise and her husband Kev fostered the "Dumpster Babies" – Murphy, Moggy and Mona – kittens who were found in a dumpster. These furry little babies were so young that their eyes weren't even open – likely less than a week old. Without a foster family, they would certainly have died. Louise loaded up with kitten milk, tiny kitten baby bottles, and an armload of clean laundry, and brought the young kittens home. After two months, the little fur babies were growing like weeds, using a litter box and ready for adoption. All three were adopted very quickly. Louise was extremely proud when she saw one of them months later still growing, happy and thriving.

Fostering is a good way to try a new pet for those who can’t make full-time pet commitments. Louise and Kev didn't have any pets at the time and she had never had a pet cat before, so it was a good way to test the waters. (She now has Jake dog and Daisy cat of her own.) Likewise for frequent travelers, it’s also a great option to have pets around during the non-traveling seasons.

The hardest part of fostering is knowing that despite your best efforts and all of the resources available, sometimes very young kittens and puppies aren't strong enough to make it. Foster parents become very attached very quickly, and for the primary care giver, it can be heart wrenching when they pass away. The consolation is in knowing that their last days were spent, warm, fed and very loved.

There are also health factors to consider especially for households with existing pets. Animals needing fostering may have been exposed to diseases that can be communicable to other animals and difficult to treat. It’s definitely something to keep in mind.

Success is what keeps Louise fostering. “Although it is tough to let them go, it is the most satisfying feeling in the world to see how happy the pet and their ‘forever family’ are during the adoption process. It is a fantastic feeling knowing that you’ve made a difference, not only to the lives of the animals but to the lives of those people.” Louise and Kev will foster for rest of their lives.

If you’re interested in fostering dogs or cats, contact the Regina Humane Society. They’ll do a home check, discuss health protocols and legalities to set you and your foster animals up to live safely and happily ever after.

Poor Capone: dogs rupturing anterior cruciate ligaments

This little guy blew his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and is scheduled for surgery in a couple of weeks. Late this fall, he started limping and got a prescription to help with the swelling and pain in the hope that with rest, he’d be ok. Unfortunately, the veterinarian diagnosed a ruptured ACL making his back leg joint unstable to the point where he can’t put weight on it.

Blowing an ACL is relatively common to otherwise healthy dogs. Dogs who normally love to run and play suddenly put little or no pressure on one of their back legs. When the ACL ruptures, the joint becomes unstable and functions abnormally – we call it the three legged dog.

If your dog is diagnosed with a torn ACL, your options range from limiting the dog’s mobility to a number of surgical procedures. Depending on the dog’s age and available budget, what our customers often opt for is the patented Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO).

As with any surgery, success isn’t guaranteed and varies on a case-by-case basis. Bakari (pictured above) who used to LOVE to run had this surgery, yet still has limited mobility.

If surgery is needed, the cost typically ranges between $2,200-$3,000 per leg with anaesthetic and medications, and if it happens to one leg, the other leg often goes too. One theory is that because the dog is favouring their bad leg, the extra burden makes the good leg go.

Ways to potentially avoid the painful and costly problem are to avoid obesity at all costs - exercise your dog and keep them fit and trim. Some times it just happens. If your dog has stiffness and very mild lameness, it could be early signs of early cruciate disease. Talk with your vet about your specific dog’s options relative to expected results, cost and recovery time.

Other resources on this topic:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1pxxX4TXko&feature=fvw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-16GpaKhfhQ

http://www.pets.ca/encyclopedia/ccl_dogs.htm

Giving your dog a pill

Lots of dogs get pills – either daily health supplements like glucosomine or fish oil, or occasional antibiotics or other medications.

Some dogs will simply take a pill that’s mixed with their food, while others meticulously eat around it or spit it up. Others will eat a pill that’s ground up then sprinkled on their food. While this option is good for supplements, because some of the pill is wasted at the bottom of the bowl, it may not be a good option for medications where exact doses are needed.

To make the task easier, tastier and more fun for your dog, pill pockets do the trick. Commercially available pill pockets are available at most pet stores and cost about 25 cents each. A more economical, home-made option is to use a slice of wiener. No dog can resist the amazing aroma and taste of a pill stuffed wiener. Give it a try and watch your dog’s eyes light up!

Lastly, when you find out that your dog needs a pill, be thankful that you have a dog, rather than a cat. With dogs, there’s far less hissing, biting and scratching. Anyone who has ever had to give a cat a pill knows exactly what I mean :)

Enjoying the festive season with your dog

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. It’s also the time of the year where your over-excited dog can get into some extra special trouble. Here are a few quick tips to add a layer of safety over your Christmas fun:

• Avoid decorating with tinsel. When ingested, it can wrap around intestines and cause internal damage. If you notice any tinsel near your pet’s anus, take your pet to the vet. Do not pull it out, as the tearing action can do more damage.
• Keep seasonal toxic plants like poinsettia, holly and mistletoe out of your dog’s reach so they can avoid getting into it and having digestive troubles.
• Never feed your dog cooked turkey bones. They’re brittle, can splinter and cause internal damage.
• Chocolate is extremely toxic. We recommend that you eat it up as quickly as possible so your dog has no chance of getting into it :)

If your dog has any after-hours medical emergencies, we’re really lucky because 24/7 veterinary care is now available in Regina at the 24-Hour Animal Hospital. Keep their number handy in case of emergency - it's 306.761.1449.

We wish you and your furry family a very safe and merry Christmas!

Louise, Dan, Daisy and Buddy

Paying veterinary bills: an introduction to pet insurance

One of our customers has two beautiful, typically boingy golden retrievers. Last year, both needed surgery. One suffered from bloat and torsion, then six months later, the other needed surgery for an intestinal obstruction. Total bill $6,000. Ouch!

A lot of people expect to pay for food, licensing, vaccinations and other basic services, but are caught off guard by the high cost of emergency medical care. We hear similar stories all the time. Monitoring after a stroke and multiple seizures $1,800. Anterior cruciate ligament surgery $2,500. Dental cleaning and extractions $750. Metacam prescription for one year $720.

Conversely, instead of paying for effective, but costly medical procedures pets are often surrendered or euthanized - this is known as “economic euthanasia”. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if a treatment decision would be about what’s best for the dog rather than what’s affordable at the moment? Planning ahead can give you peace-of-mind, save you money and, ultimately, may save your dog’s life.

One family we know, puts away $100 each month into their dogs’ savings account. This family’s previous dog had a lot of medical expenses during her golden years, so they’re planning ahead.

Some families can easily afford the bills and don’t worry too much. Both Money Sense Magazine (December/January 2011, page 11) and a Virginia veterinarian recommend that “If a bill of $10,000 or less would not place catastrophic strain on your family or if you are disciplined enough to regularly save for your pet’s future care, then pet insurance is probably not necessary.”

Other families choose pet insurance. Many pet insurance options are affordable when the pet is very young, but quite expensive for older dogs or multi-pet families, and typically excludes hereditary or pre-existing conditions. If you’re considering insurance, do some comparison shopping. Read the policy fine print to compare total costs, deductibles, co-pays and coverage limits, pre-existing problems and hereditary exclusions, and cancellation fees. Some policies also include third party property damage liability resulting from your pet’s actions. Watch out for policies that offer low policy caps as you may be left with a significant bill to pay. The Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner publishes a list of questions to ask when pricing out pet insurance:

• Can I choose my vet?
• Is there a waiting period?
• Do you cover routine wellness exams?
• Do you cover neutering or spaying?
• Does the plan include prescription drug coverage?
• Do you cover claims annually or by incident?
• If the coverage is by incident, is there a time limit?
• Is there a dollar limit for vet office fees?
• If my pet has a pre-existing or hereditary condition, will this plan cover it?
• Does this plan cover chronic or recurring conditions?
• How long do you take to pay claims?
• Do you give discounts for insuring multiple pets?
• Does this plan cover advertising costs and rewards if my pet is lost or stolen?
• Does this plan make payouts if my pet is being treated and dies?

When doing comparison shopping, check out the Pet Insurance Review. This web site helps pet owners shop for pet insurance by getting customer reviews so you can see how satisfied or dissatisfied others are with their existing policies. And finally, to help you on your way, here’s a list of Canadian pet insurance providers: HBC, PC Financial (President’s Choice), Pet Care, Pet Plan, PetSecure, PurinaCare and Vetinsurance. (A USA list is available at http://www.petinsurancereview.com.)

Choosing how to finance your pet’s medical issues is a very personal decision. If you choose insurance, please do your homework to make sure you’re 100 percent certain about what you’re getting in exchange for what you’re paying.

Our tough Saskatchewan winters are awesome for your dog’s health

Photo: Rocky at play

As you’re shivering your way through this nasty -30° C cold snap, you probably didn’t think about the good that it’s doing for your dog.

In addition to taking your breath away, this frigid weather kills nasty bugs that thrive in warmer climates. We don’t have much of a problem with fleas, and thankfully viruses like H3N8 Canine Influenza that crop up in warmer climates tend to be non-issues here in Canada.

If you take your dog traveling with you to warmer climates, talk with your vet about extra precautions you should take that may include additional vaccinations. If you’re staying home through the winter, grab a blanket and smile as you snuggle your healthy, happy dog.