Chocolate Poisoning
By admin | July 25, 2008
Chocolate contains theobromine - a substance toxic to dogs. Baking chocolate contains more theobromine per ounce than semisweet chocolate, which, in turn, contains more theobromine than milk chocolate. While most lethal cases of chocolate poisoning occur when small dogs eat large quantities of baking chocolate, owners should nonetheless keep their dogs and chocolates well-separated.
If you witness your dog eating chocolate or if it shows any signs of chocolate toxicity (anxiety, pacing, hyperexcitability, excessive thirst and urination, vomiting, or seizures): call your vet immediately and tell him or her what type of chocolate your dog ate, how much you think it ate, how long ago it indulged itself, and how much your dog weighs.
If you find your dog within a couple of hours of ingesting the chocolate, your vet will either instruct you on how to induce vomiting or ask you to bring your dog to the clinic to have its stomach pumped.
If more than a couple of hours have passed, the toxin will already be circulating in your dog’s system, so your vet will provide supportive therapy (such as intravenous fluids and drugs to control hyperexcitability) while your dog’s body works to detoxify itself.
Topics: Caring for your Dog | No Comments »
The Truth About Spaying and Neutering
By admin | July 25, 2008
For most pet owners, spaying and neutering is something they do automatically; a new pet reaches six months of age and they make an appointment to have them “fixed”. But what is the story behind the story? Why do we really recommend this procedure and what is it we really do? A day in the life of a veterinarian and a new pet owner is very busy, and there never seems to be enough time to educate you completely on what it is we are doing. So, as Paul Harvey would say, here is “the rest of the story”. First, some definitions. We never really use the terms spaying and neutering correctly. There are three words we should clarify:
- Neutering means to sterilize a pet, whether it is a female or a male. Although we use this in reference to our male pets most frequently, it is really a generic term covering both sexes.
- Spaying refers specifically to the procedure used to sterilize (or neuter) a female. Castration refers specifically to the procedure used to sterilize (or neuter) a male.
Why do we recommend neutering pets?
What really happens during these procedures?
How will neutering my pet change their personality?
These are important procedures that lead to healthy, happier and longer living pets. They are not simple surgeries. Actually the spay is one of the most difficult surgical procedures we do each day. But we do it so frequently we have become very proficient at it. When your veterinarian recommends having your pet neutered, spayed, castrated, etc., whatever term they may use, please follow their advice. It truly is the best thing for your individual pet and the pet community as a whole.
As always, I’m happy to help your pets…and their people, too.
Dr. Larry
www.petvet.com
Topics: Neutering | No Comments »
What to Expect When Adopting a Dog
By admin | June 26, 2008
When considering the birth rates among animals, it’s not hard to understand why
animal shelters are always filled with animals waiting to be adopted. Shockingly, it has been calculated that over a seven year period, one female cat and her offspring will produce approximately 420,000 kittens. Likewise, one female dog and her offspring will produce 67,000 puppies during a six year period. Since there are more animals looking for homes than there are people who want to adopt them, some 6.5 million animals are euthanized each year.
Given the statistics cited above, adopting an animal can be a kind and loving thing to do. However, before making the final decision to adopt, there are a number of things to consider. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Choosing a dog/puppy | 1 Comment »
Cutting your Dogs Nails
By admin | June 25, 2008
How to cut a dog’s nails is one of the most frequently asked question when it comes to grooming dogs.
Knowing how to cut a dog’s nails is so important and if you’re wondering how to trim a dog’s nails - you need look no further. As usual, we’ve done all the research for you and presented you with a step by step guide on this delicate procedure.
Your Dog’s Nails
Knowing not only how, but also when to cut a dog’s nails is so important. Your dog’s nails grow constantly and how often they need to be clipped will depend on your dog’s lifestyle. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Caring for your Dog | No Comments »
Getting a Puppy? Making the Right Choice
By admin | June 25, 2008
We all love a sweet, cuddly-faced puppy. Who wouldn’t? But those little bundles of joy grow up and we must make an informed decision in order to have a happy household.
Each breed of dog has its own set of characteristics and quirks. These can either be endearing or run us batty, depending upon our own personalities. Small dogs can be yappy and are often like small children. Some breeds, like the Saint Bernard, are “wet mouth” dogs. This means they have a tendency to drool—a lot! Other breeds tend to be diggers, swimmers and climbers. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Choosing a dog/puppy | No Comments »
How to Combat Seperation Anxiety
By admin | June 23, 2008
You leave and he howls. Not just for a moment, but seemingly forever. When the howling finally abates, it is replaced by a whine. When you return, you find your home a mess-he has engaged in destru
ctive behavior that is completely out of character. Your dog has a real problem: separation anxiety.
Dogs love their owners and develop a very close relationship with them. Sometimes the closeness of that relationship can leave them confused and frightened when the owner is gone. Thy dog may seem confused, angry or sullen when the owner leaves and may appear to “lash out” against being left alone by ruining furniture, creating messes or otherwise acting in ways wholly inconsistent with his training. Separation anxiety is relatively easy to diagnose: an otherwise well-adjusted dog seems to transform into a monster when left alone. Unfortunately, it is not always quite as easy to treat the disorder.
Helping a dog to overcome problems with separation anxiety is a process, just like other aspects of training, it takes time and repetition to be truly successful. The idea of “training away” separation anxiety seems unlikely-how can you address a behavior when you are not present to see, prevent or correct it? Fortunately, there are actions one can take to decrease separation anxiety and to prevent your dog’s frustrated behavior from spiraling out of control during your absence. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Behaviour, Uncategorized | No Comments »
House Breaking Your Dog
By admin | June 23, 2008
First, don’t think that you are being mean to your dog by training him or her.
Dogs are pack animals by nature. They need to belong to a pack. When your dog became part of your household your dog became part of your pack.
That makes you the Alpha Dog - the Leader of your pack.
Your dog wants you to be the leader. Your dog wants to know that there is a strong Alpha Dog giving orders and keeping the pack in line.
The very first thing you need to do as the leader of your pack is to housebreak your dog. In the wild, dogs (wolves) are trained early not to do their business in the pack’s den, and it is vital that you train your dog not to do its business in your den (your house).
Most dog experts agree that the best age to housebreak a puppy is between 8 and 12 weeks old. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Behaviour | No Comments »
