Naughty Dog's Day

Veterinarians - the Good, the Bad, and the Incompetent

OK people, in the first place, it's not "vetinarian", it's not "veternarian". It's vet-er-in-ar-ian.  Yes, 6 syllables. Actually it pretty much rolls off the tongue when said correctly.  And if you've been mispronouncing it, don't worry.  I've worked for vets who called themselves both of the above!  Now that you know how to say the word, what makes a really good vet? 

I've taken my pets to a lot of veterinarians over the years.  Some were fabulous.  It was as if they had a sixth sense that allowed them to zoom right in on whatever the problem was.  Many were good, in a pedestrian sort of way.  They got through their days diagnosing and treating, didn't make many mistakes, but they lacked that spark that separates the true stars from the rest of the bunch.  Some were bad, a few, luckily a very few, were just plain incompetent. 

Many people are surprised to learn that most vets aren't "dog people" (those that show, train, and sometimes live with large numbers of dogs.  Those that "get" what makes a dog a dog and realize they aren't little people in fur coats).  Most grew up with family pets, liked them, and decided to go into veterinary medicine. Some don't even have pets.  Some like cats; dogs, not so much.  Last summer, I had a client with a new rescue dog who had started obsessively eating grass.  I felt it was behavioral, but before we started a modification program, I wanted to make sure there wasn't a physical reason that needed to be addressed.  So, off they went to their neighborhood vet, a cat person with modest experience in practicing veterinary medicine. His solution?  Anti-anxiety drugs.  The reason?  He doesn't really know much about dog behavior, and that was the only solution he had.  Does that make him a bad or incompetent vet?  Not necessarily.  Just an inexperienced one. One you might not want to ask questions of regarding dog behavior because he's not really going to know the answer, he's going to punt, and that's not acceptable.

So when it comes to picking your vet and mining them for information regarding dog behavior, I can give you a few pointers:

• It's a personal choice, but I tend to steer clear of vet clinics that are part of a chain.  They generally charge more, have less control over how they price things, and may even have their nursing staff on commission.  That's why you get the hard sell on products you may not really want.
• Make sure you and your vet are on the same page - if you feed a raw diet, find a vet who supports it, if your dog suffers from a particular medical condition, ask your vet about her experience with this type of disease.  Find a vet whom you get along with.  You shouldn't feel intimidated
• , pressured, or as if you're imposing on the vet's time.  On the other hand, veterinary clinics schedule a certain amount of time for each dog, usually 15 to 30 minutes. A good clinic does everything it can to remain on schedule and not keep you and your dog waiting.  An occasional wait is no big deal.  Emergencies show up, a minor problem becomes major, but if my clinic routinely kept me waiting well beyond my scheduled appointment, I'd be looking for a different vet.
• Let's say your dog has suddenly begun chewing, urinating in the house, or exhibiting some other odd behavior.  The first step, of course, is a trip to the vet to determine that it's not a medical issue.  Then what do you do? That depends.  If your vet is an experienced dog hand, has lots of dogs, has trained them, really knows dog behavior, you might ask how she would handle it.  If not, ask for the name of a trainer.  Most dog trainers are not veterinarians.  Most veterinarians are not dog trainers.  You don't ask a plumber to rewire your bathroom.  Don't ask a vet to train your dog.  Becoming a competent dog trainer requires years of experience.  Unless you find a veterinary behaviorist drugs are the very last option.
• That's really all it takes, although it can be incredibly difficult to find just the right vet for you. Don't be afraid to stop by a clinic and talk to the receptionist to get a feel for what the clinic experience will be like.  Don't be swayed by a vet who is charming yet talks over your head in technical terms to hide a lack of experience.  Don't worry about finding a new vet if you just don't mesh with the one you're currently using.  People switch vets all the time, your current vet won't take offense!

I hope this helps you in your quest for finding the very best care for your dog.  I would love to hear about your experiences or help you with individual behavior problems, just drop me an e-mail at: amys@www.naughtydogcafe.com

Bloat, Part Two: Signs of bloat, what to do

Bloat is ALWAYS a medical emergency.  I cannot stress this enough! If you notice any of these signs in your dog, don't wait - load her up and head to the vet.  Maybe it will be a wasted trip, but the outcome of untreated bloat will almost always be death, so don't hesitate.

Bloat can come on at any time, and it generally comes on quickly.  Some of the signs are:

• Restlessness, pacing, just not acting "quite right" in a way you may not be able to put your finger on.
• Salivating
• Unproductive retching as if to vomit, vomiting small amounts of foam, foam around the mouth
• Hard or distended abdomen, frequently described as feeling "drum-like"
• Lying in a "sphinx-like" position, with head up, instead of stretching out on her side, or curling into a little ball.
• Turning to look at abdomen
• Get down on the floor and listen to your dog's stomach.  Normally you hear gurgles and grumbles, normal gut noises.  In bloat, you will not hear these sounds
• Panting
• Mucus membranes may be bright red at the onset of bloat (due to the increased heart rate and higher blood oxygen content due to panting) but will become paler as the bloat and its' associated shock continues
• Rapid heart rate

If your dog is showing any of these symptoms, it's time for a trip to the vet.  NOW.  Don't wait around to see if she improves.

• Call your clinic (or the emergency clinic, since most bloats seem to occur at night) and tell them you are bringing in a possible bloat.  This allows them to get ready before you arrive, since time is of the essence. Stay calm and be prepared to tell them your dog's age, breed, and approximate weight. When you arrive, depending on your dog's condition, they may start an IV containing a steroid.  Antibiotics and anti-arrythmics to prevent heart damage may be given.  X-rays or an ECG may be done, as well as blood counts and chemistries. Giving them proper information before you arrive will save time in the long run.
• If possible, have someone else drive, while you stay with your dog helping them maintain balance and stay comfortable on the ride to the clinic.
• Remember that your dog is far more adept at reading you than you are at reading her.  She will pick up on your panic, so do your best to take a deep breath and assure her that everything is OK.
• Once you arrive at the clinic, your vet may tube your dog (inserting a tube down the esophagus and into the stomach to remove gas and accumulated fluid) or "tap" the stomach, which involves inserting a trocar (a large bore needle) through the abdominal wall and into the stomach.  If caught before the stomach twists, this may be sufficient.  If the stomach has already twisted, your dog will need immediate surgery.

Be proactive. Get to know your dog in a healthy state.  Get down on the floor and listen to her normal stomach noises (she won't care, it'll just make her feel loved), lift her lip and look at her gums.  Put your hand on her chest and feel her heart beat so you know what is normal. Feel her abdominal area before and after a meal so you know how it should feel. 

I always keep simethicone tablets (Gas-X or Phazyme are two common brands) on hand, since I have dogs who are at risk for bloat. It helps break down large gas bubbles in the stomach and can sometimes prevent a bloat if given early enough.  It has a very wide margin of safety, meaning you can give your dog a large amount without causing problems.  Talk to your vet about its usage and keep it on hand. 

Many people with bloat prone dogs keep a "tubing kit" on hand.  This is a block of wood with a hole drilled through the middle, tubes of a couple different sizes, and tape.  The block of wood is placed in the dog's mouth and held in place with tape, the tube is passed through the hole in the block of wood and into the dog's stomach.  I feel that in most cases you will waste valuable time trying to tube your dog yourself.  Your dog can die from bloat in under an hour.  Your vet can give you more information and the necessary training if you live far away from the closest clinic and have a breed susceptible to bloat. Otherwise it's best to just load up and go.

Hopefully you and your dog will never have to go through this traumatic experience.  But forewarned is forearmed.  Knowing the signs and being prepared are the best ways to keep your dog safe from this horrific killer.

Lost Dogs...

You hear about them every day.  See the signs stapled to telephone poles.  Maybe have someone with a frantic look on their face stop you to ask if you've seen a small brown dog with a purple collar.  If you're a dog owner, chances are good that this will happen to you at some point in your life.  What you do the moment after you discover Buddy is missing will play a huge roll in your ability to get your dog back ASAP.
Here are some tips to help you find your lost dog.

• Check out the Pet Detective: http://www.pet-detective.com/index.html this is THE go-to site for a lost pet.  The owner, Melody Pugh, decided to make finding lost pets her life's work after losing her own cat, Norman.  She has a fantastic site full of tips from an experienced hand at reuniting lost pets and their owners. Follow her advice, in addition to the tips below.
• Don't wait to see if Buddy comes back on his own.  Start looking right away. The sooner you start, the less chance he has to travel.
• Make up flyers and post them everywhere.  Give them to bus, delivery service, & utility company drivers as well as cabbies and, especially, your mail carrier.  These people go everywhere, they may spot your missing pal.
• Take flyers to local veterinary clinics and your shelter.  Speaking of shelters, visit the shelter, don't just call.  They are understaffed and very busy.  They want your animal home as badly as you do, but with the volume of pets they deal with, yours may slip through.  It's your dog, take the responsiblity of making a visit to check for yourself.
• Walk, don't drive. You'll be distracted, putting yourself and others at risk.  Plus, your chances of actually seeing your dog in someone's backyard, whiling the time away with a little play session with their dog, will be much greater if you're on foot.
• Knock on every door, and leave a flyer, whether it's a residence or a business.  Visit your local schools and ask if you can post a flyer.
• Join K9AmberAlert: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/K9AmberAlert/ and place a post about your pet.
• Put ads in your local paper and on craigslist.  Call your local radio stations and ask if they'll make an announcement.
• If you have solid evidence your pet was stolen, contact the police.

Above all, don't give up.  Your pet is out there, somewhere.  While not all pets find their way back home, many do.  Following the tips above will help insure that you're one of the one's with a happy story to tell.  I was one of the lucky one's.  My Belgian Tervuren, Barry, got out of our yard one day, and was gone for a month.  I posted flyers, placed ads, looked, and looked, and looked for that dog.  I spent more time than you can imagine driving to obsure places to look at found dogs who ended up looking nothing like the description of my dog, I looked at dead dog's next to highways and roads, I was almost a fixture at my local shelter.  Finally, one day, a nun at St. Joe's hospital looked out a window and saw a dog on an island in the middle of the Huron River.  He was still there the next day.  So she called the shelter, who called the sheriff's department, who called their marine division (it was March, and most boats were still in storage).  They trailered a boat in and took it out to rescue my dog.  He was so skinny his collar would go around his neck twice and he had an irregular heartbeat. But he came back to me, and he lived to be 17 years old.  

Water Dogs

I love this picture of Bruce, taken by his new mom the day after he was adopted into their family.  I always wonder what he's thinking.  Wishing he was back at the rescue (it was just the next day, after all, he didn't yet know how fabulous his life was to become)? Pondering the world's troubles?  Or maybe that the lake is the biggest water bowl he's ever seen!

Whether it's a lake, a river, or, especially, a pool, if your dog is around water, you owe it to him to give him the tools to keep him safe in his environment.

Since pools present the biggest danger, with their smooth sides which can trap an uneducated dog until, exhausted, he's lost to his family, we'll start there. 

• First things first.  NEVER LEAVE YOUR DOG UNATTENDED WHEN HE HAS ACCESS TO YOUR POOL!
• A must-have is a ramp or steps which will allow your dog to easily exit the pool. Any type is fine, as long as it's sturdy and easy to use.  Once your dog is accustomed to the water and knows how to get out, he may enter the pool by leaping with wild abandon and a large splash into the deep end. That's fine.  Right now, he needs training wheels, he needs to use the ramp each and every time he gets in the water.
  
• The next thing I wouldn't be without is a pool alarm system.  There are many options to choose from, including one with a receiver located in the house, and a transmitter you attach to your dog's collar.
• The final element to pool safety is a way to mark where the ramp is, so your dog can see it.  A large plant, statue, or, if you don't care how it looks, a traffic cone will work.  Get in the water for a dog's eye view to make sure it will be visible.
• Once all your ducks are in a row, so to speak, it's time to start your training program.  Take your dog to the ramp.  Give the command "Ramp" or "Steps" and give your dog a treat. Repeat this until your dog will go to the ramp when you give the command.
  
• Now, with your dog on leash, get into the water.  Call your dog to you.  Not all dogs need coaxing, but some will.  Don't push it, this is supposed to be fun for everyone, remember?  Scare your dog now and he may, forevermore, refuse to dip his toes into anything deeper than his water dish.
• Once your dog is in the water, keep him close to you (try to stay away from his front end, unless you favor sporting a few battle wounds - a swimming dog can't really be worried about scratching you, he needs to stay afloat).  Tell him "ramp", and gently encourage him to swim to his safety "net".  He needs to know from go how to get out.  This is absolutely the most important lesson you will teach him. 
• If he's comfortable, and has been able to use the ramp to get out of the water, try again.  If he isn't ready, table it for a few hours or the day, and then try again.
• Whatever body of water your dog is using, when helping a dog learn how to swim (and dogs are just like us, they do need to learn), stay behind him.  A dog who is an experienced swimmer knows he needs to keep his head down, a newbie doesn't.  And the farther the head goes up, the farther the other end goes down, and pretty soon you've got a dog who's thrashing around, sure he's going to drown. At first he may need you to support his rear end.
• Keep sessions short, and don't leave your dog's side (or hind end) until he will go to the ramp when asked.  He needs to know where that ramp is from every area of the pool.
• If your dog is swimming in a lake or river, where he can swim far enough to tire himself, make sure you're close by.  Call him back before he gets too far out.  If he is in danger of going under, don't try to grab him around the head or neck if things are looking dire.  Again, get behind him and support his rear as much as possible while trying to direct him to shore.
• When he's finished swimming, hose him off or give him a quick bath to remove chlorine.
• Remember that just like us, dogs can get sunburned, especially dogs with white or light colored coats.  Even a well-coated dog can burn in areas like the top of his nose or his ears.  Keep an eye on your dog and get him out of the sun if he starts to pink up.
• Ultimately, even if you think of your dog as a little human, his safety is up to you.  Don't let him down.  Complacency can be a death knell when it comes to dogs and water.

Finding the Right Dog

    In a neighborhood of well kept older homes with postage stamp yards, the plaintive woo-woo-wooing of a Siberian Husky floats into the evening air.  From his perch on the sloping roof of his front porch, looking stranded and forlorn, he surveys the concerned neighbors gathered below.  Such an act he’s put together.  Ring his doorbell and within seconds his smiling face is paws up on the windowed front door.  This bright, active dog is loved, well cared for, and living what must be, for him, a life of misery.  His owners are a young working couple with a baby.  He goes for a walk around the block on weekends, if the weather is nice.  He whiles away the rest of his time inside the house or in a tiny back yard surrounded with stockade fencing.  This is the life of a dog with the heart and energy to pull a sled for miles and miles across ice and snow, and a prime example of a great dog home going to waste.  While his owners love him, he makes them crazy.  Big surprise – right back at ‘em.  Where's my magic wand?  I need to swap him with the sweet, gentle, quiet Clumber Spaniel, trailing doggedly along behind his jogging owner, his only thought of climbing onto the big comfy couch at home.  A huge percentage of the dog owning public makes the wrong breed choice on a daily basis. And the dog pays for it.

    You new buddy will probably be with you for 10, 12, 16 or even 20 years or more depending on size and other factors.  You owe it to both the dog and yourself to find one that will fit in with your lifestyle.

    Most people pick out a dog for all the wrong reasons.  They like the way it looks, they have a friend with one they really like, or they saw it in a movie.  After I lost my Belgian Tervuren, a wonderful dog, I was looking for a new breed, something different. I had a list of breed requirements: 

• Big, but not so big it would be old at 5 years of age. 
• Sturdy build.
• Couldn't be a drooler
• And, above all, it must have a sweet, discriminating disposition.

    I didn't need to take into account things like grooming, since I was a groomer and could handle any kind of coat care, or space, since I lived in the country.  Cost of veterinary care wasn't a big issue since I worked for a vet and could get medical care relatively inexpensively. I stumbled upon Leonbergers, fell in love, and it took me 3 years to find my first puppy. For me, they've been the perfect breed. 

    That is the correct way to choose the perfect dog.  Take all the factors of your life into account.  Some of them are:

• What do you want to do with your dog?  Have it sit on your lap, go for walks, throw a ball?  Certain breeds will fit into that picture of the perfect dog you have in your head better than others.
• Do you live in a house with a yard or an apartment?  It's a myth that your high energy dog will go out and exercise himself to tiredness alone in a big backyard.  To wear him out, you'll still have to be there, throwing that ball or frisbee.
• Do you want a dog that follows you everywhere, or one that likes a bit of attention, then goes to sleep in the corner?
• Do you have kids?  Depending on their age, certain dogs might not be appropriate.  It takes a special owner to keep the elegant, fragile Italian Greyhound safe in a home with toddlers.  My niece learned to walk with her little fist in front of her face to avoid being wagged by my Dalmatian's tail.  My Belgian Tervuren routinely rounded the kids up into the center of the family room when he thought they were getting too rough.  My nephew used to watch TV with his hands behind his head and his feet propped up on my Leonberger.  Different breeds react differently to kids, depending on what they were bred for.
• How tight are your finances?  Antibiotics for a simple urinary tract infection in a giant breed can run $100.00 or more, not including office visit and lab work.  Certain breeds are more prone to certain health problems which can be a financial nightmare if you're not prepared.
• What kind of hair do you want to pick off your clothes?  Does the idea of a monthly grooming appointment make you cringe?  There is a coat type to suit everyone.  Make sure you pick one you will maintain.
• Do you travel frequently?  If you take your dog with you, smaller dogs are more portable and easier to move around with.  If you kennel your dog, it may be more expensive to board a large dog than a small one.

    Above all, ask yourself: Do I really want a dog?  Will I take care of it from the moment it steps into my home until it finally goes on ahead? If I move, will I take it with me?  There's nothing more ridiculous than the "Moving, need to find good home for..." ads that are cropping up everywhere these days.  Am I willing to amend my life to take my dog's needs into consideration?  Because if you aren't ready to commit wholeheartedly to caring for your dog for it's entire lifetime, you just aren't ready for a dog.

Feeding Your Dog: Part One

I feed my dog's a homemade diet.  It's balanced, it's complete, it gets a little boring to them sometimes, I think.  So on days when they've been especially good, or there's something exciting on sale at Knight's (the best butcher shop in Ann Arbor, in my opinion) I throw together a special meal for them, off the cuff.  Today it's a pork loin roast with fresh plum sauce, potatoes mashed with farmer cheese and fresh rosemary, and applesauce.  Sounds good, huh?  It's probably not balanced, but then, it's a special day and they'll love it. They even have desert.  Carob, peanut butter, and soy milk pupsicles.  Tomorrow they'll go back to their regular diet.

Feeding a homemade diet is, frankly, time consuming and a little expensive, but to me it's worth it.  Keep in mind that I feed 300+ lbs. of dogs every day their meals are not petite, but every time we have another pet food "incident" I'm glad I do it.

You don't have to jump into the homemade diet thing headfirst though.  There are lots of easy ways to improve your healthy dog's diet, and still have a life of your own. 

Start with the highest quality kibble you can find.  There are quite a few of them out there now.  We won't go into the laundry list of dog food ingredients here, suffice to say that you want a good protein listed as the first ingredient.  Avoid foods that use "meal" (ie chicken meal) as their primary protein source. Also watch for foods that list different forms of the same grain (wheat, wheat bran, wheat gluten).  Reason being, this food may actually contain more grain than protein. Breaking the grain down into individual components means they enter the weight of each component separately. These may, in fact, total more in weight than the protein.  That's the first step.  Really good kibble.

Because most dog foods are created following AAFCO (American Association of Feed Control Officials) guidelines, there are more than enough nutrients to allow you to safely substitute up to 1/3 of your dog's kibble with fresh food. What should you use?  Well, it can be really easy.  Throw an extra piece of chicken or a burger on the grill, chop it up and add it to your dog's food.  Cook an extra egg in the morning (studies have shown that cholesterol is rarely a problem for dog's, they can eat lots of eggs, which provide an excellent, easily digestible protein source), grate or finely chop some fresh fruits or veggies and add them.  Yogurt, cottage cheese or other grated cheese is also an excellent addition.  Pretty much any food you're eating you can share with your dog.  Below is a list of common foods which are toxic to dogs:

• Onions, leeks, garlic
• Grapes and raisins
• Wild picked Mushrooms (Amanita phalloides and other Amanita species.  These can kill you, too!)
• Nutmeg
• Alcohol
• Chocolate
• Coffee/cocoa/tea
• Macadamia nuts
• Avocado (especially the pit)
• Green looking potatoes
• Rhubarb leaves
• Hops
• Tomato leaves and stems
• Baby food - generally fine, but some contains onion powder

Here's an easy recipe for a kibble topper you can make and store in the refrigerator, to add to your dog's meals.  This recipe can be reduced if you have a small dog, it can also be frozen.

Kibble Topper
1 lb. ground chuck
2 cups cooked rice (converted (ie Uncle Ben's is fine)
1 lb. bag frozen mixed vegetables, or 1 lb. of fresh or frozen, chopped fruits and/or vegetables
1 lb. cottage cheese or yogurt

• Brown ground beef, set aside.
• Microwave or steam vegetables
• Combine rice and vegetables in a food processor, and pulse until veggies are finely chopped
• Combine all ingredients in a bowl, refrigerate.  Freeze whatever won't be used within 3-5 days.
• Savor the happy grin and big tail wags when you supplement up to 1/3 of your healthy dog's daily ration of kibble.

We process the vegetables to make them more digestible.  Dog's, with their short digestive tract, get more from fruits and veggies if the cell walls are broken down. Remember that these dietary additions are for healthy dog's only.  If your dog has any health issues, consult with your favorite veterinarian before changing your dog's diet.

Petco: FDA & US Marshal's Raid Distribution Facility

Ah, Petco.  Is it that they don't know, or just plain don't care, that rats and birds spread a wide variety of diseases, in addition to just plain dirt (and worse)?  I'm thinking it's the latter, because I'm sure they were informed during the FDA's April inspection that they needed to clean up their act.  Did they?  No.  A subsequent inspection in May found food still in filthy and unsanitary conditions, At this time, the FDA requested that the US Marshal's office seize all food at Petco's Joliet, Illinois facility which was slated for distribution in 16 states, including Michigan. No illnesses have been reported from consumption or handling of the contaminated food as of yet, we can only hope it's a trend which continues.  The FDA is advising consumers to wash their hands with hot soapy water after handling bags or cans from this distribution facility, and to wash any containers which may have come into contact with the bags. Personally, I say just throw it out!  Why take the risk?  If you feel your pet may have become ill from eating this food, contact the FDA consumer complaint coordinator.  Here is the complete FDA news alert.

Every time I see one of these alerts, I'm just a little happier that I don't feed my dog's commercial dog food, and the time I spend cooking up their food becomes a little more worth it.  If you would like a complete, balanced diet formulated for your dog, please contact us.  We'd be happy to help you out.