Why Proper Nail Trimming Is Vital to Your Dog's Health

I think we all know that nail trimming is important for the prevention of scratches on our furniture, carpet, and floors but did you know that proper nail length is an important factor in our dog's health and safety? 

The 3 reasons to keep nails at the proper length are as follows: 

1) Helps in our dog's ability to comfortably jump and make sharp turns on agility courses or while playing in the backyard. 

2) Prevents painful feet: When nails are long, the hard surface pushes the nail back up into the nail bed which puts pressure on all the toe joints or forces the toe to twist to the side.

3) To help geriatric dogs long term health to improve and/or be stabilized by their ability to distribute their weight correctly and not have a slumped back. In other words, if a dog's back nails are too long he will compensate by putting all of their weight in their front paws where their nails are at the correct length. 

Dr Leslie Woodcock, a Team Canada veterinarian and owner of Woodcock Veterinary Services, a clinic that specializes in rehabilitation for dogs post surgery or post injury posted an excellent 14 minute informational lecture explaining why healthy nail length is  important. 

Dr. Leslie suggests that our goal should be to cut our dog’s nails short enough that you CANNOT hear them on your tile floor. In order to get the nails this short without hurting the dog (or making their nails bleed) your goal should be to get the “quick” (or soft bit that supplies blood to the nail) to recede.

Most people when cutting nails try to cut directly across the dog’s nail (as in the diagram below):



However, Dr. Leslie recommends the best way to cut your dog’s nails without hurting them AND get that quick to recede is to cut the sides of the nails on an angle.

By cutting nails this way it becomes easier to get your dog’s nails shorter without hurting them. 

Take a look at these before and after pictures of nearly 17 year old Buzz above. On the left is Buzz before a nail trim and on the right is him after his trim. To the right he is distributing his weight correctly and comfortably. You can tell this because his posture in his front and back legs are uniform (all four legs are straight and erect).

Dr. Leslie’s information is a real eye-opener and I hope it will be used as a point of reference when your dog needs a trim in the future!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Car Safety Precautions to Bear in Mind In the Summer Heat

For the past few days four-legged residents of Dover, New Hampshire, have been enjoying the 80-90 weather by taking joy rides which is fun to watch because nothing is cuter than seeing dogs' ears flapping in the wind but what worries me is when dogs are left alone in a heated car while owners run into a store to get a few errands done. As noted in the above picture, there is a huge difference between outdoor and indoor temperatures!

Last year the above picture circulated around the internet praising the owner as the "most responsible pet owner ever" but when I read it I shuddered because the owner was obviously misinformed about the dangers of overheated cars! As noted in the diagram above, temperatures rise significantly even if the air conditioner is running or the windows are slightly open!

I agree that it is tempting to get those errands done while your dog waits for you in the car but those minutes could easily turn into an hour or even longer if the line at the cash register is too long or if you get distracted by a chance encounter with an old friend so the best advice I can give you is if it's too hot for a human being to be in the car then it is too hot for your dog.

But what if you happen to see a dog who is suffering in a heated car for too long? My advice is to immediately alert the store's customer service so they can alert the owner to go to their car quickly.

After you've gone into the store to help locate the owner and there's no response the next step is to call 9-11. If you sense the dog is in immediate danger breaking the car window is recommended but be sure check if it is legal to do so. If you think you are being too nosy or too much of an alarmist, think again! New Hampshire is one of 19 states that prohibits leaving animals in a confined vehicle so don't feel guilty about taking quick action!
 
Please pass this post along so that these unprotected dogs can remain safe during hot weather! Thank you! 

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

7 Ways to Keep Your Cat Cool This Summer

Have you noticed that your cat has been grooming himself more frequently this summer than he or she does during the cooler months? This is because adding moisture to his fur naturally cools him down but there are seven other things you could do to make him feel even more comfortable:

1) Buy a Fan

Get a small box fan and set it on the floor near your air conditioner or an open window. For extra cooling power during extremely hot summer days place frozen water bottles in front of the fan.

2) Create Homemade Air-Conditioning

Fill a small soda bottle with cold water and leave it in the freezer overnight. In the morning wrap the bottle in a towel and put it in your cat’s favorite lounging spot. Avoid filling the bottle to the top because water expands when it freezes and you could have a mess on your hands!

3) Give Your Cat a Haircut

If your cat has long fur consider getting her a lion cut but be careful not to give this cut to light-colored cats because they could be subject to a sunburn.

4) Limit or Avoid Outdoor Time

When I had my cat, Henry, I only let him outdoors, supervised, on a harness when the heat was not at its peak (before 11:00 in the morning and after 3:00 in the afternoon) but the best idea is to keep your cats indoors during the entire summer.

5) Close Your Curtains

Close the curtains or blinds in your south- or west-facing windows.

6) Avoid Car Rides

I don't know who besides myself with Henry takes their cat on joy rides but if you do never leave him in the car unattended! A closed car can reach temperatures well over 100 degrees in a frighteningly short time.

7) Use Ice Cubes 

Drop a handful of cubes into your kitty’s water bowl. Besides the cooling effect of ice cubes they'll also be fun for your cat to play with!

Please remember that if your cat starts panting, drooling, or seems to be losing consciousness get to your vet or the nearest emergency clinic right away. These are symptoms of heatstroke could lead to kidney damage, heart dysfunction, or other potentially fatal problems.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

10 Tips to Keep Your Dog Safe at Your Cookout

During the summer my dog, Daisy, loves to sniff around the grill and who can blame her? Getting hot dogs and hamburgers from the grill makes her very happy but I also have to keep in mind that cookouts can be dangerous so I will print this list (and you should too!) to keep her/your dogs safe from harm.

Do you have other cookout safety tips that I forgot to mention that you'd like to add? Please leave a comment below! Thank you!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

3 Ways to Keep Your Pets Safe During the 4th of July Fireworks

Please don't let your pets become a statistic when 4th of July fireworks begin! Pets are known to escape from home out of fear of the unfamiliar noises and are often lost for days or even longer because of them! My safety advice is to do the following:

1) Keep your dog ON A LEASH even in a fenced in yard and get those walks done long before festivities begin so they're tired and comfortable!
 
2)   Please do a thorough search of the screens on your porch and home to be sure they are securely fastened! Cats get just as scared as dogs do during the fireworks display as dogs do and will escape in any way possible! If your cats are indoor/outdoor cats this is NOT the time to let them outdoors for the evening. Since I'm a worrier I would suggest keeping them in throughout the ENTIRE WEEKEND because, again, neighbors love "practicing" setting off fireworks at random times throughout the day! 

3) Be mindful of where your pets are when your guests open and close doors because it only takes a second for your four-legged friends to escape from the unfamiliar lights and sounds of the fireworks! To avoid this from happening my suggestion would be to KEEP YOUR PETS IN AN ENCLOSED ROOM WITH THE WINDOWS AND CURTAINS SHUT  and then turn the air conditioner and stereo on to drown out the unfamiliar noises.
 
I know Fourth of July safety suggestions have been posted all over the internet in the last few days but I hope I mentioned something unique that will stay on your mind before the festivities begin!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

How to Keep Your Dog's Paws Safe on Hot Pavement

Have you ever watched dogs refuse to walk during hot days and then plop down on the ground for a rest? Many rush to give their dogs water when this happens (and rightly so) but the other concern is that their paws may
be burned. 

 

The signs that a dog has burned pads are limping, refusing to walk, darker than usual pads, blisters, redness, missing parts of the pad, or licking and chewing the foot.
 

If you are still sure if the pavement is too hot press your bare hands or feet on sunny pavement for at least 7-8 seconds to assess heat level. If it is uncomfortable for you, then it is too hot for your dog.

Remember that the air temperature is NOT an accurate reflection of ground temperature at all! Asphalt and other ground surfaces retain heat and this temperature rises exponentially as heat and sun exposure continues. See the above image for temperature correlations.

If your dog experiences any of these symptoms immediately flush the injured paw with cool water and take him to the veterinarian who will then determine if he needs antibiotics and/or pain medication.

My coon hound, Daisy, walks in the grass to avoid hot pavement.

To avoid the dangers of asphalt please walk your dog in shady spots, on the grass, dirt, or gravel. 

Please be mindful of the effect of heat on your dog's paws and please pass this post along to anyone who could use a reminder! Thank you!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

How to Keep Short-Nosed Dogs Cool This Summer

 

Since it's the first day of summer I thought I would put out a safety warning for all owners of short-nosed dogs such as pugs, bulldogs, boxers, and Boston terriers because they have a more difficult time breathing in the heat than other breeds. Their respiratory distress is scientifically known as  Brachycephalic Upper Airway Obstructive Syndrome (an inability to conduct efficient air intake due to the shape and construction of their nostrils) making them susceptible to heat stroke and other heat-related illnesses?

All dogs have trouble adjusting to hot weather, because they don’t have sweat glands and all that fur makes the problem worse, so the only way dogs can regulate their body temperature is by panting. Now, the specific problem with Frenchies and heat is that, just like their relatives- Pugs and Bulldogs (which are also brachycephalic dogs) they all have short noses and therefore decreased air-intake ability. Because of that, warm weather that generally creates certain discomfort to all larger breeds and non-brachycephalic dogs, may turn out to be fatal to French Bulldogs. - See more at: http://www.frenchbulldogbreed.net/french-bulldog/french-bulldog-hot-weather.html#sthash.xUqsmCQR.dpuf

All dogs have trouble adjusting to hot weather, because they don’t have sweat glands and all that fur makes the problem worse, so the only way dogs can regulate their body temperature is by panting. Now, the specific problem with Frenchies and heat is that, just like their relatives- Pugs and Bulldogs (which are also brachycephalic dogs) they all have short noses and therefore decreased air-intake ability. Because of that, warm weather that generally creates certain discomfort to all larger breeds and non-brachycephalic dogs, may turn out to be fatal to French Bulldogs. - See more at: http://www.frenchbulldogbreed.net/french-bulldog/french-bulldog-hot-weather.html#sthash.xUqsmCQR.dpuf

All dogs have trouble adjusting to hot weather, because they don’t have sweat glands and all that fur makes the problem worse, so the only way dogs can regulate their body temperature is by panting. Now, the specific problem with Frenchies and heat is that, just like their relatives- Pugs and Bulldogs (which are also brachycephalic dogs) they all have short noses and therefore decreased air-intake ability. Because of that, warm weather that generally creates certain discomfort to all larger breeds and non-brachycephalic dogs, may turn out to be fatal to French Bulldogs. - See more at: http://www.frenchbulldogbreed.net/french-bulldog/french-bulldog-hot-weather.html#sthash.xUqsmCQR.dpuf

 
Unfortunately, short-nosed dogs do not have the ability to cool themselves by panting so my advice during the summer months is to shorten your companion's walks (15 minutes or less) when the heat is at its peak and keep them cool indoors with plenty of water nearby.

Please remember the catchy rule of "the shorter the snout the less they stay out" and please pass this post along to anyone who might need a reminder.
  
Thank you!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad