PHOTOS: “March’s dogs who come in like a lion…”

Posted By Nancy Houser on March 9, 2010

There’s an old saying that March comes in like a lion….and out like a lamb.  Sound familiar? Well, many of us have dogs and puppies who remind us of the month of March, yet coming in like a lion and staying there or going out like a lamb and staying there also!

Rottweiler

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German Shepherd

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Doberman

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Boxer

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Akita

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Chow Chow

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Schnauzer

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French Mastiff or Dogue de Bordeaux

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Neapolitan mastiff

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Irish Wolfhound

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Newfoundland

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Komondor

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Bo– President Obama’s Portuguese Water Dog

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Saint Bernard

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Samoyed

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American Staffordshire Terrier

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Bull Terrier

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… AND a brand new March baby!!

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Guest Post: Dog Insurance—Why It Is Important

Posted By Nancy Houser on March 8, 2010

As the owner of a perfectly healthy puppy or dog, you might wonder how important dog insurance really is.

The answer varies.

The Obvious Benefits:

Vet Fees

The most obvious reason is that yes, it will help you meet the cost of vet fees in case your dog is accidentally injured. Whilst the cost of treating a minor physical injury might be fairly small, the cost of treating conditions like diabetes, mange or even identify illnesses like ringworm can become quite expensive. As your dog gets older it’s more and more likely to develop such conditions – and if it’s a pedigree breed, it’s practically guaranteed that this will happen sooner rather than later.

Compensation

In the unfortunate event your dog goes permanently astray or, even worse, dies from an accident or illness, then many insurance policies will offer some sort of monetary compensation. Whilst this is unlikely to be much comfort with your immediate feelings of loss, it does mean that you’ll be able to afford another friend when you feel up to it. This is particularly useful if your dog is a family pet and you have children.

The Other Benefits:

Liability

Under UK law, you’re not held liable for any damages that result from your cat. However, this doesn’t hold true for dogs! If your dog causes damage to someone else’s person or property either directly or by running into the road and causing a traffic accident, then you could be held liable to pay compensation. This can be massively expensive – sometimes spiralling into hundreds or thousands of pounds. Dog insurance policies can include public liability cover, making sure that the actions of your four-legged friend don’t inadvertently saddle you with a massive bill.

Lost dogs

Aside from paying out if your dog goes permanently missing, some pet insurance policies will also help pay for you to advertise your missing pet – as well as to provide a reward to anyone who helps bring you back together.

Cancelled holidays

Accidents and animals have little regard for what’s convenient. If you have a holiday booked in advance but find that you won’t be able to make it because of an accident, illness or injury your dog has suffered, then insurance can offer compensation for lost money (if not another opportunity at a holiday…)

Kennel fees

Of course your dog isn’t the only one who might get hurt! In the event that you’re hospitalised for more than a couple of days, you’ll need to make some kind of provision for your dog’s care. Dog Insurance will pay for your pooch to be well-looked after until you recover enough to return home.

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Seven Days of Creation for the Shiba-Inu

Posted By Nancy Houser on March 7, 2010

On the first day God created the dog.

On the second day, God created man to serve the dog.

On the third day, God created all the animals of the earth to serve as potential food for the dog.

On the fourth day, God created honest toil so that man could labor for the good of the dog.

On the fifth day, God created the tennis ball so that the dog might or might not retrieve it.

On the sixth day, God created veterinary science to keep the dog healthy & the man broke.

On the seventh day, God tried to rest, but he had to walk the dog.

The end …  says the wise Shiba-Inu.

(credited to the Dog Hause)

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Guest Post: “Protect yourself from your muddy dogs”

Posted By Nancy Houser on March 4, 2010

It can’t be said that dogs don’t enjoy the great outdoors. Unfortunately, with nature comes mess, as dogs enjoy jumping in puddles, rolling in mud (or worse) and generally enjoying all the exciting things that the outdoors offers.

All of these exploits mean that in order to keep a clean home, free from ‘eau de dog’, your four legged friend must be washed on a regular basis. Perhaps one of the hardest things aside from getting splashed with water when your dog decides to have a shake mid-wash, is trying to dry them off post-bath.

Many dogs, particularly large or long haired breeds as the Pomeranian, Lhasa Apso, Australian Shepherd or Old English Sheepdog, can be tricky to dry without the use of a hairdryer and a stack of towels. However, not all dogs appreciate being blasted with hot air and can take offence. It may also be difficult to wrap your dog in a towel as they like to run around when wet and in some cases escape from their towels, rolling over clean furniture.

Dog towelling bags, allow you to dry your dog without any of the mess listed above. Towelling bags are not just for post-bathing, they can be used to zip your muddy dog into after a fun morning at the seaside or in the country. Not only will they dry your dog off, but they will keep him/her warm and cosy until you return home. Bags are washable and after use they can simply be popped in the machine to be re-used time and time again.

“Hey! Anybody seen my dog towelling bag?”   _________________________________

Thank you to Muddy Paws–for the love of dogs for this week’s guest post. Remember to check out dog towelling bags on their website!

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Hypothyroidism in dogs: Symptoms and Treatments

Posted By Nancy Houser on March 3, 2010

When the surprising diagnosis of hypothyroidism in the family dog comes across the desk of the family vet after a blood test, most dog owners leave the office feeling slightly shell-shocked.

What is surprising is that the symptoms of hypothyroidism have probably have been in the making for awhile, as most under-active thyroids are seen in dogs who have gained weight while having very little energy. Other symptoms are involved but are seen as variables unless clumped together.

Description

Thyroid hormones are important in regulating the metabolism of individual cells in the dog’s body, produced in thyroid glands located on both sides of the animal’s windpipe trachea.

In addition to normal, metabolism rates can either be too high or too low. If it is too high, the dog will eat and eat yet lose weight rapidly. If it is too low, the overweight dog will eat very little yet gain weight rapidly while having very low energy levels.

Symptoms of under-active thyroids in dogs

The symptoms of hypothyroidism in dogs varies with the dog. And on a one-to-one basis they do not mean as much as when several symptoms are seen together in the dog.

  • Over 80% of dogs test for high blood cholesterol
  • Over 70% of dogs show mental sluggishness and lethargy as a number one symptom
  • Hair loss (65%)
  • Obesity or a substantial gain in weight above normal (60%)
  • Shedding of hair or excessive dry hair (60%)
  • Dogs test for anemia (50%)
  • A fewer percentage develop cold intolerance (15%); slow heart rate (10%); and hyper-pigmentation of the skin (25%).

Treatment for hypothyroidism in dogs

The treatment for hypothyroidism in dogs is not only inexpensive but easily treated with a pill[s] called thyroxine (levothyroxine) which is a synthetic thyroid hormone. A brand name could be Thyrosyn in .2 mg tablets with twice a day dosages. Each dosage will vary on how severe the disease is, in addition to how well the dog responds to it.

The initial standard dose will begin with the dog’s weight. After this,  routine blood tests are taken periodically to see how it is working. The test results will decide if the drug dosage needs to be adjusted. Once treatment for hypothyroidism in dogs  is begun, most of the symptoms will go away. However the dog will need to be on medication for life.

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(This article is dedicated to Julie, one of our Miniature American Eskimos who lives in Pennsylvania with her owner, Frank. She has recently been diagnosed with an under-active thyroid.)

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PHOTOS: “The Beautiful Eskie”

Posted By Nancy Houser on March 2, 2010

We have been around American Eskimos (miniatures) since 1999, and have fallen in love with this gorgeous intelligent dog. One of our oldest dogs at our rescue is Barbie Doll, a 27-year old little girl who plays like she is a puppy. Here are some photographs of this wonderful breed to enjoy.

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Product Review: “Chef Michael’s Dog Food”

Posted By Nancy Houser on March 1, 2010

Recently we received three gift boxes of Chef Michael’s dog food — each box containing a bag of Filet Mignon dry food and a can of moist. The dry food is full of what dogs need on a daily basis — made from little tender meat pieces and vegetable garnishes. Smelled delicious!
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“Yeah … I ate some Chef Michael dog food. Who says a bird can’t eat it? What ya’ going to do about it?”

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To avoid digestive issues in our old dogs, we mixed one bag of Chef Michael with their usual dry food. Adding warm water to make a gravy, we served them up their “breakfast” and believe me, dogs know the difference in what they eat. Even the cat was eating out of the large serving bowl, waiting for her little bowl to be filled. Heck with the cat food!

As far as the moist canned food is concerned, I have three picky little dogs — two pomeranians and one pom-rat terrier cross. Every day it is a “will they” or “won’t they” when it comes to meal time. However, the canned Chef Michael’s canned moist food was chowed down in a heart beat. In fact, when I first opened the can they were telling me to get going, as they were starving! The loved the gravy in it and the taste of it. Beats any canned food I have had here so far.

Note: It has come to our attention a few individuals are slightly upset because Purina’s Chef Michael is not a real chef. Why? We cannot even begin to image …. but please understand that Chef Michael is not a real person, but a reflection of the many people inspired to make mealtime special for their dogs.

Purina’s Chef Michael

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Orthopedic Dog Beds

Posted By Nancy Houser on February 28, 2010

Orthopedic dog beds offer tremendous therapeutic benefits for family dogs that suffer from sore or arthritic joints, hip dysplasia, post-operatives, or are simply old age dogs with aching bones and special needs. Proven to maintain healthy joints, some orthopedic dog beds contain eucalyptus for healing and to assist the dog in resting more comfortably on their orthopedic memory foam bed.

The orthopedic dog bed performs well in the research laboratory and seems to work in the daily operations of a clinical laboratory. Retriever approved!


Choosing the Correct Size of Dog Bed

The orthopedic dog beds provide maximum support for all dogs, keeping them off the cold floor and ground. Supported with medical-grade foam, fabric, fleece and maybe a pillow thrown in — this dog bed provides the highest quality your pet deserves!

Making sure the orthopedic bed fits is half the battle. For older dogs it may not be so bad, but for a dog who thinks everyone is in the middle of play time … well, that may be a different story.

  • Using a standard cloth or plastic tape measure (do not include the metal tab at the beginning), measure from the dog’s nose to its rump.
  • Make sure the dog is looking straight ahead instead of at you or up. If this is difficult, first measure measure from the nose to the middle of the dog’s back, followed by measuring from the middle of the back to the rump.
  • Add about 7-inches to the total distance for added comfort.
  • Measure the dog’s height, from forehead to paws, then add 7-inches for comfort. Placing the dog on its back may work better for this dog bed measurement, but it depends entirely on the dog’s mood!

Heated Orthopedic Dog Beds

Heated orthopedic dog beds are perfect for the elerly pet who cannot get around very well without pain. They are also for active dogs who have had a rough day out, with heated orthopedic dog beds cushioning their aching joints and reducing their pressure points.
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Maintaining healthy joints on a daily basis, the heated orthopedic dog beds offer dual thermostats to regulate the bed’s temperature for the comfort of not only elderly and ill dogs but also younger and much healthier ones.
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Orthopedic Dog Beds available at PetSmart.

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