Pets and Child Safety

How to Teach Your Child to Approach Dogs Safely

Summertime is here which means more outdoor activities at the park or around your neighborhood where children and dogs will meet.  Children love to pet dogs, for the most part, and dogs love to be petted, for the most part. Teaching your children the proper and safe way to approach a dog is important for their safety as well as the dog. Here are a few steps you can take to ensure that the experience will always be positive and pleasant.

 

Always ask permission from owner before you approach the dog! While most dogs you meet may be friendly, some may not be use to strangers or children. If the owner says no, thank them and let them pass, giving them plenty of space.

Allow the dog to approach and smell your hand. Hold your hand out palm down, in a loose fist so the dog can smell you. Wait for the dog to approach you and sniff your hand. If he turns away, he does not want any more attention. If he leans in or licks your hand, then he is letting you know you may pet him.

Pet the dog gently on his back. Never go over the dogs head to pet them. It may scare them. Instead approach from the side and pet him on his back avoiding his tail. Watch the dog for his response. If he is eager for more or rolls over on his back then continue petting him. If he seems uncomfortable, stop petting and talk gently to him instead.

“Thank you”. Let the owner and dog know you appreciate them letting you meet them!

Some other important safety tips to teach your child:

·         Never approach a dog when the owner is not with them.            

·         Never put your face in a dogs face.

·         Never take food or toys away from dogs.

·         Never run or shout around dogs.

·         Always be gentle and kind.

These steps and tips can help to prevent potentially dangerous mishaps. Start teaching your children early and make dogs safety game-like and fun to help your child to learn the rules quickly and easily. The sooner your child learns how to approach a strange dog the safer and happier they will be as well as the dog and its owner!

 -Jamie Hecht

 

Beat the Heat!

The sizzling summer months are upon us in Central North Carolina.  It is time for picnics, swimming pools, outdoor activities, and fun in the sun.  The days are getting hotter and hotter.  During this time, it is important to remember to keep our four-legged friends safe, especially when traveling with them in the car or taking them on walks and hikes.  Within five to ten minutes in a hot car with the windows up, a dog’s temperature can climb to lethal levels.  Temperatures inside an enclosed car can exceed 120 degrees F in less than 20 minutes, with an outside environmental temperature of 75 degrees!  So with the temperature in the high 80’s and 90’s recently, it is even more important to leave our furry friends at home. 

 

The types of pets that are at highest risk for heat stroke include pediatric or geriatric animals, overweight animals, dark-colored animals, and brachycephalic (short-nosed) breeds (i.e. Pugs, Bulldogs).  However, any animal can suffer from heat stoke if left in extreme temperatures.  There are many signs of hyperthermia including excessive panting, collapse, vomiting, diarrhea, and seizures or tremors.  If your pet is exhibiting any of these signs, it is important that you contact a veterinarian right away and bring your pet in for an examination and treatment.  It is not recommended that cooling measures be started at home.  If an animal is cooled too fast, more complications can result, such as a higher incidence of DIC, which is a lethal condition. 

 

 

Graphic Courtesy of PetDepot.com

                So what can you do to prevent heat stroke from happening?

1.        Avoid leaving animals inside a hot vehicle for ANY period of time.   Just leave them at home!

2.       Avoid extreme exercise during hot days.  This includes leaving pets outside for extended periods.  It is not recommended to leave any brachycephalic breeds outdoors for any length of time.

3.       If you are taking your dog on a walk or hike, make sure to bring water along.  Also, be aware of any hot surfaces that your dogs feet are coming in contact with because they can potentially cause burns.

4.       If you are planning on taking your dog for a walk, early in the morning or late at night is a good time.

AND….

If you see a pet left in a car alone on a hot day, call 911!  It could make the difference between life and death!!

Jennifer Dow

 

 

Compost - good for the environment, bad for your dog

 

In this day and age you are viewed as an irresponsible citizen if you are not 'Being Green'. We recycle, drive low-emission cars, and fashion our houses with energy efficient light bulbs.  Although many of the habits we have adopted over the years are more environmentally friendly, there is one in particular that is not friendly to our animal companions. The topic to which I am referring is composting.

 

  

The same piles of rotting organic matter and

molding food products that make your summer gardens nutrient rich, also produce mycotoxins that have negative health effects on your dogs. Depending on the quantity consumed and state of decay of the compost, your dog may show some or all of the following symptoms: hyperactivity, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive panting, hyperthermia, ataxia, and seizures. If left untreated, these symptoms can lead to death. Your canine may need to be hospitalized for one to several days in order to counteract the side effects from ingesting mycotoxins. If deemed appropriate, a treatment plan will include inducing vomiting, IV fluids, routine blood tests, anticonvulsants and/or muscle relaxants, administration of activated charcoal, and temperature regulation.

 

If you are going to begin your voyage into composting this year fellow eco-savvy individuals, please be careful. Make sure your bins are covered, and possibly even locked. Treatment for mycotoxicosis is frequently successful if the ailment is promptly recognized, so it is important to contact your family's veterinarian or the local emergency clinic immediately if your canine comrade is exhibiting any or all of the symptoms previously listed.

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-Sara Schuyler

Veterinary Nurse

My dog is having a seizure, what do I do?

My dog is having a seizure, what do I do?

Seizures can have many different causes, from toxins (such as compost or chemicals) to epilepsy and even brain tumors.  Each cause for seizure has a different treatment.   There is variety in severity from mild facial twitching to a grand mal seizure, which is the violent shaking often coupled with loss of consciousness that most people associate with the word “seizure”.  Watching your pet have a seizure is difficult and unnerving, but it is important that you try to remain calm during the episode so that you can observe and collect information that will help your veterinarian rapidly, and correctly, diagnose and treat your pet.

After remembering to remain calm, your next step should be safety first.  By this, I mean YOUR safety.  A seizing pet often experiences at least partial loss of consciousness, and is quite likely to bite you, even if it has never bitten anyone or shown any sign of aggression.  During a seizure, your pet is in an altered state of mind, and may not recognize you and certainly does not understand what is happening to it. If you MUST move your pet for safety reasons, use a blanket or towel as a barrier between your hands and the pet’s mouth, and then remove the barrier immediately so as not to interfere with your pet’s ability to breath.   Don’t even think about trying to move your pet’s tongue!  Your pet will not swallow its tongue, but may very well bite its own tongue…and your hand if it is nearby.

Your next step should be to take note of the time the seizure started.  It seems like time stands still when you find your pet in a state in which you cannot help them.  Most seizures do not last more than a few seconds to minutes, but if the seizure DOES last 5 or 10 minutes or longer, your veterinarian needs to know this information! 

When the seizure ends, your pet can experience what we call a “post-ictal” stage.  Generally, at this point your pet has regained consciousness, but may seem drowsy or drunk, or what we often hear described as “a little off”.  This is normal after a seizure and may last minutes to hours.  During this stage, try to protect your pet from accidentally injuring his/herself from sliding on slick surfaces or running into objects.  Now is the time to start remembering if your pet has had contact with or ingested any type of chemical, plant, or other unusual object.  Also think if your pet had any unusual behaviors in the past few days.

We recommend that you have your pet seen by a veterinarian after having the first seizure or immediately after any seizure lasting more than 5 minutes.  Your pet may not be in immediate danger, as if often the case with epilepsy, but seizures due to toxins can be life threatening.  When you arrive at the clinic, your vet or their staff will ask you questions about the circumstances surrounding the seizure.  What was happening when the seizure started?  Has your pet been exposed to any potential toxins?  Has your pet ever experienced a seizure before?  How long did the seizure last?  Did your pet lose consciousness?  If you have followed these steps, you will be prepared to help your vet correctly diagnose and treat your pet.

 

-Tara Bennett

Parvo Virus - Spend Now, Save Later

In my work as an emergency veterinary technician, I see a lot of sad cases.  Probably the worst are those that are almost completely preventable.

Parvo virus is a very contagious virus that puppies can succumb to if not properly vaccinated.  Because it attacks the intestinal tract, parvo virus is spread through the feces of infected dogs.  It can survive in the environment for more than a year.  Parvo virus is very host specific, meaning it does not affect cats or people. 

When a puppy is born, it receives antibodies from its mother's milk to help fight disease.  Once the puppy is weaned, the antibodies are no longer available for defense, so it is important to start vaccinations at 6-8 weeks of age.  Puppies should get a series of distemper/parvo vaccinations every 3-4 weeks until they are at least 16 weeks of age.  During that time the puppy should not leave your yard; no dog parks, pet stores, etc.  Owners can also introduce parvo virus on their shoes or clothing, so avoiding other puppies is important.

Parvo virus can be killed with a bleach solution of 1 part chlorine to 8 parts water.  All washable surfaces should be cleaned and pick up feces from the yard and dispose of them.  If you've had parvo in your environment, we advise that you not bring an unvaccinated animal (puppy) into your house or yard for at least 2 years.

Signs to look for are depression, loss of appetite, vomiting, and bloody diarrhea.  To confirm if a puppy has parvo, a veterinarian can do a quick test.  Often a fecal check is done at the same time to check for worms because a heavy worm infestation can cause similar symptoms.  Unfortunately, some puppies have both worms and parvo at the same time.

If an owner has a puppy that contacts parvo, treatment can cost thousands of dollars.  Waiting to give a distemper/parvo shot to a puppy that is already sick is no good, it only works as prevention - you don't wait until you have the flu to get a flu shot, either.

Treatment can include:

• Hospitalization
• Isolation to prevent the spread of the disease
• 24 hour nursing care
•  IV catheter and fluids
• Anti-nausea medications
• Antibiotics (antibiotics do not work against viruses, but while sick they can be susceptible to other infections)
• Additives to fluids like electrolytes and dextrose

I've seen patients bounce back in as little as 2 days, and I've seen them hospitalized for over a week.  Recovery is variable, but when treated aggressively, most patients do well.  Untreated puppies suffer almost 100% fatality.

Sadly, a lot of puppies are put to sleep because of the cost of treatment.  What's more tragic is that it can be prevented by a series of $20 vaccines. 

Having a pet is both a privilege and a responsibility.  Like children, they cost money.  My hope is that education will help reduce the number of puppies that suffer this epidemic.  Please see your veterinarian if you have a puppy that needs shots (we often hear "The breeder gave him his shots.", but that is usually only single vaccination, insufficient for protection).  If you don't have  a veterinarian, look in the yellow pages, talk to friends and family and ask who they use.

I hope your pet has a long, happy, healthy life with you.

Michele Kendall, RVT

The Big “C”: Your Best Friend Has Been Diagnosed With Cancer.

The Big “C”

Your Best Friend Has Been Diagnosed With Cancer.

            It is the veterinary visit we all dread. Your dog or cat has not been feeling well and you make an appointment with the veterinarian. The veterinarian tells you they are concerned that your pet may have cancer and recommends further diagnostics. You have the first dilemma. Do you have the additional diagnostics performed? What will it change? As an Internal Medicine Veterinary Technician I see this dilemma all too often. My personal experience has taught me that I am more comfortable with any decisions I make when I have more information.

            You elect to proceed with the additional testing. Generally the veterinarian will recommend chest radiographs and an ultrasound. Chest radiographs (x-rays) are done to see if there are any masses in the lungs which would indicate metastatic disease (spread of cancer for the original site to the lungs). Ultrasound is an excellent diagnostic tool that is non-invasive. If any abnormalities are noted, the veterinarian will generally recommend aspirates, either of an organ such as the liver or spleen or lymph nodes or a mass. Once the aspirates have been obtained the waiting begins. The aspirates are usually sent to a diagnostic lab for a pathologist to review.

            In an ideal situation, the veterinarian will call and tell you that the aspirates were normal and there is no evidence of cancer. However, in all too many cases the opposite is true. You get the devastating phone call that the aspirates came back as cancer. You go numb and wonder what will you do?

            Today we have more options than ever in the treatment of cancer in dogs and cats. This does not mean that treatment is the right option for you or your pet. This is a very personal decision and many, many factors may influence your decision. Some of the factors are:

1)      Type of cancer: Despite the many medical breakthroughs some cancers are very aggressive and do not have an effective treatment. Other cancers such as lymphoma can be very responsive to treatment.

2)      Age of your pet: With many cancers such as lymphoma we are seeing young dogs affected. While treatment is not limited to young dogs, some may find that they are less willing to put an older dog or cat through the stress surgery or chemotherapy.

3)      Temperament of your pet: Is your pet fearful or aggressive or are they the life of the party and a trip to the veterinarian’s office is the highlight of their week?  Treatment for any cancer generally involves weekly trips to the clinic for an exam and monitoring blood work.

4)      Finances: While treatments are more widely available they are not inexpensive. When you add up the cost of the chemotherapy, the recheck exams, weekly blood tests and other medications, the cost of treatment can be a deciding factor.

5)      Availability of treatment: Depending on the type of treatment recommended you may have to travel a long distance frequently or medically board your pet. Most commonly this is done with animals receiving radiation therapy.

     While these are not all of the factors you should consider they cover the basics. Everyone has an opinion but the decision is ultimately yours as the owner. Circumstances may change and you may find yourself making a different decision. As an owner of 4 dogs I have come to realize that I cannot treat them all the same. While two of my dogs would treat a weekly trip to the clinic as a holiday, the other two would be stressed and nervous from the moment we walked out the front door of the house. Their reactions to the same circumstances would definitely influence my decision on how to treat them.

     The key is to ask as many questions as you need to be sure that you fully understand your options.  A second opinion is never a bad idea, especially if you have reservations.  And a comfortable working relationship with you veterinary team (both primary and specialty care) will always make the process less stressful.

 

-Mary Meglaughlin