We will post numerous doggie care tips here from Dr. Jons news letters.
Be sure to scroll down to see if anything is here that you may need more information on.
If something you would like to read about is not here, please e-mail us and we will be sure to post that tip for you.
So be sure to look back often and find new tips!
Good luck!!
Tips on nail trimming
When Dog's nails continue to grow and trimming them can be a challenge for some dog owners. In fact, the other day a neighbor called me because her dog (a rather unruly beagle named Dewey) had a nail that grew so long that it turned back on itself and started growing into Dewey's foot.
It was painful but we successfully trimmed the nail, removed it from his foot where it had grown into the skin, applied a bandage and got him started on antibiotics. Dewey is doing great.
This is not an uncommon problem.
Some dogs don't like to have their nails trimmed and some owners just get so busy with life that they don't notice when the nails get long. It happens.
Here are some tips on how to make trimming your dog's nails tolerable:
1. Check your dog's nails every week or so to determine if they are getting "long". It is often easier to trim them frequently and make it a positive experience for your dog.
2. Ideally, start young. Get your dog used to touching his paws and give him positive reinforcement when he lets you massage and manipulate the paws and nails. The earlier you start clipping or grinding your dog's nails, the more used to it he will become (and the less he'll resist). Reward his good behavior when you handle and touch his paws (without trimming). Frequent trims when your dog is young will help diminish any fear.
3. Start slowly and work up to it gradually.
4. Learn the anatomy. Within the center of each toenail is the blood and nerve supply for the nail called the "quick". In clear white nails you can see the quick, a pinkish area in the middle of the nail.
5. Determine how much needs to be trimmed before you start grinding or cutting. The basic rule of thumb is that the nail, which curls downward, should be even with the paw pad. Whatever hangs over must be clipped. In the figure above - "B" is the right area to trim.
6. Get started. Some dogs will happily sit in your lap or on a table while you grind their nails but many require some form of restraint. You may want to sit on the floor with your pet, hold your pet in your lap, or have someone hold your pet on a table. If your dog has light colored nails, eyeball the quick and aim a few millimeters away from it.
7. Introduce the nail grinder to your dog. Pet him with it and make it a positive experience. You may want to do this for several sessions before ever introducing it as a nail grinder or before turning it on.
8. If you are using a nail grinder, the next step is to turn it on. Let your dog get used to the noise and vibration of it. You may also want to do this over several sessions before using it on your dog's nails.
9. After your dog is used to the trimmer or a nail grinder that has been turned on, use it to trim his nails. Grind or trim the nail below the quick on a 45-degree angle.
You can do this with a standard type nail trimmer or a nail grinder. I've recently tested some different nail trimmers and grinders found a grinder called Gentle Paws that is very good. It can do the job much quicker and more precisely. Gentle Paws has a rechargeable battery and a lot of torque. It is a very good quality nail grinder.
For more information - go to www.petproductadvisor.com/Gentlepaws
The key is making the experience positive for your dog.
Tips on getting your dog to drink more water
Have you ever heard the saying - you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink? I think that is true.
The same is true for dogs.
You can have plenty of fresh clean water available but that doesn't mean a dog will drink it.
Here are a few things you can do to get your dog to drink (or encourage water intake).
1. Give your dog an ice cube to lick.
2. Allow your dog to lick water from your hand or your finger.
3. Feed canned dog food (the water content is higher).
4. Add warm water or low-sodium broth to your dog's food.
5. With your veterinarian's permission, offer small amounts of Pedialyte.
6. Adding an ice cube to the water bowl can encourage some dogs to drink.
7. Some dogs like to drink out of fountains. A very good fountain is the Big Dog Drinkwell Pet Fountain. This is especially good if you have more than one dog. For small dogs the Drinkwell 360 is very nice. It offers a fresh supply of filtered water. Our staff veterinarian Karin Szust says her dogs LOVE it.
Big Dog Drinkwell Pet Fountain
Drinkwell 360 Pet Fountain
One question you need to ask is - why isn't my dog drinking. If your dog is acting sick, is vomiting, appears weak or is not interested in food or water, see your veterinarian.
Aggressive chewing
Is your dog a chewing bandit, chomping you out of house and home? When your shoes, furniture and clothing are all fair game for your dog's teeth, it can be pretty frustrating.
It's natural for dogs to chew. They explore the world through their mouths - new objects, new places & new tastes.
Chewing helps dogs relieve teething pain, tension and stress. There are also some instances where chewing could be a sign of mental or physical health issues including:
1. Boredom - chewing because there's nothing else to do
2. Poor nutrition - chewing on things to get lacking nutrients
3. Separation anxiety/feeling alone - chewing for comfort
4. Gum or tooth problems - continuously chewing on hard objects
In other instances chewing is quite normal. Dogs who chew significantly more than others are what many call "aggressive chewers". What makes a dog an aggressive chewer? Here are some guidelines:
1. Destroys an appropriately-sized rawhide in less than an hour (added note here: NEVER give a bulldog raw hides)
2. Shreds the typical vinyl toy in minutes
3. Toys quickly turn into piles of frayed and tangled threads
4. You feel you'll never get your money's worth out of a toy before it's time to throw it away
As pet owners, it is our responsibility to establish good chewing habits in our pets. Aggressive chewers will continue to chew inappropriate things until you teach them right from wrong.
Be selective in what you give your dog to chew - start out by only giving your dog proper chew toys. Letting your dog chew on an old shoe teaches him that all shoes are made for chewing.
Dog owners of aggressive chewers need the toughest dog toys on the market. Tough toys allow these dogs to exercise their natural chewing instincts and train them on what to chew and not to chew. With an aggressive chewer, chances are no dog toy will last forever, but they can still benefit from a tough toy that lasts longer than most.
The folks over at PetProductAdvisor.com are a great resource for tough toys because both vets and pets test them and ONLY the best ones make the cut. Right now they're offering the Ruff Tuff Play Stuff collection . They've REALLY put these toys to the test by pulling them with a tractor, setting them on fire and putting them through hours of active play. You just have to see it for yourself! Most dogs are unable to destroy these toys. And if you have an aggressive chewer, these toys typically last a lot longer than most others. Take a look:
For MEDIUM-SIZE dogs, go to: www.petproductadvisor.com/Rufftuffplaystuffmedium
For BIG dogs, go to: www.petproductadvisor.com/Rufftuffplaystufflarge
Until next time,
Dr. Jon
P.S. Your dog's toys should be the appropriate size for his mouth, so the Ruff Tuff Play Stuff collection comes in two sizes - Medium, for smaller dogs and Large for big dogs. Make sure to get the right size for your dog.
For MEDIUM-SIZE dogs, go to: www.petproductadvisor.com/Rufftuffplaystuffmedium
For BIG dogs, go to: www.petproductadvisor.com/Rufftuffplaystufflarge
Dog treat recipes
We get a lot of questions about pet recipes. People want to know what homemade dog food is good for a certain problem or they just want a good basic dog food recipe. To be honest, over the years I've seen health problems in some dogs that are fed a homemade dog food. It can be difficult to properly balance a dog's nutritional needs in a homemade food, and a poor diet can cause problems. Generally, we recommend that dogs be fed a good quality premium dog food that is properly balanced to meet all nutritional requirements.
But some owners still insist on making their own food. So in my opinion, if you are going to do it, you should do it right. Also, if your dog is sick and you are trying to get him to eat, a homemade food recipe might come in handy.
If you decide to feed any of these recipes to your dog, print the recipe and take it to your vet to discuss it based on your particular dog's needs.
Here are our most sought after dog recipes:
Homemade Dog Food Recipe for Healthy Adult Dogs Homemade Dog Food Recipe for Overweight Dogs Homemade Dog Food Recipe for Dogs with Intestinal Disease Homemade Dog Food Recipe for Dogs with Kidney Disease Super Easy Dog Treat Recipes
You may even want to print one or two of these recipes and keep them around in case you run out of food or if your dog will not eat and you are trying to entice him to eat with something new.
Until next time,
Dr. Jon
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Watch for Toxins in Your Spring Garden
Due to their natural curiosity, their love of digging, and their tendency to consume anything they come across, dogs are at a high risk for accidental poisoning. This can be particularly true in spring, as front gardens and backyards come to life with new growth, and as dogs and their owners spend more time outdoors. - Toxic bulbs, plants and flowers include tulips, hyacinths,
- daffodils, certain lilies, crocus, and lily of the valley. See a detailed chart here.
- Harmful fertilizers and ground cover include cocoa mulch, blood meal, bone meal, and any fertilizer containing disulfoton or organophosphates.
Store all poisonous substances in your home, garage, and yard out of reach of your curious canine, and block access to potentially harmful bulbs and flowers. If you suspect your dog has ingested a poison, call your veterinarian at once; or dial the Pet Poison Helpline at 800-213-6680. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your Dog's Health from DoggedHealth.com®
Food Allergies, Lyme Disease, & More
Itchiness, chronic ear infections, poor coat quality or frequent bad tummy? Could it be that your dog is allergic to his or her food? Find out about diagnosing & treating food allergies.
It's Lyme disease season. Cut through the confusion and learn about how the disease is transmitted, diagnosed, treated, and prevented.
- From a runny tummy to mysterious lumps & bumps, need help understanding your dog’s symptoms? Visit with the Diagnostic Dog™, the interactive symptom guide.
- Learn more about a specific disease or condition impacting your dog.
- Have a dog health question? Ask The Vet at DoggedHealth.com.
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Tips for dealing with a destructive chewing dog When kids tell their teachers that their dogs ate their homework, teachers tend to not believe them. But the fact is, some dogs will chew on anything and everything in sight!
I've heard story after story about dogs that chewed up everything from iPhones and remote controls to shoes, furniture and toys. You name it and, at one time or another, a dog has probably chewed on it.
Is your dog a destructive chewer? Has he destroyed things in your home or personal items, like clothes, shoes and electronics?
It's a real problem.
The fact is, dogs LIKE to chew. So, if you don't give your dog his own personal things to chew, he will be forced to satisfy his natural instincts by chewing the things around him ... YOUR things! And trust me, he will find plenty of things that are pleasing to chew.
Destructive chewing can be a very difficult behavior to deal with, but here are some tips that may help:
1. Give your dog a good quality chew toy. Make sure he has plenty of toys and that he knows what is acceptable to chew on and what is not.
2. Rotate your dog's toys so he doesn't get bored with the same toy.
3. If your dog chews up toys, choose durable toys that are nearly indestructible, such as Kong® brand toys.
4. Make sure there are no removable parts that can be easily torn off and ingested.
5. Avoid toys that are small enough for your dog to swallow or too large for him to play with comfortably.
6. When you first give your dog a new toy, supervise his play to make sure that he plays with it appropriately.
7. Choose washable toys. Between the dirt and drool, your dog's chew toys can become pretty disgusting ... not to mention a natural breeding ground for unhealthy bacteria.
A good chew toy will satisfy your dog's natural urge to chew, help keep his life interesting and keep him contentedly entertained for hours on end. It can also help break your dog of those destructive chewing behaviors.
True wealth... Is found in service to others.
""Make it a rule...
never to lie down at night without
being able to say,
"I have made one human being
at least a little wiser ,
a little happier, or a little better this day."
Charles Kingsley
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