Dog Hotels: When to Board your Best Friend

It is hot, and its summer!  Family and friends are inviting you to a lake spot, up to a cabin or hotel fun spot, and there is a note on the invitation: no pets allowed.   This is a hard choice!  I have always hated this type of request, and most likely, I would send my regrets.  My dogs are my family, and when I spend quality vacation time, I don't want to be away from them.  But sometimes, it is really necessary to accept these invitations, as you and your dog do need to have good and different experiences, and a vacation away may be the best thing for you both!

A great way to take off, and let your dogs have their own kind of fun, is the pet resort.  They are way different from the kennels of yesteryear, and much more affordable than you may think.  You will need to call a few weeks in advance, to confirm spot availability, and to find out requirements.  These may include:

• Full vaccination series from your vet, that is rabies, DHLPP, and Bordetella.  Sometimes, they will have other requirements, like a flea dip before you board, but that is not common.
• Full dog information regarding temperament, your contact details, and medications
• Specific vet information in case there is an emergency
• A brief in-house visit to meet your dog, and so that you can see the facility.

Most pet resorts have a series of inside dog runs, small cubicle like kennel areas with youth sized beds, different outside areas for large and small dogs, and a small grooming area for specialized grooming requests.  They are temperature controlled, and this is a great option as many kennels are outside, and very uncomfortable for house pets.  You can even find some exclusive resorts that have full adult beds, flatscreen TVs and special lighting.  You will usually have an option of using the webcam, so you can visit your pets on the internet, and see how they are doing in their new rooms.

This is a great way for your dog to enjoy some other dogs, have a great break from the normal every day things they are used to, and give them a more rounded attitude about new experiences.  Many resorts do doggie day care, so you should try the resort out, and let them have a break before you let them visit.

Cooked Bones: A real health concern for Dogs

It is a real concern whether your best friend, who is begging at your side, can have that cooked steak bone, that you are carefully cutting around.  STOP!  The issue of this bone is that it is cooked, unless you are a vampire eating a completely raw steak!  The raw bone has so many advantages, that you may consider cooking your meals differently as well.

The cooked bone will be a source of fragility.  It will be easily splintered, and can be a death sentence to your dog.  Consider this, if your dog is given a cooked bone, she may try to chew it, and break it apart, eating the splinters.  Then, that splinter, will move into your dog's digestive path, and there is a very good chance it will get stuck, or you will have a real problem of a dog intestinal obstruction.  This is a real problem, and most dogs require immediate veterinarian attention.

Some symptoms of an intestinal obstruction are lack of appetite, drooling, vomiting, and irregular bowel movements.  The dog's poop can be very runny, bloody, and frequent.  It is a dangerous situation, and if not attended to, the dog runs the risk of dying.

This means you are really going to have to avoid feeding cooked vs. raw marrow bones to your dog.  A cooked bone is a risk-there are many times where a cooked bone is fed to a dog, and they are OK.  But would you ever want to run the risk of losing your best friend?

Be sure to see my post on raw bones.  It is the way to go for your best friend!

Are Grapes Good for Dogs?

The most loving thing you can do for your dogs, is to feed them. They love it! They wait for you to reach for that treat bag, dinner bowl, and will beg if you let them. They are just like us in this manner-food is the spice of life for our best friends.
Keeping this in mind, it made me think twice before I handed off that grape I was holding, to my dog, even though she was really looking at me with that-”there’s the grape, there’s my mouth, what is stopping you look”. You know the one, the old eye communication that they are so good at!
I stopped and thought about it, as it really has become an important thing for us to review her eating habits very carefully. You see, what had happened around 2006, was a rash around her backside, that would not go away. This led me on a rampage of vet visits, and many expensive remedies to solve this itchy rash. Nothing worked, until I stopped, took a breath, and found the solution. Healthy, natural food-consistently and thoughtfully.
We stopped the corn by-product food, and went to a holistic and organic dog food. Not inexpensive, but neither were the many vet visits and skin rash remedies.
So, when I was holding that grape in my hand, and she was staring at me to come on give it to me-I did consider what was in the grape.
Seeds, yes, and they could be dangerous, the skin could have some form of tannin like red wine, and the juice may not be the best options for dogs. Getting up and heading to the computer yielded many blogs on grapes being dangerous for dogs. And, raisins too, the dried up counterparts of the juicy grape. The consensus from many of my dog friends was the same-they have had some renal issues when a large amount of grapes were eaten. One or two should be OK, but any more, that would not be a wise choice for our best friends.
This only brings forward the importance of keeping the right foods in front of them, and making sure we do the right things for our best friends.
So, don’t let those little brown yes fool you. They are just hoping you will do the right things for them. Try a little melon, chicken or yogurt instead.

4th of July Fun: Not for Dogs!

Happy 4th of July!  You might have a temptation to bring your dog along on the fourth of July celebrations, but think twice.  Dogs are very fearful of the fireworks, and the many rounds of home displays that are set off on this day. My husband's brother lost his dog of 5 years on this day, when they left her in the kennel in the back of the yard, and went to firework displays.  She climbed the kennel, over 6 feet tall, and was never seen from again.

To keep your best friend safe, be sure to follow these guidelines:

• Keep your dog inside:  It is important to find a sound proof area, so that your dog can be secure.  Kennel them only if the kennel is totally enclosed, and in a sound proof area.  Outside kennels are stressful on this day, and the days surrounding the fourth, as the firework displays can be very frightening for dogs. An inner bedroom is a better option.
• Don't bring your dog to the firework display: They will appreciate a much quieter environment, as they have very sensitive hearing.
• Do not leave your dog in the car:  On this day, and any other, leaving your dog in the car is not a safe option.  Cars can get over 120 degrees quickly on a sunny day.  Keep them cool and comfortable at home.
• Veterinarian Visit may be in Order:  If your dog is anxious about fireworks, you might want to visit your vet for good options like a scent room ionizer, which releases calming scents into the air that your dog will appreciate!
• A red white and blue bandana:  Keep these on your dog only if you are in the presence of your pet, as they can get tangled on your dog in the event of a panic attack.  You can use the bandana as an ear cover if they are anxious, along with cotton balls in the ear, but many dogs won't allow such a getup!
• Make sure your dog is microchipped, and has a collar with ID tag on it.  Keep your best friend on a short leash, even in the house, if you have an overly anxious dog.
• Watch star wars at home:  Or do what we do, stay home with your dog, let them wear their 4th of July bandana, and enjoy the firework displays from the window.  If they know you are close, firework safety will be less on their minds, as they are only trying to protect you, from those loud explosions.  We have taken a suggestion from friends, and watched Star Wars, during the loudest period of time on the 4th.  Couldn't have been more fun!

Stay safe, and keep your best friends inside on this very fun, but loud day!  Happy 4th of July!

Mites! Mange! Ick! Mange treatment, and mange symptoms

You might have fallen in love with a pound puppy, your itchy hairless dog has just been diagnosed with mange, or you were at at dog park near a dog with very little fur-and you find out that unlucky poor soul has mange! All these situations require an iron will, as for me, and many, it can be really hard to wrap your head around this problem.  Do not despair!  I have a very furry keeshond, who had severe allergies, and then it resulted in demodectic mange.  It is hard to get rid of, but you can do it.  Patience, and time will bring your best friend to the solution.

First, you need to visit the vet if your pet or dog It is a really contagious disease, depending on what kind it is for your dog.  Demodectic mange, is the showing signs of hair loss, itchiness to the point of blood, and general malaise.  The cause of mange is microscopic mites that bury themselves in the skin, some are easier to get rid of, others are quite resilient.

There are two types:

1. Demodectic Mange:  this one is where the immune system has run amuck, and there are more mites than the body can fight off.  The immune system goes into hyper drive, and these poor dogs become bald and itchy. This is not a contagious mite, and can be controlled quickly.
2. Sarcoptic Mange:  A very contagious situation, this burrowing mite, will be a tricky treatment.  Your vet will require you to have some baths over the next couple of weeks to combat the mites.  You will need to evaluate any dogs that are near this infected dog, and a bath of a parasitical lime or hydro peroxide mix.

Your vet can diagnose the type of mange, and the treatment.  Do not let this situation fester, as it can result in many more months of treatments the longer you wait.

As we have talked about, there are symptomatic treatments, and there are real problem solutions.  Your treatment for symptoms is the baths, the cleaning of the dog's beds and home,  and a follow-up visit to continue the treatment.  The solution is as we have talked about:

• Proper Nutrition-this will assist the immune system to fight the mite.  The mites are always around us, but without proper nutrition, our dog's immune system cannot do a good job a keeping the mite at bay.
• Stress-free living-importance of this fact is that our immune system goes into an imbalance when we are anxious or stressed.  Your dog may be experiencing some of the everyday stress points, if you are too.  Are you at work a lot?  Does your dog get regular exercise with you?  If not, make an attempt to remove some stress in your life.  It is really important!  Consider a doggie day care facility-they can help you with this problem, alongside your vet.

These are not quick fixes, but you can win the battle of the mite!  

Home Cleaning and Your Dog

One great way to ensure a healthy happy pet, is to use simple, and effective natural cleaners in your home.  It is a super easy way to have less chemical exposure to you and your dog, and to provide a fresh, clean environment for you both!

Here are some great ideas for cleaning your home in the holistic fashion, using baking soda, borax, vinegar, dish soap, and water.

Mix baking soda and vinegar in your toilet bowl, half baking soda, half white vinegar, and let it fizz!  Scrub the bowl clean when it is done fizzing, and add some more vinegar to fizz again.  You can leave this in the bowl overnight, or for as long as possible to continue the process of disinfecting the bowl.

Mix a paste of baking soda, and warm water on your counters and sinks in the kitchen for a soft scrub.  The course, natural paste will clean any bacteria off your counters, and will not harm you or your pet in any way.  Great for stainless steel, and for ceramic surfaces.

Take an old spray bottle, and reuse it by placing 2 tsp of borax in the bottle, 1/4 cup of a natural dish soap, 1 cup of white vinegar, and add warm water to fill the bottle.  This is a great mixture to leave in the shower to remove soap scum, and mildew and rust stains.  Leave it in the shower, and if you would like, add a few drops of your favorite essential oil like lavender or eucalyptus.

Why would you bother to make your own cleaning mixes?  What is the big deal?  The truth is, we really don't know what all the chemicals really do to us, and simply not having the facts of effect on us, are not good reasons to stop chemical use in our lives.  For one, using the five ingredients above, is more cost effective, and will be very effective.  You will have great results with these natural cleaners!

Grains VS Protein: What is best for your Dog?

Dog food!  It is a huge industry, by all accounts, there are over 9 Billion dollars a year spent in the U.S. on dog food alone.  That doesn't even touch the treats and the cat food!  We all know as dog owners, dogs love cat food!  Just ask any cat.

The best thing to do if you are concerned about your dog's health, and a holistic approach to food and nutrition, be sure to buy the best.  The best would be the following requirements:

• No By-Products:  Until around a year ago, the dog food industry used by-products from dead cats and dogs in its filler.  If you were feeding by-products, you may have been a part of some form of cannibalization for your pet.  By-products are the ground remnants of the animal that the company hopes to represent.  It basically is the carcass of a chicken, cow or sheep.  There could be bone, teeth, feathers, intestines, or any other shocking related protein.
• No Corn:  The starch in corn is something that your dog will not process in its digestion.  Please try to avoid this inexpensive and unnecessary filler!
• Too many words you cannot understand:  If you are finding lots of colors and preservatives in your best friends food, you are not doing your dog a favor.  Red should be red for a beet, a cabbage, or a raw piece of meat, not because the manufacturer is trying create a red kibble from a by-product or a corn ingredient.
• No expiration date:  you should buy only the freshest and smallest bag that you can, as it will ensure better nutrition for your dog.
• Not made in the USA:  dog food is not closely monitored in other countries, so it makes sense to stick with made in the US.  Canada is another great country to buy from, as they have a similar good process of making sure the food is safe and secure in manufacturing.
• Not a guarantee:  that is an easy one, and you should look for all responsible companies to back up the food they are selling.

Remember, this is the only nutrition your dog sees in its life.  Feeding the best food you can afford, will save you money in the long run, as all problems start with a lack of good nutrition.

So, what is the answer?  Grains or protein?  As with any holistic medicine option, moderation is the key. The best dog food options will bring a great mix of both-protein for essential fatty acids, and grains and vegetables for energy and mineral replacements.


http://www.petfoodinstitute.org/Index.cfm?Page=USPetFoodSales