Priest Lake Veterinary Hospital Newsletters::June 2008

June News Letter - Priest Lake Vet

Happy Fathers Day to all you Dads out there

     Summer is officially arriving this month. Vacations are being planned, yards are being mowed, children are out of school, and hotter weather is around the corner. The flowers are still blooming and the scents and beautiful colors are spectacular. I love to drive around and see the yards and gardens.

Dog Fighting a Felony Offense.

Wyoming became the 50th state to designate dog fighting as a felony offense. The increase in penalty means that dog fight organizers and participants will face more than just fines. Animal welfare advocates hope that with the possibility of facing jail time, fewer people will be inclined to take part in dog fighting and countless dogs will be spared the cruelty, injury and suffering associated with it.

The Economy affects pet care decisions:

     Economic woes are affecting everyone, from buying a house to filling up the gas tank. What about the pets?
     A recent unscientific poll, done by the DogChannel.com revealed that for the most part people are making financial cuts in areas other than their pets' care. Of the 1,600 people who responded, over 1,000 said that the state of the economy has not affected decisions about their pets. Over 200 said that they would wait to add another pet to their household and spend less on treats and toys. About 100 people purchased pet insurance to help ease their strapped wallets. Many households budget money aside for the care and treatment of their pets. Many people think of their pets as a member of the household and treat them accordingly by giving the them the care they need.

You Rolled in What?

     You may not know what it is ( you may not want to know), but you do know that from the smell of your dog, he rolled in something disgusting. How do you get the smell out fast? Here are some tips.

Give him a bath as soon as possible. Use a soft bathing brush to get down to the skin and work out the stink. Don't forget to wash the ears.
Use dog shampoo made with citronella, such as the ones for flea control. They do a good job of getting the smell out.
If you can't bathe your dog right away, sprinkle baking soda into a stinky spot and rub it in. Brush it out with a dog brush. The baking soda will help absorb the odor.
If your dog smells but you can't figure out why, talk to your veterinarian. That smell may be due to a medical problem rather than an environmental one.

Summer Precautions

If your pet has long hair you may want to give it a "summer" cut.
Always make sure your pet has plenty of fresh water and food.
If your pet is outside, make sure there is a shaded area for it.

Keep all pool and lawn chemicals put up out of reach

The birds are out in full force and animals are venturing outdoors, so it would be a great time to have your animal's feces checked for giardia, bacteria and parasites

Make sure your pet's vaccinations are up to date. More animals are going outside and critters are out and about.

Fleas and ticks are abundant now, so make sure your pets are protected

Always check pets closely for any sores or abrasions. Remember that flies can lay eggs in moist raw areas

Don't let your pets out without a leash and restraint unless in a fenced area
Mosquitos are out in abundance now, so don't miss any of their doses of heart worm prevention. Remember, one mosquito can spread heart worm disease from pet to pet if they are not protected.

Make sure your pets don't have access to the pool area when unsupervised

Are your outside plants pet friendly?

5 Signs of Canine Aggression

1.     An over developed sense of stranger danger
     Fearful dogs are often much more reactive to strangers than they are to familiar people.
2.     Hypersensitivity to those who are somehow "different"
     The types of people that fearful dogs react to are tall or large, have facial hair, loud or deep voices, some men, different postures and
      movements, and some people that move in an unusual way, (a person with a disability).
3.    A preference for being ignored
     Fearful dogs sometime warm up to the people that ignore them.
4.    A dislike for accessories
     Many fearful dogs have a difficult time with people that carry things, wear hats, glasses, tool belts, or back packs
5.     A tendency to "sucker punch"
    Fearful dogs often bite people on the back of their legs or their behind, being reluctant to act when a person is facing them.

     Fearfulness can be genetic or from being poorly socialized as a puppy. Dogs who are deprived of positive experiences and exposure to a wide range of people, are more likely to grow up to be fearful than dogs who have them.

Pet Proof Your Garden

If there is a certain place that your pet likes to lay in the yard, it might be wise to avoid planting anything in that area. If your dog is a digger you can train him to dig in a specific area by hiding treats and toys in that spot.   A dog that is chowing down on blood meal or bone meal fertilizer, may also ingest toxic plant material. Check out the toxic plant list at:    www.aspca.org/apcc. Be careful with your compost pile. Moldy food can cause serious illness. Always follow good composting practices to prevent this. The main culprits are items like meats and leftovers that you shouldn't be putting in your compost pile anyway. Be sure to avoid two ingredients: One is disulfoton, often included in rose products and the other is metaldehyde, used in slug baits. Both are attractive to dogs, but can cause seizures and death. Never use cocoa bean mulch. If you think your pet has ingested something in the yard, and they are not acting in their normal way, take them to your veterinarian. In instances of toxicity or poisoning, it is better to be safe than sorry.

June is Cat Rescue Month

When animals aren't adopted fast enough to keep up with the demand, overcrowded shelters often must euthanize or shut their doors to newcomers. Euthanasia rates have decreased, but there's room for improvement. There are many no kill shelters around, but they are usually full. Some have a waiting list to drop pets off. Of course, the most effective way to reduce euthanasia rates is reduce the number of animals, and all shelters consider early spay and neuter, and public education about its importance, the first line of defense in the reduction in euthanasia rates. Many no kill organizations partner with local shelters and pet supply stores to help adopt out relinquished animals. If you have a colony of feral cats (unowned cats living in the wild) around your apartment or neighborhood, you might want to look into some snip and tip organizations. They are organizations that advise you on capturing feral cats and bringing them to them for neutering and spaying. They tip the ears of these animals so if they are brought into a shelter, humane society, or picked up by animal control, it will be easy to identify that they are spayed or neutered.   Many of these organizations will test for leukemia and FIV, and vaccinate the cats, for a small fee, if the people want that done.