Good Hope Animal Hospital - Mechanicsburg PA
Where Little Paws Meet Trusted Hands
With Spring just around the corner, your pet is probably pretty excited about getting out of the house. But beware! As your pet spends more time outside, he or she is more likely to come into contact with wild animals. Any one of those animals could be carrying rabies.
Our very own Dr. Heidecker was interviewed recently on the topic by ABC27 WHTM News. Watch it here. . .
(We’re sorry. This video is no longer available.)
You know it has to be done, but exactly how do you brush your dog’s teeth?
Brushing your dog’s teeth, combined with professional dental cleanings by a veterinarian, is a very important part of maintaining the animal’s health. A dog with healthy teeth and gums is more likely to keep its teeth for life, continue to eat hard food, and have less breath odor. In addition, dogs that have a consistent dental health regimen are less likely to develop bacterial infections of the bloodstream. Bacteria from the teeth are known to colonize the valves of the heart, causing a type of heart disease called bacterial endocarditis.
Dogs, especially the smaller breeds, actually require the same kind of care for their teeth as people do for theirs. Smaller breeds tend to acquire a tremendous amount of plaque and tartar on their teeth. This is most likely because they often do not chew on bones and other hard items that help with the mechanical breakdown of plaque and tartar, or eat soft, canned food rather than the hard varieties.
It is important to start brushing your dog’s teeth as early in life as possible. Never use human toothpaste, since it contains foaming agents that can cause the dog to vomit if swallowed. Veterinary toothpaste does not contain these foaming agents, so a dog may safely swallow it. Most dogs love the taste of the veterinary toothpaste, which comes in a variety of flavors, including chicken, beef, and malt. (Most pets will try to lick it off the brush before their teeth have been cleaned!) Also available are fluoride sprays and gels that can be applied to the teeth after brushing in order to help prevent tooth decay.
There are many different types of toothbrushes designed for dogs. Some fit over the finger and are called “finger brushes,” while others are very long and angled, with a wide brush head. These can be purchased from a veterinarian or a pet store. Some people use a human toothbrush with soft bristles that will not damage the gums.
Use the toothbrush on all the surfaces of your dog’s teeth — especially the back molars — at least one to two times a day. You’ll quickly see results in the dog’s breath odor. The long-term benefits to its teeth, gums, and general health, will be rewarding to both you and your pet.
How can you get rid of your dog’s foul body odor?
It is very common for owners to think that odors are coming from a dog’s hair when they may be originating from other places, including the mouth, feet, ears, and perianal area. Dental disease, yeast overgrowth on the paws, ear infection, and full anal glands may be causing the foul smell. Be sure that you carefully wash these areas or around these areas when bathing your dog. It is important that a veterinarian rule out any such problems during an examination.
Many odors can be associated with skin diseases. Pyoderma, a bacterial skin infection, yeast infection, and seborrhea, or excessively oily skin, may also cause a foul smell.
Your veterinarian will be able to determine if there is a medical cause for the smell and then recommend a specific treatment plan. Only rarely will a dog have severe odor radiating from the body for which a medical cause cannot be determined.
A specific prescription shampoo and possibly a rinse may be needed for the problem. Your veterinarian also will be able to guide you on how frequently you need to bathe your dog. Generally, a healthy dog should only be shampooed once a month or less, unless your veterinarian has prescribed otherwise.
Veterinarians frequently recommend that owners use a dog or pet shampoo and not a human shampoo because the pH of pet shampoos is different from that of human shampoos. General shampooing often will remove typical odors that dogs pick up on their hair coats.
What’s a good exercise routine for your dog?
There are many ways to exercise your dog, but the key is to start him out slowly and then steadily increase the length and intensity of his workouts. It is the same philosophy as with humans. Too much too fast will cause soreness and could even damage weak ligaments.
Walking is still one of the best exercises. A medium-sized dog should be walked about one and one-half to two miles a day. Some dogs also love to run, but I would recommend a two or three week walking routine before working up to short jogs. Use your own judgment as to when your dog has had enough by how he acts the following day. If he is getting stiff, or is slow to rise, you should slow things down a bit.
Games that dogs love to play also provide good exercise. Fetching thrown objects, or playing hide-and-seek when two or more people are present, are excellent diversions for dogs. We don’t recommend tug-of-war because it can cause damage to your dog’s teeth, and tends to increase aggressive tendencies.
Other means of exercise include agility training, doggy play-groups, and obedience classes. Most dogs enjoy these activities because it works their mind as well as their body. If you search out a play-group, try to find one that has dogs of similar ages and carefully “test” them together on leashes first. Sometimes play can get out of hand and escalate into a fight.
If you have any questions about your dog’s health and its ability to exercise safely, consult your regular veterinarian. A veterinary examination will reveal if an underlying heart condition or other problem exists that could make exercise dangerous.
So your dog eats feces every time he goes outside?
Coprophagy, or eating feces, is an unpleasant but common behavior of dogs. Unfortunately, dogs can become infected with intestinal parasites by ingesting excrement, which may contain microscopic parasitic eggs. Since your pet has been eating feces, it is very important that your veterinarian evaluate a stool sample to look for infection.
There are several proposed causes for coprophagy. Boredom is one of them; the behavior is more prevalent in dogs that are crated for long periods of time without stimulation. In addition, dogs may eat their own waste as a way of “hiding the evidence” if they receive punishment for inappropriate defecation. Uncommonly, there are also some underlying medical conditions that are thought to be associated with coprophagy, such as a poor diet that is lacking in essential nutrients or vitamins. The problem also may be caused by a pancreatic enzyme deficiency.
Some behavioral experts feel that coprophagia may be related to a dog’s instinctual nature to scavenge for food. It is also possible that dogs eat their feces as a way of playing, learning, and sampling their environment.
Treatment of this problem can be challenging. The first step is to keep the area where the dog voids meticulously clean. This often means following the dog and immediately cleaning up the stool.
In addition, covering the stool with an ingredient that the dog dislikes may be helpful. Compounds such as red pepper sauce or bitter-tasting substances, which are available in pet stores, may discourage dogs from eating feces. You can also try sprinkling dog food with Accent meat tenderizer or MSG — monosodium glutamate — since these products may help discourage the eating of stool.
Try to deter your dog from this behavior early on, before it becomes a habit that is difficult to control.
Does your indoor pet really need a collar with identification?
Yes! It is common for an otherwise indoor animal to escape outside and run away in fear. Therefore, all indoor animals should have a collar or some other type of identification on at all times. Identification information should include the animal’s name and the owner’s home phone number and address. This information can lead to the quick return of your pet.
Collars are not the only means of providing an animal with identification. Microchipping, which involves placing a tiny chip under the skin between the shoulder blades, is becoming quite popular. When a lost animal is picked up or brought into a veterinary hospital, humane society, or animal shelter, a scanner is used to detect the presence of a microchip; the identification information contained within the chip will appear on the scanner’s screen. These microchips can be placed by your veterinarian, and are a great way of permanently identifying an animal. A collar is still recommended, however, in case the pet is found by someone who does not have access to a scanner.
What does it mean when your dog “twitches” or “jerks” while he or she is asleep?
This means that your dog is in a state of sleep that in humans is termed rapid eye movement, or REM, sleep. It is during this time that humans, if awakened, say that they were dreaming. Veterinarians speculate that pets also dream. Although this has not been extensively studied, many veterinarians feel that dogs probably dream about chasing things, and playing with other animals and people. It is not necessary to wake REM-sleeping dogs up, as they will not harm themselves. A good, undisturbed nap will allow your dog to wake up feeling refreshed and able to play.
You’re having a baby! But how can you help your dog accept the new addition to your family?
It is much better to give thought to this question now than to wait until after your baby is born. You have allowed yourselves some time to become educated and to train your dog to interact with the new family member.
Get at least two training books dealing specifically with children and dogs. There is a large amount of information available on how to make this transition as pleasant and stress-free as possible.
In addition, if your dog has not already completed a basic training course, we recommend enrolling it in one now. For the best chances of success, you and the other family members need to have complete control of your dog.
You should also carefully assess how your dog reacts to children of different ages. There are some dogs that do not tolerate children well, and they can be very difficult and dangerous to deal with. In extreme cases, it may be in the best interest of both your dog and baby to place the animal in a home that has no children.
The most important thing that you should remember is that you should NEVER leave your baby and your dog alone together, under any circumstances. Accidents happen, even with dogs that have shown no previous signs of aggression. Take the few seconds that it takes to put the dog in a crate or some other secure place. Do not risk your child being bitten or even killed by any dog, including your own. We hate to be so grim, but there are many sad stories of this very thing happening when it could have been prevented.
Other Preparation Tips:
These are just a few suggestions but there is a lifetime of monitoring and training that you will need to do. If you are having any fears or trouble, you should contact a professional trainer immediately.
Is your dog always scooting around the floor on his rear?
Anal gland impaction is a common reason that dogs scoot. Full anal glands cause irritation and pressure around the anus. Dogs scoot in an attempt to relieve the sensations. Your veterinarian can check your dog’s anal glands and express them, hence eliminating this as a potential problem.
Your dog should be checked for tapeworms and other intestinal parasites, as these may also cause dogs to scoot. Tapeworms commonly appear as “white rice” segments around the dog’s anus or in the stool. If you have seen this, tell your veterinarian.
Other potential causes of scooting can include sensitivity to diet, flea allergy, or skin infection.
Consult with your veterinarian for a specific diagnosis.
How can you remove ticks from your dog or cat without harming them?
Animals easily pick up ticks in their fur from the outdoors. Ticks will attach themselves to the skin for several days, until they are full of blood sucked from their host. During this period, they can transmit serious diseases to cats and dogs and should be removed as soon as they are detected on the animal. Some diseases can be prevented by early tick removal, since the transfer of the infectious agent can take up to 72 hours.
Ticks should be removed with tweezers applied to the portion of the tick’s head closest to the skin. Pull gently and with steady pressure. Examine the tick to be sure the entire head was removed. Afterwards, the bite wound should be cleaned with antibacterial soap and rinsed well.
Several options are currently available to prevent ticks from attaching themselves to your pet, and to kill the ones that do. Frontline® is a safe and effective topical flea and tick control product that is applied to the animal’s skin once a month. A Preventic® tick collar, although not a flea deterrent, is an effective method of preventing and killing ticks for up to three months. There are many shampoos, dips, and sprays that can be used to kill ticks in certain animals. However, kittens, puppies, and some adult cats can be sensitive to these products. Consult your veterinarian about which products are appropriate for your pets.
