Leaving dogs in hot cars - DON’T DO IT!!

If you’ve read my blog in the past, you’ve likely seen me write rant about people leaving dogs in cars only to find them dead when they come back. Well, here ya go…here’s another one about two geniuses in Maine who left not one, but two dogs in a car while they went shopping at Home Depot. Sure, they feel bad about it now, but why didn’t they think about what they were doing before they left their dogs in an oven to die a grueling death?

Authorities are investigating the deaths of two dogs left inside a car during this week’s hot spell.

According to Ellsworth Police Lt. Harold Page, a mother and her adult daughter parked their car at a Home Depot on Wednesday afternoon and left their dogs inside the car while they shopped. When the women emerged from the store about 45 minutes later, the dogs had died from heat exhaustion, police said.

[…]

According to the Bangor Daily News, the dog owners said they left their dogs inside the car but kept the engine and air conditioning running. When they returned to the car, the engine and air conditioning were not running. Police later observed the air-conditioning controls were in the on position and the keys were in the ignition.

Davis Instruments has information from a study done in 2002 on how hot it can get in parked cars. Does this really sound like something you want put your pet through?

Finding: On a day when the outside temperature was 73° Fahrenheit, it took only 20 minutes for the temperature sensor inside the car to reach a lethal level of 107° Fahrenheit.

Finding: On a day when the outside temperature was 86° Fahrenheit, it took only five minutes for the temperature sensor inside the car (placed in direct sunlight) to reach 132° Fahrenheit.

Finding: On a day when the outside temperature was 86° Fahrenheit, it took only 10 minutes for the temperature sensor inside the vehicle in the shade to reach a lethal level of 109° Fahrenheit.

Please, if you have your dog with you and you feel you MUST go in somewhere, either take the dog in with you (some places allow this) or take the dog home. Or if, as in this case, there are two or more of you, have one person stay outside with the dogs. Use your head a bit folks, if it’s too hot for you to sit in a hot car, it will be for your dog too. And, your dog doesn’t know how to turn the A/C back on if it goes off!

Pet Obesity - Are We Killing Our Pets?

Obesity was once only considered a condition affecting the health of adult men and women, who for some reason or another, didn’t take care of themselves properly. Statistics indicate that the severity of obesity has far more reaching implications than impacting on basic fitness quality. Obesity kills approximately 280 000 adults in the US alone.

This would be an alarming concern on its own, but research has proven that obesity also affects children. A survey has revealed that the rate of childhood obesity has grown rapidly in recent times with 4.2% of children aged between 6 and 11 years of age in 1963 to a staggering 17.5% in 2004. (CDC.gov.) In reflection one might even determine that these statistics are not completely surprising given that children today are not performing the same physical activities as they were in the 1960s. This is true.

The roles of domestic animals have also changed through the years. At one time it was considered an affluent novelty to care for a pet in the home, especially if the animal did not perform some necessary task on the property. Latter as companion pet ownership became more usual the job of the pet typically changed to involve more “play time”, accompanying the children as they ran and played, or being a companion to its master in the duration of daily events. Then being rewarded at the end of a long days “work” with a hearty meal (it is strongly recommended that dogs should be fed two smaller meals a day, and even skipping 1 day a week).

As the usually daily tasks of our lives have changed, so have the duties of our four legged companions. As with humans pet obesity has become a major health issue. An estimated 25-40% of dogs in the United States are obese (*1). Pet obesity is not an issue involving dogs alone, cats and all domestic pets are at risk from this potentially fatal condition.

Pet obesity is a major health concern. Overweight pets suffer more physical ailments and do not live as long as animals of recommended weight. Obesity often reduces a pet's enjoyment of life. Health risks associated with weight gain include: Heart and respiratory disease, diabetes, liver disease, joint diseases such as arthritis and spinal disc problem just to name a few

As with humans the lack of physical activity is not the only contributing factor to health issues related to obesity in our pets. There are in fact a number of causes, and indeed a number of ways we can works towards in improving the quality of life for our companions.

Our first question should be “are we killing our pets with kindness”. Diet plays a significant role in contributing to pet obesity. While we should consider physical activity as a changed circumstance over the years, we should also consider reevaluating the food we feed our pets. Instead of examining the changed daily routine of our pets, and altering their diets to suit. We have either neglected to serve an appropriate diet, or over compensated for physical activity with the issuing of treats often with little or poor nutritional quality.

While we are well aware that fast food is bad for our kids, few of us realize that fast food is also bad for our pets. You might be wondering what fast food for pets is. Simply fast food for pets is a tin of dog food. Take the time to read the label on a tin of manufactured dog food and you will discover that it is packed with processed this and processed that and a whole variety of weird and wonderful additives. Not all tinned foods are the same; surprisingly many of the more expensive and well known labels are not ideal. I am sure my children will eat heartedly if I fed them McDonald's every night, but I certainly would not do this simply because it is not good for them. There are many good quality pre-prepared pet foods available on the market that do contain good healthy ingredients. Shop for your pet with the same concern you would when you shop for the human members of the family. Alternatively preparing your own healthy meals from fresh ingredients is surprisingly a cheap and easy option.

Keep in mind that treats are just that, treats!

And my favorite health routine for both myself and my pet, make time. A walk or play each day will not only improve your pets health, it is just what the doctor ordered for you also. A daily walk or play will improve health and wellbeing of mind body and soul for you both.

(*1) Wolfsheimer, KJ. Obesity. In: Ettigner SJ, Feldman EC. , editors. Textbook of veterinary internal medicine. 5th edition. WB Saunders Company; Philadelphia (PA): 2000.

Lauren a.k.a "The Pet Steps Lady" loves pets and is concerned about their health in today's world. She helps injured, elderly, and post-surgical pets with her quality dog and cat steps and is now looking to reach out to help those pet owners who have overweight and obese pets. Lauren is the proud owner of her dog Mollie B, her cat Pumpkin, and the newest addition to her family kitten Kingston.

Canine Parvovirus

My dog sam was infected by parvovirus and died after 3days. Two of my friends also lost their dogs due to parvovirus. What actually is parvovirus, its cause, symptoms and treatment?

I made some research and this is what I found about parvovirus.

Parvo - A Dangerous Canine Virus
By Shirley Green
Published: GSDCA Review

Canine Parvovirus (CPV), commonly referred to as parvo, is a very serious viral disease in dogs. This illness first appeared in about 1978 and there was a widespread epidemic in dogs of all ages. As no dogs had been exposed or vaccinated at that time, dogs of all ages died from this infection. Veterinarian researchers believe that canine Parvovirus is a mutation from the feline Parvovirus, also known as feline distemper virus. Parvo has adapted over time and new strains have appeared. The good news is that the current vaccinations available protect against all strains.

Three Types of Parvo

- Asymptomatic - where the dog has no signs of having the disease. This is common in dogs over 1 year old and dogs previously vaccinated.

- Cardiac – this form of the disease has virtually been eliminated by immunization of bitches prior to having puppies. Before a vaccine was available, infected pups, under 3 months, would have severe inflammation, necrosis (death) and scarring of the heart muscle. Although rare, it may still occur, leaving a pup with chronic congestive heart failure, often leading to death in weeks or months.

- Intestinal – this is the form of the virus most commonly seen today. It causes extreme damage to the lining of the digestive tract. Parvo likes to grow in rapidly dividing cells and the intestinal lining has the biggest concentration of rapidly dividing cells in a puppy’s body. The virus attacks and destroys certain portions of the absorptive villi, the intestinal crypts. And, even with this form of Parvo, heart muscle damage may also occur.

Symptoms
- Loss of appetite
- Vomiting
- Lethargy
- High Fever
- Diarrhea, often bloody
- Foul smelling, liquid yellow stool

Parvovirus causes severe life-threatening illness, through dehydration, acid-base imbalance, infection and shock. If you suspect your pet may be infected, it is an emergency and you should contact your veterinarian immediately.

How is it transmitted?
Parvo is carried by dogs. Adult dogs may be infected carriers and not show any signs. Dogs with the typical symptoms and diarrhea, shed the virus perhaps for as long as 7 days after the symptoms have ended. Generally, it takes 3 to 10 days from the time of exposure for symptoms to appear and for your dog or pup to test positive. The onset of clinical signs is usually sudden, within 12 hours, or even less.

The Parvovirus is particularly long-lived in the environment, lasting anywhere from 1 to 7 months, or even longer. Due to the large amounts of virus particles shed in the feces of an infected dog and the ability of the virus to survive, complete eradication of the virus is often impossible.

Parvovirus is specific to canines and cannot be spread to humans or other pets of a different species, such as cats.

Parvo may be brought home to your pup on shoes, hands and even car tires. It is not an airborne illness. So, even if your dog or pup does not leave your yard, they may contract this disease. Therefore, it is vital to immunize your dog and also follow appropriate disinfecting procedures listed under Prevention.

Treatment
In all but mild cases, treatment requires hospitalization and intensive management is essential. There is no magic drug to kill the virus and the patient requires supportive measures, which may include:

- intravenous fluid replacement to combat dehydration and control electrolyte levels
- medication to control vomiting and diarrhea
- antibiotics to prevent secondary bacterial infections
- blood transfusions – to replace protein loss, provide antibodies, help with anemia

If your pup survives the first 3-4 days, it will usually live. Dogs that recover are immune to the disease.

After your dog recovers completely, it should be isolated for at least 2 weeks and some resources advise isolation for as long as 30 days. This is in order to minimize spreading the virus.

Preventing Parvo
Preventing parvo in your dog is a two-step approach:

F I R S T:
Vaccinating your puppy and keeping your adult dog up-to-date with regular booster shots can prevent Parvovirus. Consult your veterinarian to determine an appropriate inoculation schedule.

S E C O N D:
Follow these precautions to prevent the spread of the virus:

- Do not allow your puppy to socialize where other dogs have been until
your veterinarian indicates it is safe to do so - - after puppy shots. It is
much better to forego early socialization than to take unnecessary risks.
After all, you cannot train a dead puppy!

- Ask your veterinarian about what vaccination protocol is best for your pet and stick to it.

- If you have been in an area where dogs frequent – park, pet store, etc. – disinfect your shoes and keep them outside your home. If parvo is rampant in your area, this also applies to your clothing. Be sure and wash your hands and then disinfect them using a solution of one part bleach to 30 parts water.

- There are several parvo disinfectants on the market but regular bleach is still 100% effective and much less costly. The dilution is one part of chlorine bleach to 30 parts of water. REMEMBER: bleach will remove color from dyed fabrics or objects, so the commercial disinfectants have that advantage.

Keep spray bottles filled with your disinfectant solution at each entry to your home and yard; ask guests to spray their shoes and hands. Pick up feces and vomitus immediately and then disinfect the area. It is much better to
kill the grass or bleach the concrete than risk your pup! Keep the pup’s environment clean at all times.

Caution: Never, ever spray the bleach preparation on the animal at any time!

What If I Have A Parvo Pup?
Keep the infected dog isolated from all other dogs for at least one month after full recovery. Use your 1:30 chlorine bleach solution to clean all food and water bowls and wash all bedding in this same bleach solution and hot water. Disinfect all other areas where that dog has been – linoleum, concrete walks, crates, etc. Discard toys and chew bones used by the infected pup. Check with your veterinarian to see if a booster shot is appropriate for other dogs in your household.

If you have had parvo in your home, use the bleach and water solution to kill it.
Parvo can live up to seven months, or longer, in your home or yard. Before bringing home another dog, be certain it has a strong immunity built up to parvo. Have your veterinarian draw blood and run a titre to confirm how well your prospective dog will fare in a parvo-infected environment.

In Conclusion:
Parvo is a highly contagious disease that is of epidemic proportions in many areas of our country. Practice disinfecting procedures. Watch your pup closely for any signs or symptoms and immediately seek veterinary assistance if they appear. Hold off on socializing your pup in group classes and dog parks until all puppy shots have been given and your veterinarian says it is appropriate.

And, share this information with your friends and their dogs. Spread the information - - not the disease.

source: http://www.dogpro.org/index.php?pageID=49

Pet nutrition

One of the most important things to know about taking care of your pets is their nutrition. Our pets can’t make decisions for themselves about what they will eat. Most of us usually just grab on what’s available on the market. But these products usually contain ingredients that are not good to our pet’s health. There are pet food products that when you look closely on the them you will see that it only contain scraps that full of artificial colorings, flavor enhancers to entice your pet to eat. Some pet food products have ingredients like meat and bone meal that are very questionable in terms of nutritional value. Worst, preservatives on pet foods that make the shelf life long are usually not good for your pets. If you think that you are giving your pets a good food better think again. This is true state of what we usually give our pets. So the next time you see a dog food that says "complete and balanced" on the label better look at the ingredients and see what kind of stuff they included in there.

There has been misconceptions and misleading information with companies that advertises their products. They just usually say what you want to hear. As a matter of fact there have been several pet food products that have been pulled out of market because of the contents of their products. Over the years pet owners and pet lovers have realized that they should be attentive on what they are giving to their pets. This has also led to the availability of some excellent commercial pet nutrition products. High quality meat-based foods for dogs and cats really are healthier for your pets compared to feeding grain based pet foods.

Some people notice the dramatic change in their pet’s health when they changed the pet food that they are feeding their pets. Optimal nutritional intake for dogs and cats is needed if you want your pets to maintain a healthy life. We as pet owners should be responsible enough for our pets and see to it that they are getting the right pet food. If you are not sure if you are giving your pets a healthy and safe food you can always check the website especially government sites that regulates these kinds of products.

Bath time!

One of the most common problems of pet owners when they have a new puppy in their house is bathing. Well, some people can’t stand the smell of new puppies because it smells like… well, like a puppy smell! If you are thinking of bathing your new puppy and wondering if its ok the answer is yes! You can bathe your young pup and usually giving them a good bath can really perks them up. It also helps to get rid of any dirt, stool or food that has hidden itself in the puppy's coat.

There wide range of puppy shampoos available in the market today. For puppies get the tearless kind because it doesn't sting if it gets in the eyes and will make the bath easier for you and your pup.

HOW? First you need to wet the pup down completely then lather up the shampoo all over. Be sure that you rinse the shampoo off thoroughly! If you don’t rinse it thoroughly those little shampoo left on the coat can irritate your pup’s skin later on. Rinse twice if you feel you still need to rinse their coat. Remember not to get any soap in their eyes because like us, they can be irritated by that.

It also helps to put a little cotton plugs in the ear canals of your pup. This will keep water and shampoo out of their ear canals. Using warm water will make your pup love their bath. Using water that is too cold or too hot will make your pup hate bath time! Wrap your puppy with big towel and gently rub the puppy dry. If you are going to use a blow dryer try not to scare the pup.

HOW OFTEN? You give your dog a bathe whenever it really needs to be cleaned up. A bath every three weeks is about right and some breeds like those with short coats may rarely need a bath.

WHAT KIND? It’s advisable to use mild dog shampoos especially for puppy. Your vet can tell you if your dog needs a special formula for dry skin, allergic dermatitis or very sensitive skin.

With this information I hope that you will have a happy bath experience with your pets.

Feline parvovirus

Here's a little information about feline parvovirus and what its all about...

What is feline parvovirus?
Also known as feline infectious enteritis (FIE) or feline panleukopenia, feline parvovirus (FPV) is a small, hardy virus. FPV was thought to be almost eliminated from the cat population because of vaccination. However, it is still causing problems for some cat rescuers, pet shops and cat breeders.

Can dogs or people catch FPV from infected cats?
No. FPV does not infect dogs or humans, although it can infect other large cats and mink.

Can cats catch canine parvovirus?
Recently it has been shown that occasionally canine parvovirus can infect cats.

How are cats infected with FPV?
FPV is a very tough virus, it survives for up to a year in the environment and requires special disinfectants, like Parvocide, to kill it. Most cats catch FPV from a contaminated environment, rather than from infected cats.

Which cats are vulnerable to FPV?
Kittens are most susceptible, especially when the protective antibodies they receive in their mother's milk have waned, which is usually somewhere between 4-16 weeks of age. Unvaccinated adult cats are also susceptible and allowing a cat to get behind with its booster vaccinations may be risky.

What clinical signs does FPV cause?
FPV affected cats or kittens become acutely ill. They may vomit, bringing up froth or they may just look wet around the lips. Despite the name 'infectious enteritis' the cats may not have diarrhoea. Temperature is variable, it may be raised in the early stages, but often by the time the cat is taken to see a vet it can be subnormal. Affected cats often appear hungry or thirsty, sitting hunched over a water or food bowl but unable to drink or eat. Sometimes they present as a sudden death, indeed cats which "go off to die somewhere" may be suffering from this condition. Cat rescuers and breeders who have a problem with 'fading kittens' should check whether or not they have this virus in their premises (see section on how FPV is diagnosed).

If a pregnant queen is infected with FPV, the brain of her unborn kittens may be affected. The part of the brain which becomes damaged is the part that controls balance, so that from about 2 weeks of age, when kittens first become really mobile, they can be seen to have a wobbly gait. At weaning they have difficulty feeding because their heads bob up and down.


How is FPV diagnosed?
From a living cat or kitten a sample of faeces and a sample of blood should be sent to the Feline Virus Unit at Glasgow Veterinary School where they will be tested for virus and antibodies respectively. From a dead cat or a faded kitten 3 samples of the intestines should be sent preserved in formalin and the contents of the intestines should be sent in a clean receptacle.

If you want to know if FPV is present in your premises but none of your cats are presently sick, test them for antibodies against FPV. The levels of antibodies (ie. their antibody titres) are much higher than they would be from just having been vaccinated, so testing healthy in-contact cats can reveal the presence of FPV in the environment.

How is FPV disease treated?
If sick cats are detected in time, they can be treated symptomatically by good nursing and drip feeding. Many cats do recover if treatment is instigated early enough.

How do you prevent FPV infection?
The main method for FPV control is by vaccination, kittens are normally vaccinated at 9 and 12 weeks of age, although any age of cat can be vaccinated and older cats may respond to a single dose of vaccine. It is usual to give boosters every year with cat 'flu vaccines; 'flu vaccines need to be boosted yearly, but FPV boosters can often be given only every other year.

Are there any side effects of the vaccine?
Two kinds of FPV vaccine are available - "live" vaccines, in which the virus can still grow in the vaccinated cat, so producing a better immune response, without producing disease, and "inactivated" or "killed" vaccines which do not grow in the vaccinated cat, but which can be used safely in pregnant queens. Live FPV vaccines should never be used in pregnant queens because there is a tiny risk that they can produce the brain damage in unborn kittens described above. Other than that, both types of vaccine have been widely used for many years without side effects.

What should a cat rescue worker do after FPV diagnosis?
The problem will be that their cat accommodation will be full of virus and very infectious for around a year following FPV diagnosis. There are two possible options: first: only foster cats which have already been fully vaccinated against FPV, and so are immune. Secondly, if kittens must be fostered, greatly reduce contamination of the environment by disinfection with a veterinary disinfectant such as Parvocide. Since parvovirus is excreted in the faeces, the litter trays should be particularly disinfected. Remember that disinfectants will only work when thorough cleaning has already been done. Reduce the number of kittens which are fostered and do not allow them into the room(s) which the diseased cat or kitten occupied.

Should a cat breeder stop breeding after FPV diagnosis?
The cat breeder has a number of options open after FPV diagnosis: first, no susceptible animals should be introduced to the contaminated environment for at least a year, so that all newcomers should have had a full vaccination course before entering the premises. Secondly, kittens will receive antibodies from their mother's milk which will protect them for a few weeks (the exact time will depend on how well the kittens suckled and how high the mother's antibody titre was when she gave birth: the higher the titre, the longer the kittens will be protected). Therefore, an option for cat breeders is to sell their kittens at 5-6 weeks of age, before they lose these antibodies, known as maternal antibodies, and become susceptible to infection. This option of course depends on all of the kittens suckling adequately to obtain the antibodies. Vaccinating kittens from an earlier age, say 6 weeks, usually doesn't work because the maternal antibodies may interfere with the vaccine, so that the kitten is not protected. If the breeder wants to keep a good kitten, perhaps it could be fostered at a friend's house from 5 weeks of age, vaccinated when old enough and brought back.

Third, the best thing a breeder can do to eliminate FPV is to considerably cut down the number of litters he or she has during the year following FPV diagnosis. Every new kitten which gets infected, even if it doesn't get ill, adds to the virus dose in the environment: reducing the number or even stopping having kittens for a year would allow the virus to die out completely from your premises.

Some breeders have special premises built for rearing their kittens, they may think that by thorough cleaning and disinfecting these with a very powerful disinfectant like Parvocide they will be able to safely rear kittens. However, they must remember that the virus will be present everywhere on their premises and can be transmitted from one place to another on their shoes and clothing.

Is there any point in revaccinating the adult cats after a parvovirus outbreak?
Probably not. Most will already have protective high antibody titres.