Wednesday 30 April 2014

TURMERIC


The amazing health benefits of turmeric

Aside from the holistic health community, Western medical practitioners have only recently come on board in recognizing the benefits of turmeric.

Tuesday 29 April 2014

Dollar$ for Dog$ Fundraising Walk

2014-05-25Dollar$ for Dog$ Fundraising Walk -

Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind will host our 30th annual fundraising walk on Sunday, May 25, 2014, presented by 98.5 The Jewel. Join us for the Dollar$ for Dog$ Fundraising Walk, a 4-km walk with your best canine friend, plus a BBQ and terrific prizes. You can attend our national walk at Andrew Haydon Park in Ottawa, Ontario. The more pledges you raise, the more prizes you can win. In addition to participating, this is a great way to promote your business, especially if dog-related. Contact us to learn more about our promotional and sponsorship opportunities for Dollar$ for Dog$. If you live outside of Ottawa, you can still register and walk in your own community. Local or national walkers can create a profile page and register online by going to our homepage at www.guidedogs.ca. For a hard copy pledge form email events@guidedogs.ca or phone 613-692-7777.


Ottawa, Ontario (National Walk) or walk in your own community Andrew Haydon Park 3169 Carling Avenue

Monday 28 April 2014

Diabetes


DIABETES

Pets with Diabetes can live relatively normal lives with proper nutrition, exercise and insulin injections.

Diabetes is a disease where the amount of insulin being produced is inadequate. Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas and used by the body to control the amount of glucose entering the body's cells.

The cells in the body need glucose for energy to sustain life. In normal animals, insulin facilitates the entrance of glucose into most body cells. In Diabetic animals the blood's glucose cannot adequately enter the cells. Therefore glucose accumulates in the blood and eventually passes into the urine; therefore, the cells don't receive the nourishment they need.


Diabetes is usually seen in animals over six years of age. Many animals that develop diabetes are overweight. Since sugar remains in the blood and urine, Owners will notice increased thirst, hunger and urination.

 Untreated, the dog will lose weight and become emaciated. The owner may also notice their pets are more lethargic, weak and sleeping more often. Other signs are skin conditions: your pet’s coat may be dull and full of dandruff. There may also be depression, vomiting and cataracts causing blindness.

As the untreated disease progresses, chemicals called ketones accumulate, resulting in vomiting and further dehydration. Then can lead to coma then death.

Diabetes is not a curable disease but with proper Insulin administration

THE DISEASE CAN BE CONTROLLED.

To learn more about this and other medical conditions, register for a Canine First aid Course at http://knowthydog.com/register.asp or contact knowthydog@yahoo.ca

Saturday 26 April 2014

PLAY PANTING


Animal Behaviourist Patricia Simonet left a legacy.
She studied the sounds of dogs having effects on other dogs.
Her goal was to try to calm, reduce stress, and quiet dogs in Shelter life.
They piped laughing dogs into dog shelters to confirm the results and the effects were significant.

The dogs were calmed and quiet within minutes.


The play panting worked and they marketed a CD.

Check out their website http://laughing-dog.org/

                                                                   Happy dogs are a joy!

Friday 25 April 2014

DOES YOUR DOG'S GAS CLEAR A ROOM?

                                  What can we do to better control our dog's GAS output!
                          
FLATULENCE: Excess accumulation of gas in the digestion tract.
Unfortunately Chronic Flatulence needs to be managed because it can cause damage to the intestinal wall and also cause the guts to be bacterial resistance to toxins.

Certain breeds are prone to be a little more gasy, breeds like Bull dogs, Boxers, Bostons, the short muzzles usually means gulping more air while they eat. Using objects in food bowls to slow down eating can help with gulping to much air. Not only does it help with air intake but it helps control choking on food and the possibility of Bloat. 

If you have more then one dog, feeding the dogs separated, help to stop competitive eating. Dogs will down there food faster if they think another dog is going to take their food from them.
Besides air intake, the kibble itself can be the problem, using bigger kibble will  help slow your dog's eating. All kibble also has air in the kibble itself. Soymeal based kibble will produce more gases, also feeding dairy to dogs that maybe lactose-intolerant will inedible cause gas. Try feeding smaller meals more often.

Eating garbage or rotten foods will definitely cause short term flatulence. Having locks for garage cans or not access with be beneficial.

The last comment is also if your dog has soft stool and lots of gas. You may want to get a fecal sample check at the vets for Parasites.

Thursday 24 April 2014

Story Time Thursday



 I worked at Vet Clinics for many years, surprising how often we would receive faxes on lost or stolen dogs and cats. We would post the faxes on our Bulletin Board in the reception area. Often these pets were micro-chipped.

A young women made an appointment for her new dog. Unfortunately for her we had just received a fax about a young male Boxer who had gone missing the week before. We removed the fax from the wall and the Vet asked many questioned, none of which she could answer. He told her he wanted to scan for a chip before chipping because sometimes when you don't know the dog's history he could of already been chipped. She allowed the quick scan and a chip was present. The women was told this was a stolen dog and we gave her the fax about the missing Boxer puppy. She agreed to hand over the dog and the next day he was reunited to his original owners.  Happy ending! Remember if that puppy hadn't of been Micro-chipped he would of had a very different life.

http://www.petmicrochiplookup.org/ Check out the Micro chip data base for your micro chipped pets!

Wednesday 23 April 2014

Dogcatradio.com

Many people leave the radio for their dogs when they go out. We believe it makes them feel less alone. So it seem many dogs have musical preferences, I would wager it would be similar to their owners tastes of music because that's what they are exposed to. According to the founder of Dogcat radio  a station aimed at pets and their owners, dogs like Disco. Who of thought!
DogcatRadio.com is out of Los Angeles but because its online we to can tune in.

Tuesday 22 April 2014

DOG DNA KITS You Maybe Amazed How many Breeds Make up your DOG!


Life is a little bit easier when you understand the Genetic background of your dog’s breed. This isn’t always easy to tell by looking. So Dog DNA kits are a simple test to tell what breeds your dog’s are. You will gain insight with the knowledge and be able to understanding the breeds of your dog better. Having the history and personality characteristics your dog possesses will help make you and a your dogs life easier. Also you will become aware of your dog’s breeds genetic health concerns. Always good to know!

The test is so simple just swab your dog’s cheek from inside his mouth, cheek cells will be absorbed on the swab. Mail them to the lab. In a few weeks you will get the information about all the different mixes that make up your dog.  Research Dog DNA Kits and find out more about your dog.


DO YOU KNOW WHAT BREEDS OF DOG THIS IS?

Monday 21 April 2014

Be Cautious with Easter Chocolate and your Dogs

If your dog gets into the Chocolate Easter Eggs
 
Treatment – CHOCOLATE

 There is no set toxic dose when it comes to chocolate. Other factors will also need to be figured in: the size of the dog, the health of the dog and the type of chocolate consumed. Different types of chocolate have different levels of caffeine and Theobromine which increases the heart rate. A toxic dose is about 40mgs.of Theobromine per 1 oz of Milk chocolate. 150 mgs.of Theobromine per 1 oz of Semi sweet chocolate, and 400mgs.of Theobromine per 1 oz of Dark chocolate.

So a toxic dose is 100 mgs. of chocolate per 1 kg or (2.2 lbs) of body weight. Since Baker’s chocolate has the highest level of Theobromine a toxic level would be 2 baker squares for a 10lb (4.53 kg) dog. Contact your Veterinarian induce vomiting if ingested less then 1 and 1/2 hours. Some of the signs of chocolate overdose are hyperactivity, vomiting, diarrhea, increased drinking and urinating,
increased heart rate, seizures and possible death.

 

Saturday 19 April 2014

HOPPY EASTER FROM KNOW THY DOG

                                                                    HAPPY EASTER

Friday 18 April 2014

Poison Spring Plants


Poison plants

Harmful Spring plants keep these plants well out of the reach of your dogs. Research your choice of plants before planting. There are well over 700 springtime plants that are a danger to your pet. Even out for your walks you should know which Spring time plants to avoid.

Here are a few:

Azalea- Causes vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, weakness coma

High blood pressure affects the Central Nervous System

Crocus- Excessive drooling, abdominal pain, diarrhea vomiting, loss of appetite

Daffodil- Severe gastrointestinal convulsions, low blood pressure, tremors

Tulip- vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite

 
If you see your dog, eat a plant that you know to be poisonous, induce vomiting. Generally you have an 11/2 hour window depending on the size of your dog to induce vomiting. Any longer you must seek Veterinary help.

For a more detailed list, check out this website.

http://spottsdogcareblogspot.ca/2009/04/harmful-spring-plants-dogs.html

 

Wednesday 16 April 2014

DO DOGS REASON?

http://www.spanieljournal.com/3troettger.html
 
                                               You not need to reason when solving a problem?












             
                               See pictures of my Border Collie figuring out how to get her Frisbee back.

Sunday 13 April 2014

Stay safe


Drowning is aspiration of fluid into lungs or dry drowning is suffocation being unable to breath.

 
Keep them safe and leashed around lakes

Friday 11 April 2014

Story time

Another Collar Incident

When my Hagrid was young, he is a 12 year old Border collie his best friend in the world was Philly a young Pit Bull. Those two would always play hard and now stop.
Hagrid loved Philly he couldn't have a better playmate. After coming in from a long walk the two were still bouncing off the walls crashing around the living room. Unfortunately Hagrids loop on his collar got caught on Philly's tooth, she couldn't get it off and was dragging Hag from room to room.
Having the tight clamp of a Pit's jaws it was hard to pry open her mouth and remove the loop caught on her tooth. Philly's owner was able to do it, but had he not Hagrid would have died.

The moral to this story is Never again did Hagrid wear a collar while playing with other dogs.


Thursday 10 April 2014

PIJAC Canada


 
As an industry we develop products and deliver services for the health and well-being of pets. Food for nourishment, toys for mental stimulation, bedding and enclosures for comfort and the list goes on. It is our business to understand the needs of pets and the laws that surround them. Fostering positive experiences impacts the relationship people have with their pets and as a result the health of our industry. Supporting the pet community is at the core of what we do. This is one of the reasons, we are going into our third year of working with food banks and SPCA’s, to gather donated food and products for animals and families in need. Businesses are an integral part of our communities and it is also the reason for our “Animal welfare is everyone’s business!”® campaign.

Beyond the manufacturing and delivery of goods and services there is something more to consider. Since 1892 the criminal code dealing with animal cruelty has remained largely unchanged. What has changed in the last 122 years is the way we perceive our animal companions. What was once considered a piece of property is now a member of the family. This shift is what gave birth to our industry.

In January of this year a dog and a cat were both discovered dead in a Calgary alleyway. They were found emaciated and their muzzles taped shut. The public outcry was intense and spurred many to action hosting walks and awareness campaigns. One small group, formed in the wake of these events, The Time is Now Alberta, decided to focus on supporting a private member’s bill put forth by Federal NDP MP Peggy Nash. Bill C-232 proposes amendments to the current law, making animal abuse an indictable offence which would result in more severe penalties, something we can all get behind. The Bill is currently awaiting second reading in Parliament. Support for the bill has been steadily growing with approximately 15,000 signatures collected, with more coming in. Donna Parker and her small band of colleagues have collected over 2200 signatures by attending pet events and local weekend markets. No small feat for a few people wanting to make a difference. Now imagine what a business could accomplish leveraging their network, community and political influence.
 
The point we want to raise in this article is that as a business community you can be a powerful force to effect change. We have worked for over 25 years to help craft pet laws at all levels of government, happily with more successes than failures. Our biggest asset has been the willingness of some brave industry businesses to jump in and be part of the process. We are now calling upon all companies to look at the part they can play in shaping animal welfare and look for ways to be involved locally, provincially and even federally. From the smallest pet shop to the largest distributor you can use your influence to help protect those you serve.
Written by:
Susan Dankert
Communications Coordinator
PIJAC Canada 

Wednesday 9 April 2014

REMINDER KNOW THY DOG NEXT SCHEDULED FIRST AID CLASS


REMINDER KNOW THY DOG NEXT SCHEDULED FIRST AID CLASS

APRIL 13TH, 27TH AND MAY 4TH

JOIN OUR NEXT CLASS SUNDAY
 
                                                        FROM 10:00 am TO 1:00 pm

This nine hour course will teach you to have confidence, to deal with many Emergency and First Aid
Situation as well as many General care tips.
 

Monday 7 April 2014

IT'S HERE! WITH SPRING COMES ALLERGIES


Allergies

Like many humans a lot of dogs also suffer from allergies. It’s disputed that many breeds are more susceptible to allergies however any dog can have allergies. But similar to humans your dog could have an inherited predisposition to allergies.

Unfortunately dog’s symptoms are usually persistent scratching licking and biting themselves in order to find some relief from the itchiness. Often creating sores and in several cases secondary infections.

Dogs that have allergies due to breathing in pollens are called Canine atopy. Atopy is an extra sensitivity to inhaled allergen. Typically your dog starts scratching around the same time every year usually late July early August through September. Atopy is a harder allergy to deal with because you can’t easily eliminate the offending allergen. The uses of Antihistamine therapy may prove useful. Some other treatments may include medicated baths to soothe skin, immunotherapy, steroid medications or injections.

Contact your dogs Veterinarian under veterinary care you can receive a cortisone shot that will help give your dogs relief from itchy skin. *Atopica is a relatively new medicine. Atopica offers your dog relief from atopic allergic dermatitis. This drug seems to be effective with far fewer side effects then steroid treatments.

Thursday 3 April 2014

Elevators

Story time Thursday

Recently an article in the citizen appeared about a Rottweiler leash getting caught in an elevator door and the dog almost been choked as the elevator started its ascend. I am not sure how often this happens, but I have see a video on -line with a women and her small dog and the dog running out of the elevator as the doors close. It wasn't until it happen right in from of us, we were going to a clients apartment and a women with her dog on a flexi-leash extended entered the elevator. The small dog got freaked out by someone else in the elevator and rushed out as the doors shut. My husband and I were bring boxes in and about to react when the dogs collar broke and then the elevator doors opened an the owner rushed out. Please be more cautious when taking your pets into an elevator even if you do it everyday. This could happen to you!

Tuesday 1 April 2014

Interesting fact


Chewbacca, from the Star Wars movies, was inspired by Director George Lucas's Alaskan Malamute.