Friday 30 December 2016

HAPPY NEW YEARS 2017

HAPPY NEW YEARS
EVERYONE

                                                     FROM KNOW THY DOG

Monday 26 December 2016

Pancreatitis

Pancreatitis is a common dog ailment at Christmas!

We over indulge at Christmas and want to share our bounty with our dogs. Unfortunately this isn't a good idea!

Pancreatitis is a common dog ailment at Christmas. Owners think they are being nice treating their dogs to Christmas dinner with all the trimmings. In reality these rich fatty foods can kill your dog. The pancreas produces digestive enzymes to break down the fatty foods in the intestine. These enzymes become over activated and release in the pancreas instead of the intestine. In short the digestive enzymes start to break down the pancreas.  Your dog will need veterinary care.

A bland diet and antibiotics are the usual treatment, but it will depend on how sick your dog is.
Pancreatitis is easier to avoid then treat. Be careful of what your dogs eat over the holidays.




Saturday 24 December 2016

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM KNOW THY DOG

          PEACE, JOY, LOVE, TO ALL 


           MERRY CHRISTMAS

            FROM KNOW THY DOG

                 


Friday 23 December 2016

Danger = Turkey Bones, to our dogs

Danger = Turkey Bones, to our dogs

Turkey Bones Cooked bones especially bird bones are very brittle and can easily splinter theses brittle bones are an enormous threat to your dog.

These bones can chip teeth, puncture the stomach or intestinal wall; they also can cause an obstruction in the digestive tract.

If your dog does get into bones you will have to watch for vomiting, diarrhea, blood in stool or straining to have a bowel movement.
Also a tender abdomen when palpated. If these symptoms occur take your dog to see the veterinarian.


Thursday 22 December 2016

CHRISTMAS TREES

Every Season has its Hazards but winter has so many more....
Animal visits to the Vet Clinic increase by 40% at Christmas time.
We as dog owners need to be more hands on and aware of our dog's environment especially in the winter.


CHRISTMAS TREE

Christmas trees should be decorated with your pets in mind.
Avoid any glass decorations, lights or candy canes hanging low on the tree; make them
inaccessible for your canine.
KEEP  light cords out of reach
Make sure wrapped gifts left under the tree are not Chocolates or candies.

Have a MERRY CHRISTMAS

Wednesday 21 December 2016

ARTHRITIS IS AGGRAVATED BY THE COLD


ARTHRITIS


Arthritis is a painful disease it is the inflammation of joints. This age related disease affects 70% of dogs. Other dogs touched by Arthritis are Sport or working dogs that are extremely active causing more wear and tear on their joints. Trauma to joints is another common factor related to this disease. Some large breeds are especially prone to joint problems (Hip or Elbow Dysplasia).


There are many things we can do to help our pets manage this disease.

The first major control is keeping your dog’s weight regulated. Any extra weight causes

stress on the dog’s joints. Arthritis is a joint disease where the spacing and synovial fluid between the joints has deteriorated. This means the joint’s bones can rub against each other causing inflammation and a lot of discomfort for the sufferer. The joints become stiff and painful to move. Dog becomes less mobile and again weight can be gained because of lack of exercise.  There are many ways to help your dog cope with arthritis, one way is massage, also Infra -red massage, using heat and light to help relief pain. Hydrotherapy pools are available where your dog can exercise in a warm salt water pool relaxing and help strengthen muscle around inflamed joints with no or low impact on the joint during exercise. Tread milling your dog you then have control of the speed and distance your dog walks. Also if it’s cold outside or slippery terrain you can keep your dog safe and warm. The cold aggravates arthritis so exercising inside in the extremely cold winter days will help.


Manufactures have developed heated dog beds or magnetic beds to help alleviate discomfort. Having lift aids to help your dog with stairs or getting up can also benefit your dog.

Drugs like Non–steroid anti-inflammatories seem to help but unfortunately have some side effects. Glucosamine combined with chrodroitin is also used to help support joint care. There are Dog Foods and treats that are geared to help with mobility. Traumeel is a holistic cream or pill which helps with inflammation.

Build muscle with ¼ teaspoon of coconut oil MCT per 10 pounds in your dog’s food. Also helps breakdown lipomas.

A new treatment that seems to be very affective is cold laser therapy. It helps heal cells increases blood flow. People are swearing by this newer method for managing arthritis.

So the best approach for helping your dog deal with Arthritis is weight control, exercise management, medications, and a warm, draft free bed. 

Sunday 18 December 2016

Hypothermia Prevention is much easier then treating


HYPOTHERMIA


Hypothermia Prevention is much easier then treating

Hypothermia occurs when your dog’s core temperature drops below normal. When your dog is losing body heat faster then, he can replace it.

Normal body temperature for a dog ranges from 100 to102.5 F or 37 to 39C

In cold weather your dog will constantly be trying to maintain his body temperature in its normal range. Dogs regulate their temperature either by conserving their body heat or by producing more body heat, this is similar to how we react to cold weather.

Shivering is one way your dog can produce body heat. Piloerection is the dog equivalent to our goose bumps- with piloerection your dog’s hair stand on end thereby trapping a layer of warmed air beneath them. This creates an additional layer of insulation between your dog’s body and the cold weather, and in doing so helps him to conserve body heat; this works much better on a properly groomed dog.


Vasoconstriction is another way your dog can conserve body heat, restricting blood flow to the extremities and keeping blood flowing to the more vial body parts, i.e. the Brain Heart and Lungs.

SYMPTOMS OF HYPOTHERMIA

·         Shivering;

·         Lethargic;

·         Muscle stiffness;

·         Lack of coordination;

·         Low heart rate and Breathing rate;

·         Fixed and dilated pupils;

·         Collapse;

·         Coma

TREATMENT

With mild hypothermia your dog will be shivering and appear lethargic, moving your dog inside and wrapping in a blanket will probably do the trick, Passive rewarming.

As your dog’s temperature drops more sever measures are needed.

Moderate hypothermia remove dog from cold. Warm blankets and use heating pads but not directly on the skin apply to the truck area of the dog.

Both severe and profound hypothermia need Veterinary care immediately. At the vet clinic they can administer warm water enemas and heated fluid intravenously.  Many dogs don’t survive this.

AGAIN PREVENTING IS MUCH EASIER THEN TREATING!


Saturday 17 December 2016

LET IT SNOW LET SNOW LET IT SNOW

REMEMBER, AS IT SNOWS OUR FENCES BECOME SHORTER SO MAY NOT BE AS SECURE AT KEEPING OUR DOGS IN OUR YARDS!

Sunday 20 November 2016

HOLLY NEEDS A HOME

HOLLY

Holly is a  healthy seven year old, spayed female,  black lab mix
Both her parents were black lab mixes
She weighs seventy five pounds and is rather tall and lean looking.
Her coat requires virtually no care, just the occasional bath but she does shed.
The reason we are looking for a new home for Holly is We are planning to move in with elderly grandpa and she is  too excitable with a man who is quite unsteady on his feet.
Holly would be better in a home with older kids or adults. She can be kind of too pushy for elderly or small children.
She is used to her crate and we do use it when new people come to the door or small children visit.
She is very reliably house broken.
Holly gets excited when new people come to the door but she is calm and loving with her own family.
Holly is not aggressive around her food bowl at all . You can easily take her food bowl away.
Holly is smart and very observant of routines. ( for example she observes that you are putting on work shoes so she knows she is not going anywhere vs you are putting old shoes or rubber boots and she knows she can go out in the yard with you.) We feel that she would quickly adapt to a new home environment with new boundaries.
Although she currently lives with a cat who shows her who is boss she would probably do better In a cat free home (she likes to chase)
She is good with other dogs, big and small.
Holly is not great on leash but has not had a lot of training in this area since we live on a rural property and just leave her off leash to play supervised. She has reasonably good recall especially if you have high value treats in your pockets.
Holly is free to a good home with all her gear.
We would be willing to let a potential owner try her for a weekend or week because we have time to do so.
CONTACT

Tammy and Guy Cote
613-487-4163

Friday 2 September 2016

SEPT 24th save the date CANINE TOUCH AND TELL PUPPY PICNIC


10:00 AM  to 2:00 PM

All Dogs Sports Club 5498 Third Line Rd North Gower ON


Free Admission! Come have fun with your dog!
All well behaved dogs are welcome!
Win a prize:
Fastest Recall
Best Directed Fetch
Best Object Search
Longest Tail
Shortest Tail

Try your dog on:
Rally O Course
Scent Detection...

Raffle to Benefit Safe Pet Ottawa Charities
Choose your basket. Draw at 2pm. Need not be present to win
5 tickets for $5 // 12 tickets for $10 // 30 tickets for $20

See:
Music by DJ George Caroche
Photos by Jacqui Sjonger of J.S. Photoworks
Booth by Freedom Pet Rescue
Know Thy Dog Pet First Aid
Nina's Favourite Dog Treats
Ingrid's Naturals Products for Riders, Horses & Dogs
 Canine Touch and Tell Puppy Picnic

Sunday 14 August 2016

NEXT KNOW THY DOG CANINE FIRST AID COURSE


Know Thy Dog Canine Care and First Aid course is designed to teach dog owners
 First aid and how to be more pro-active in maintaining their dog's health.

This 9 hour course is a very interactive class with owners learning all the techniques on their own dogs, such as vitals, taking temperature, heart rate, Emergency First Aid AR, CPR, and Choking and
General care from the top of their nose to the tip of their tail.

NEXT CLASSES ARE
August 23rd 30th and Sept 6th starting at 6:30 to 9:30
Please call Julia 613-697-7966

Sunday 7 August 2016

Connection Between Your Dog's Diet and His Separation Anxiety?

What's the Connection Between Your Dog's Diet and His Separation Anxiety?

Excerpted from Nicole Wilde's book Don't Leave Me!

You're probably wondering what on earth your dog's diet has to do with his stress levels when left alone. The answer is, plenty. Have you ever drank one cup of coffee too many and gotten that jittery, wired feeling? You might have snapped at your co-workers, been more impatient than usual when waiting in line, or reacted with vitriol when someone cut you off in traffic. Likewise, have you noticed the way kids act when they've eaten too much sugar? They can become cranky and hyperactive. What we ingest has a direct effect on our nervous system. A long-term diet of sweets and processed foods will surely impact our health, but it may also cause us to feel less emotionally balanced, and even depressed, anxious, or angry. By the same token, eating a healthful diet contributes to a state of well being both physically and emotionally. It's no different for dogs.

Dog food that is built on inferior protein sources and laden with unhealthy chemicals, preservatives, and excess sugars can contribute to issues such as hyperactivity, restlessness and nervousness. A healthful diet will go a long way toward allowing your dog to feel physically calmer, which will set the stage for a tranquil emotional state. Making wise nutritional choices will also result in better overall health for your dog, which will be especially beneficial as he ages.

For additional information on how food and other external factors can affect your dog's behavior, purchase Don't Leave Me! by Nicole Wilde from Whole Dog Journal.

Saturday 30 July 2016

What You Feed Your Dog Could Have an Impact on Allergies


FOOD ALLERGIES

If your dog’s allergies are year round instead of seasonal chances are your dog has food allergies. Common symptoms are ear infections, excessive scratching, red or scaly skin

hair loss and skin infections. Once your veterinarian has identified that the dog doesn’t have mites by skin scraping, then it’s safe to suspect food protein in your dog’s diet is the culprit.

Treatment

Your vet will recommend a special hypoallergenic diet to try. A two- month trial will be needed to make a correct diagnosis. You must be diligent to feed your dog only the new diet and nothing else while you are trying to identify the allergen. Once you identify your dog’s allergy to be food protein you must avoid giving your pet that food or similar treats. Then the reaction should disappear. Symptoms will return if these types of proteins are reintroduced into your dog’s diet.


Thursday 28 July 2016

Dirty ears




EAR CLEANING


If your dog’s ears smell and he is pawing at its ears or shakes its head often, this is an indication of an ear problem. Best to be seen by your vet; could be an ear infection or a yeast infection.
Certain dogs have allergies and red ears are an indicator.

Cleaning ears: use pet store ear cleaner that isn’t alcohol based as this can sting if open cuts are in the ear from scratching. If your dog has hairy ears the hair may needed to be plucked and trimmed so your dog’s ear can breathePlucking to excess can also be detrimental and irritate the ears. Trimming ear hair may be easier using blunt-end scissors; be careful not to nick the skin. Make sure no hairs fall further down the ear canal.
After removing hair (if needed) you can now clean the ear.


Use a few drops of the ear cleaner on the inside flap of the ear, not too much so it doesn’t run down into the ear canal. Then rub the dog’s ear working the drops into the ear.
Use gauze or cotton balls and wipe away brown waxy debris.  

Let the dog shake its head, this will loosen up more debris. If a lot of debris is in the canal use a Q tip. Wet the tip of the Q tip with clean cleaner and then very carefully go a little further down into the ear. The Q tips are good for digging debris out of the crevices. You don’t go too far down the canal or you could damage the ear drum.
If there is a lot of debris still, an ear flushing may need to be done by your Veterinarian.



Friday 22 July 2016

WATER SPORTS THIS WEEKEND

     Avalon Ranch to host Canine Watersports     competition in Horton July 23-24 

Saturday 2 July 2016

TICKS

                                                              ENGORGED TICK
                                                               TICK TWISTER
                                                                    EASY
                                                        SLID UNDER TICK AND TWIST
                                                                              PULL
                                                LIVE TICK WITH HEAD INTACT

Friday 1 July 2016

HAVE A HAPPY CANADA

          KNOW THY DOG WISHES YOU  A  
           HAPPY AND SAFE CANADA DAY

Thursday 30 June 2016

Thursday 23 June 2016

NEXT KNOWTHYDOG CANINE FIRST AID CLASS

Know Thy Dog Canine Care and First Aid course is designed to teach dog owners
 First aid and how to be more pro-active in maintaining their dog's health. This 9 hour course is a very interactive class with owners learning all the techniques on their own dogs,
such as vitals, taking temperature, heart rate, Emergency First Aid AR, CPR, and Choking and General care
from the top of their nose to the tip of their tail.

NEXT CLASS IS JUNE 27TH JULY 4TH AND JULY 11TH AT 6:00 TO 9:00 PM
CONTACT JULIA MOFFAT
613-697-7966


Tuesday 14 June 2016

WHO ResQwalk is

Sign up

Helping animals one step at a time

ResQwalk is a FREE mobile app that enables you to raise money and resources for animal welfare organizations, simply by walking. Each month we announce a ResQpool of cash and other resources that have been provided by corporate sponsors. In order to earn part of the pool for your favorite animal welfare organization, all you have to do is download the ResQwalk app and start walking!


Monday 13 June 2016

THANKS AGAIN TO CRICKET AND COMPANY FOR SUPPORTING SAFEPET OTTAWA


   DRAW FINISHED YESTERDAY AT
BARK-ET


               THANKS TOO ALL WHOM SUPPORTED SAFEPET OTTAWA AND ENJOY
                                 
                                      AND CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE WINNERS

Saturday 11 June 2016

How to Get a Reliable Come at the Dog Park

         GREAT ARTICLE


Training Tips - How to Get a Reliable

Come at the Dog Park


Some dog parks are so much fun for your dog, so many things to do and see and the dogs don't always want to go when it is time. Sometimes it is frustrating getting your dog to come at the end of their play sessions.
Here are some tips to make leaving the dog park a positive experience for both you and your dog.
  1. Start by practicing the come recall at home inside & outside in your yard.
     
  2. Add in distractions while practicing at home.
     
  3. When arriving at the dog park, practice a few recalls before your dog goes off to play.

    a. Start by doing a couple recalls while on leash, backing up when you call him.

    b. Then drop the leash and do a couple more recalls, backing up so he has to follow you a bit.

    c. Then unleash him and say go play.
     
  4. While watching your dog, look for signs that he is getting a bit tired. This would be a good time to call him again.

    a. Say your dogs name with the command come, when he comes to you reward him with lots of treats.

    b. Tell him to go play.

    c. Then call him again, this time give him some water or ice cubes, (a major reward for him).

    d. Then tell him to go play.
     
  5. Repeat step 4 again and then tell him to go play. This step is telling him that you are more fun, interesting, or rewarding to come to than whatever else he is doing.
     
  6. When getting ready to leave the park.

    a. Call your dog and reward him for the come.

    b. Do a couple of sits and downs after he has come to you, rewarding him every time.

    c. Then quietly hook the leash on him and say lets go.
By following these steps you are creating a positive experience for both you and your dog when leaving the dog park.
If you have any questions on these training tips or would like information on other training tips, please send me an email at Marcia@happyhound.ca or give me a call at 613-253-5535.

Thursday 9 June 2016

DEET and other human insect repellents should not be applied to dogs or cats.


      DEET IS TOXIC TO OUR PETS

  
         I make a home made mosquito repellent
          that I use on myself and my dogs


Recipe for Mosquito Repellent

Get a 16 oz. spray bottle
Add 1/4 cup lemon juice
3 to 4 tablespoons of Vanilla extract
15 drops of Lavender Extract
mix with 2 cups water

Just spray yourself and your dogs to protect from Mosquitoes!





Tuesday 7 June 2016

SKUNK

I smelled the over powering smell of Skunk in my backyard this morning so I thought I would repost this!!

SKUNK ENCOUNTER
Anyone who has had their dog skunked knows how overpowering this smell is.

Trying to remove the odor from your dog, and all he touches and rubs on, feels overwhelming and futile. Our sense of smell is far less acute then our pet's and this smell is overbearing and unbearable to us. Just think how your dog must feel?

Unfortunately for our pets the most common spot to be sprayed is the face. Flushing your dog’s eye is a start. Often your dog’s eyes will be burning, red and irritated.
Next, prepare yourself for the huge challenge of removing the skunk odor.
Treatment

Most of us have heard of bathing our dogs in tomato juice, not realizing that the juice needs to dry on the dog to help neutralize the odor. Prepare yourself for a bigger chore than you might have expected - for you will to be bathing your dog two, three or even four times to get results. 

Even then, you still may smell skunk for it may take time to wear off. Some dogs will still smell of skunk weeks after the encounter: especially if they get there coats wet.

Other methods: your veterinarian has products like Skunk off; or, he may be able to give you advice on some home remedies. In my research the following was the most common home remedy mixture:

 (First, always have mineral oil in your first aid kit. A drop of this in your dog’s eyes will protect them from any soap or other products you are using to bath your dog.)
   
   1. Mix 4 cups 3% hydrogen peroxide with 4 tablespoons of baking soda and 1 teaspoon  
   of dishwashing detergent.
    2. Put Cotton balls in dog’s ear canals so the mixture doesn’t get in his ears.
    3. Wear rubber gloves.
    4. Apply the solution, starting on your dogs head and work backwards. Do not let the
        solution get into your dog’s eyes.
    5. Rub the solution into its coat.
    6. Rinse well.
    7. Repeat

 Source:
“Close Encounters of the Wild Kind” by Jeff Grognet DVM, B. Sc (Agr)
 Dogs in Canada , June 2007

Sunday 5 June 2016

THANK YOU!

HUGE THANKS AND CONGRATULATION TO
KIZIL AND NAT FROM
CRICKET & COMPANY
2ND YEAR

SAFE PET OTTAWA THANKS YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND YOUR FUND RAISING 

CRICKET ON GUARD
CRICKET & COMPANY'S
     RAFFLE WILL CONTINUE UNTIL  BY WARD MARKET  BARK-ET JUNE 12TH

Thursday 19 May 2016

GENETIC MAKE-UP WHY WE SEE SO MANY OVERWEIGHT LABS




Recently I read an article about Labrador retrievers why we see so many over weight Labs.

It also makes you understand why Labs are one of the most common dogs to have obstructions because they will eat just about anything.

INTERESTING READ

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2086840-labradors-get-fat-thanks-to-gene-mutation-linked-to-hunger/


Wednesday 27 April 2016

A Dog's Ode to a Fire Hydrant

A Dog's Ode to a Fire Hydrant

You draw us near, nothing else is around
It seems we all like marking your spot
A fountain of red or yellow on the ground
Us dogs love the continual territorial shot
You wait for the next Canine sniff and then the leg to cock
You, a messenger of daily canine talk

Monday 25 April 2016

DNA TESTING

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.
What breeds make up Me?


Friday 15 April 2016

SPRING HAZARDS


Every season has its hazards with spring we see the renewal of many problems for our canine friends.

Spring is the time of rebirth, of many grasses, molds, pollen and flowers it can also be the revival of

environmental allergies in many dogs.


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.

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. 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