What to Do If Your Dog Is Choking

When the unexpected happens it's time to think fast. If your dog began choking, would you know what to do? When a person chokes, someone must perform the Heimlich maneuver to dislodge any object blocking the airway. In the case of a choking dog, the process is surprisingly similar. 

When a dog is choking, you can do a modification of the Heimlich maneuver. Today I'd like to give you some tips on performing this lifesaving process. Hopefully you will never have to use it, but it's best to be prepared. 

Take a minute now to learn how to do the step-by-step procedure for dogs. This article gives you a full detailed list of instructions. I recommend printing it out and posting it somewhere that's easy to find. You might even want a copy of it for your wallet or purse.  Go to: Heimlich For Your Dog 

The procedure is fairly easy, but remember to be aware of your dog's relatively small body size in comparison to humans. Never distress a healthy dog by “practicing” on them; you could hurt them in doing so. 

Here is a brief summary of the steps necessary for performing the Heimlich maneuver on dogs; read Heimlich For Your Dog for the full method. 

STEPS TO PERFORM THE HEIMLICH MANEUVER FOR DOGS: 

1.  Clear Blockages2.  Position Animal3.  Place a fist just underneath the ribs4.  Compress the abdomen 5.  Check the mouth 

The canine Heimlich is just one of the top first aid skills to know for dog safety. Do you know the others? Make sure you’re ready to offer effective first aid to your dog. Read: Top 10 Things to Know for Dogs 

I hope you and your dog never experience such a scary incident, but if they do you should be prepared. Information like this can save their life. 

Until next time, 

Dr. Jon

P.S. Did you know that there is a canine version of CPR as well? Learn about it here: Canine CPR 

Never give your dog Raw Hide Bones because they can't be digested and may cause a blockage in the digestive tract!

I recommend safe Treats from Life's Abundance!

Chew Treats Training Treats Baked Treats Pork Treats

How to Clean Your Dog's Ears

Cleaning your dog's ears may look easy but it is more difficult than you think. Dogs have long ear canals and improper cleaning can result in a ruptured eardrum, pain or lacerations of the canal. If the ears are severely infected, they may be too painful for you to clean at home, and you should consider having a veterinarian clean the ears, possibly even under sedation. However, you can perform routine cleaning safely and easily if you follow these steps:

Restrain your dog. Start by wrapping your small dog in a large thick towel with just her head exposed or having someone help hold the body and legs of a larger dog.

Clean the ear lobe. Using a cotton ball, paper towel or gauze sponges moistened with water, gently rub the large pieces of dirt, wax and debris off the ear lobe. Repeat on the opposite ear.

               

Clean the cartilage of the ear. After most of the debris has been removed with the moistened cotton ball, use a cotton tip applicator (Q-Tip®), moistened with water, to gently remove the pieces of debris trapped within the cartilage of the ear. Be very careful not to place the Q-tip down the ear canal. This will stimulate head shaking and can lead to ear trauma.

It is safest to clean only the parts of the ear you can see. If there is significant wax just inside the ear canal, you can briefly place the tip of the Q-tip into the ear canal to remove the debris. However, this is important: You should ALWAYS be able to see the cotton tip of the Q-tip.

After cleaning ears, it is a good idea to offer a treat. This will help make the next ear cleaning session a little smoother.

Ear Care Formula Really Works!         Cleans ears and eliminates odor.      Dissolves ear wax.      Removes dirt and debris.      Soothes like only aloe vera can.      Contains no alcohol and will not sting.     Leaves ears dry, which keeps nasty ear debris at bay.      Safe and gentle enough for puppies and kittens.  Ear Care Formula contains a special botanical blend and gentle cleansers specifically developed to keep your pet’s ear's healthy.

Click Here for more Info about Life's Abundance Ear Care Formula:

Creating an Outdoor Emergency Animal Shelter

Few parts of the United States have been spared from extreme cold weather this winter. When temperatures dip well below zero and snow piles up, most people and pets are lucky enough to be able to wait it out inside where it’s warm and dry. However, feral animals, outside pets, and even some wildlife need a little bit of help to survive winter storms.
Building a simple winter animal shelter is simple and inexpensive, and it can be very rewarding to catch a glimpse of a furry creature taking shelter in your new hotel during a storm.
Whatever you use to build your shelter, it should be warm, dry and out of the wind. The shelter should be small enough that an animal’s body heat is held within the shelter. Plastic storage bins and Styrofoam coolers make excellent, inexpensive, temporary shelters that can be cleaned up and put away after a storm. Rubbermaid even provides instructions on their website for how to use their bins to make a shelter for small outdoor critters.
Here’s how to build a simple outdoor shelter for small animals:
Put the lid on a plastic bin or Styrofoam cooler then cut a six inch square or round hole in one side, two or three inches up from the bottom of the bin. (Leaving a few inches on the bottom of the bin will keep out snow, rain and snow melt.)

1. If you have a second larger bin, put the smaller bin inside the larger bin and insulate between the two with fiberglass insulation, Styrofoam insulation, Mylar, straw or old blankets, towels or sweaters. (Since Wise Company food envelopes are made of Mylar, you can rinse them out, tape them together into panels and line the box.) To line the shelter, don’t use old blankets, towels or folded newspapers as they can actually absorb body heat.
2. Line the smallest bin with straw (not hay) or old pillowcases stuffed with packing peanuts, Styrofoam insulation (not fiberglass) or shredded newspaper. Straw is best because it allows animals to burrow.
3. Cut a lightweight door flap from an old tarp, towel or blanket. It should be light enough that an animal can push it aside but heavy enough to block wind and keep heat in.
4. Place the shelter in a secluded spot where animals won’t be disturbed.
5. Point the door away from the direction of the wind.
6. Weigh down the top to keep it stable in wind and ensure the lid is secure.
7. Leave food and water near the shelter, but not inside as water can spill and freeze. The best plan is to lean a piece of plywood against the shelter, your house or a nearby outbuilding and place bowls underneath it. The plywood will protect the food and water from the elements.

One animal lover posted her instructions, a materials list and step-by-step instructions here, and another here.

Tigger on top-Cheeto in tub

Our outside cats enjoy their Tubs, they provide safety and warmth year round.

Winter storms come and go quickly but extreme temperatures can be deadly for humans and animals in a matter of minutes. If you’ve got a snow day this week, consider building an outdoor shelter as a project in between DVDs. Stay warm and safe!

How to Help Your Pets Weather the Cold Winter

By: Susan Rubinowitz

Winter continues to hold us within her icy grip, and pet owners need to take precautions to keep their animals safe and healthy.
The danger may be worse than what the thermometer reads. The wind chill factor can drop the temperature by 20 or 30 degrees. In other words, if the thermometer reads 34 degrees, the wind can make it feel like zero.So even dogs and cats that stay outside in warmer weather may have to be brought inside in extreme cold snaps. ``Be attentive to your dog's body temperature and limit time outdoors,'' advises the SPCA.

Provide Adequate Shelter
An adequate shelter means your pet is kept warm, dry and away from drafts. That is easy enough to do in most homes, but remember that tile and uncarpeted areas can get very cold. If your pet lives in a shelter of his own, make sure that it is raised off the ground, has dry bedding and is insulated or heated. Make sure also that your pet has a constant source of clean water – not snow. Thermal heaters are available to make sure the water source doesn't freeze.

But portable heaters and fireplaces are potentially deadly hazards for small animals. Screen all fireplaces and place portable heaters out of their reach.

Never leave antifreeze or windshield wiper fluids on the garage floor or anywhere within reach. Many of these products taste sweet and are attractive to pets – and are extremely deadly.
Wipe snow and ice off your pet's feet – even clean between the toes – after outdoor walks and be especially sure to clean paws of lime rock salt or calcium chloride salt, both of which can cause vomiting and diarrhea if the animal licks it.                

Avoid Frozen Areas
Nothing's more fun than cavorting with your dog in the snow, and regular exercise is important when your pet's been house-bound much of the time. But take care that your dog isn't close enough to a frozen lake, river or pond to jump in and get injured.
Dr. Gail Golab, assistant director of the American Veterinary Medical Association, warns that roaming cats and wildlife like to climb onto car engines for warmth in winter. ``There's a large number of people who let their cats outdoors, even in winter,'' she said. ``One of the things they tend to do is seek out warm places.'' So look under the hood and honk the horn before starting the engine.
Animals get frostbite, too. Just a short exposure to sub-zero temperatures can produce frostbite of the feet, nose or ears. Frost-bitten skin is red or gray and may peel off. Treat it by applying warm, moist towels to thaw the affected areas slowly, until the skin looks flushed. Then contact a veterinarian for further care, says Golab.

Extra Calories for the Cold
If your dog spends a lot of time outdoors, especially if he's a working animal, feed him extra calories because it takes more energy in winter to keep his body temperature regulated.
But be careful not to overfeed a dog or cat that's spending most of their time on a warm rug in the living room, said Dr. Sandra Sawchuck, staff veterinarian at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine in Madison.

``They're probably getting less activity, so they may even need less food,'' said Sawchuck, who's seen her share of plumped-up animals.
Many dogs just don't want to eliminate waste in deep snow, she said. In those cases, make a more comfortable bathroom by shoveling the snow away in a certain place, she recommended. ``Get the dog out there and back very quickly,'' she said.
Booties and coats can help your dog stay warm, but letting a thick-coated dog like a poodle go without grooming can cause more problems than it solves. The fur can get wet and matted, making it an irritant, so don't bypass grooming sessions for too long, she said.
Most importantly, remember that your pet is smaller and thus more vulnerable to the chills you feel, said Sawchuck.

Great Tips to Help You Give Your Dog Medications

Giving medication to a pet can be a real challenge. I've found that a lot of people hate it just as much as their dogs do! Unfortunately most dogs need some kind of medication at least once in their lives so today I want to share some resources which can make the process much easier.
How to Give Pill Medications - This article has some very good tips on how to get your dog to swallow pills.   
How to Give Topical Medication - Learn how to apply topical medication with the least amount of stress to your dog. 
How to Give Ear Medication - Many pets are especially fussy when it comes to medications for ear mites and ear infections so these tips are very useful.
 How to Give Eye Medication – These medications can be a real challenge but a few shortcuts can make giving them easier.

These instructions are worth printing and keeping in a first aid or health file for your pet. You never know when you will need it.

I hope these tips help. 

X-Ray of Dog Drinking – This Is the COOLEST Video!

Brothers Bentley & Buddy

I think this is video is very cool, so I'm excited to share it with you today. 

Water is important for our dogs. They've got to drink plenty of water because their bodies are comprised mainly of water, perhaps as much as 75% water for an 8-week-old pup. 



We would die without water. Water is the substrate in which all the chemicals of the body are dissolved, all cells are bathed, and all cell contents are suspended. It is also the essential vehicle of the circulatory system.

This video shows how a dog drinks and takes water into his mouth in slow motion.

This video shows how a dog drinks by radiograph.




Have a great day. And always make sure your dog has plenty of fresh clean water. 

PMI Nutrition Recalls Red Flannel® Cat Food

 PMI Nutrition Recalls Red Flannel® Cat Food Due to Possible Salmonella Contamination

Posted by Susan Thixton on January 27, 2014 at 11:34 am

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – January 25, 2014 – PMI Nutrition, LLC (PMI), Arden Hills, Minn., has initiated a voluntary recall of its 20 lb. bags of Red Flannel® Cat Formula cat food for possible Salmonella contamination. There have been no reports of illness related to this product to date. This recall is being issued out of an abundance of caution after routine testing by the FDA Detroit District Office identified possible Salmonella contamination.
Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products.
Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.
Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.
Red Flannel® Cat Food was manufactured by a third-party manufacturer for PMI. The product was sold through dealers to customers distributed in the following states: Alabama, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin and West Virginia.
The lot number is printed on the lower back side of the bag in a white box on the right-hand side. The lot number will be preceded by a time stamp that will be unique to each bag. (Example 14:32) The lot number and best-by date impacted by this recall are as follows:
Best by 05 06 14 096 13 SM L2 1A (lot number)
The UPC code for the recalled product is: 7 42869 00058 5.
No other products/lot numbers are affected by this recall.
Customers should immediately discontinue use of and return impacted product to their dealer for a full refund or replacement. We continue to work with impacted dealers and distributors to trace the bags.
For more information on the recall, customers can contact the customer service line for PMI products at 1-800-332-4738. Customer service representatives will be available Sunday, Jan. 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. CST and Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CST.