Wag Reflex

Prepare Your Wallet for Emergency Care

I often have patients visit my hospital in need of more than routine, elective services. For these patients we run initial diagnostic tests at my hospital and then the patients are referred to the appropriate specialists: critical care, orthopedic or soft tissue surgeons, oncologists, etc. Part of my job as a general practitioner involves educating owners about the treatment recommendations. It is also my job to let the owners know approximately how much this specialty service will cost. From experience, I can quote rough estimates of the costs of different types of care: 24-48 hours in the hospital on fluids and IV medications, repairing a broken leg or knee, removing a diseased organ, performing an MRI for back pain, etc.

The price for each is different but the fact that they all cost more than people expect is the same. Very few owners are prepared for the real costs of specialty or sick pet care. The costs of these types of services start in the hundreds and jump easily to the thousands. Initial tests to figure out what is wrong can easily be $500-600 at our hospital. And that is before the patients see the specialist. I have now started educating clients when they come in with their puppy, kitten, or newly adopted pet. Pet care can be costly. Save now. Consider pet insurance but choose your policy very carefully. Expect to pay more than $100 to fix a really sick pet. In fact, expect to pay 10 times that, and then feel lucky that’s all it was!

--Dr. Olson
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Dr. Olson practices small animal medicine in Denver, CO and is a regular contributor to Wag Reflex.

Disclaimer Regarding Veterinary Information

Dremel Your Dog's Nails?

Someone pointed out to me recently that the top selling Dremel product on Amazon.com is a pet nail tool. My first reaction was, "I need a Dremel," and then, "Pet nails? Ouch!".

I read more about it and realized that you don't cut your dog's nails off like you would a metal nail head--you sand it off like that Peticure thing you see on TV. Except this one is less expensive.

According to the reviews there are few pros and cons to consider.

Pros:
- You won't cut the quick
- Fast and painless
- Cordless
- Runs quiet (but not silent)

Cons:
- Not silent--you'll need to get your pet acquainted with it
- Not enough power for bigger dogs--you'll need a better battery

If you already have a Dremel, you just need a set of "fine" sander bands. If my veterinarian wife ever makes me cut my dog's nails, I'm going this route.

--Spanno

How Make Trips to the Vet Easier for Your Cat

Most cat patients’ problems start at home before they ever get anywhere near the vet’s office. Getting in the cat carrier and then going for a ride in the car will usually stress the cat out enough that, by the time they actually make it to the vet’s office, they are way past being cooperative. Try getting the cat carrier out from time to time even when you are not going to be taking the cat anywhere. Allow the cat to investigate the cage and even climb inside. Some cats will begin to like the carrier so much that they want to have it out all the time as a safe, comfy spot to take a nap.

The other thing you can do is to take your cat on short car rides that have treats and praise involved. By eliminating some of these stressful factors you increase your cat’s chances of having an acceptable trip to your veterinarian’s office.

--Dr. Wohlwend
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Dr. Wohlwend is a small animal veterinarian in Renton, WA and a regular contributor to Wag Reflex.

Disclaimer Regarding Veterinary Information

My Pet: Izzy the Soul Dog

Jon Katz is the New York Times bestselling author of seven books and a guest contributor to Wag Reflex. Order Jon's newest book, Izzy & Lenore, Two Dogs, An Unexpected Journey, and Me, available now.

Introduction: Meet Izzy the Soul Dog, a six-year-old rescue taken off a farm, where he lives mostly by himself and outside for five years until I got him and we decided to partner up. I was hoping to find some work to do with my dogs involving people. Izzy has made that come true - he has led me to hospice work, and my next book, "Izzy & Lenore, Two Dogs, An Unexpected Journey, and Me." Izzy was a wild animal when I got him, and he is not one of the world's gentlest and most intuitive of creatures.

Home: Salem, N.Y.

Age: Six years.

Breed: Border collie

Personality: Bright, sweet, loving, calm. Izzy can and does go everywhere with me, including to the doctor's office, where he hops up on the examining table and waits. As long as he is with me, he is happy everywhere. You can see photos of Izzy on www.bedlamfarm.com.

Likes: People, attention, hospice work, some sheepherding, women.

Dislikes: Most other dogs. He avoids them.

Favorite Toy: Slingshot ball

Trivia: He escaped from the farm once, and there are some little Izzy's running around.

--Jon Katz, Bedlam Farm

I Has Frydaze: Eyes See You

Every Friday we feature our favorite LOLpets of the week. Be sure to pre-order your copy of I Can Has Cheezburger?: A LOLcat Colleckshun, hitting our virtual shelves on October 7.

more animals

--Spanno

My Pet: Rose the Workaholic Border Collie

Jon Katz is the New York Times bestselling author of seven books and a guest contributor to Wag Reflex. Order Jon's newest book, Izzy & Lenore, Two Dogs, An Unexpected Journey, and Me, available now.

Introduction: Meet Rose, a six-year-old workaholic border collie who lives on my farm, Bedlam Farm, in upstate New York and helps me live my life. I wrote about Rose in my books and on my blog, http://blog.bedlamfarm.com/, doesn't care to be petted or cuddled. She lives to work. She herds sheep, rounds up runaway donkeys, makes goats behave, covers my back. I cannot imagine life on this farm without this ferociously work-obsessed creature. I imagine that late at night, she puts on her spectacles and chairs a meeting of the dogs and goes over the day's activities. She cannot be distracted or  deterred, and she never ever lets me down. Rose is in the glorious tradition of dogs in service to people, something dating back many thousands of years.

Home: Salem, NY

Breed: Border Collie

Personality: Determined, focused, a bit humorless, vulnerable. Crazy sometimes, as when she tries to herd big snow plow trucks. Loyal, and absolutely dependable.

Age: Six years.

Likes: Work, especially going out to get the sheep.

Dislikes: People who say "awwww, cute puppy," and anything that takes her away from work.

Favorite Food: Doesn't eat much.

Trivia: She was kicked once by one of my donkeys and every day she rushes into the pasture and nips the donkey in the butt.

--Jon Katz, Bedlam Farm

LOLcats Book Hitting Shelves October 7

If you can't get enough of the web-sensation-that-won't-die, I Can Has Cheezeburger, you'll be able to take those lovable LOLcats with you wherever you go with their new book, I Can Has Cheezburger?: A LOLcat Colleckshun.

It's available for pre-order on Amazon.com and, for some reason, is the number one seller in their Scientology category. Do LOLcats fear Xenu?

Buy it now or basement cat will get you in your sleep.

--Spanno

Cowbelly Cuties: Bert and Millie the Fox Terriers

It may be the end of summer, but don't tell Bert and Millie that. These feisty old smooth-coated fox terriers swam and played on the beach at their home at Three Tree Point, a darling little beachfront community south of Seattle Washington. When not wading through the water or digging for clams, these two challenged each other to a game of 'whose ball is it anyway' and 'my stick- mine!'. 11 and 12 years old they may be, but these two are eternally young at heart.

--Jamie Pflughoeft, Cowbelly Pet Photography
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Jamie Pflughoeft is the owner and photographer for Cowbelly Pet Photography, and a regular contributor to Wag Reflex.

How Make Trips to the Vet Easier for Your Dog

If your pooch is leery about going to the vet’s office there are a few things that you can do to help your companion feel more at ease.

Happy Visits
Plan short “happy” visits. These are visits where you and your pet don’t actually do anything vet related, but come in to the office for some cookies and affection from the staff. You don’t have to make an appointment for these visits. They can just be a quick stop-in on your way to the park. This way, your dog will learn that “bad” things don’t always happen when they walk into that funny smelling building.

Pre-Visit Run
If you have a very active or excitable dog it is always a good idea to go for a long walk or run before your appointment. Allowing your dog to burn off extra energy before you get to the vet’s office may make handling your pet easier and therefore your time in the office shorter.

Stay Calm
The most important thing that you can do to help your pet is to have the right attitude. If you get upset or you believe that your pet gets upset by the visit, your dog will sense your uneasiness and what you are thinking in your head will become reality. It is important that you take on a confident attitude like a true leader of the pack. If you can make your dog believe there is nothing to be upset about, he won’t be.

Here is an example of both puppy and owner behaving badly at the vet’s office. A young lady brought in a 6 month old Chihuahua puppy (not the one pictured) for an exam and his last set of vaccines. The owner placed the puppy on the examination table and the puppy immediately started growling and lunging at me. The owner got upset and concerned that something must be bothering the dog so she picked him up off the table and held him her arms saying, “It’s ok…calm down…good boy.”  If this situation were allowed to proceed any further, the dog would continue to misbehave not only at the vet’s office but in situations that were new and different to the dog. The way the owner should have handled the situation would be to give the dog a stern corrective measure (“no”, “bah”, “sst”, or whatever you use) and only give praise when the dog is relaxed and not showing signs of aggression or fear. Luckily there is a happy ending to this story. I gave both the owner and the dog a stern corrective measure and the Chihuahua puppy was a perfect angel for the rest of the exam.

--Dr. Wohlwend
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Dr. Wohlwend is a small animal veterinarian in Renton, WA and a regular contributor to Wag Reflex.

Disclaimer Regarding Veterinary Information

Pet Art: "The Empress" Shih-Tzu Collage

From Moira MacLaughlin, artist and pet art blogger.

The Empress
Centuries of breeding will never undo her regal ways. Why would it, when she¹s pampered like an heiress and protected like a gem? But her benevolent spirit and profound appreciation make serving her fun. To be a courtier to this precious pup is truly an honor.

See more of Moria's pet art at DreamDogsArt. And you can read her pontifications at Dog Art Today.

--Spanno
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If you'd like your pet art featured on Wag Reflex, email us (wagreflex@amazon.com) with a short description and a 500-pixel-wide JPEG of your piece.