Wag Reflex

Top Five Pet Pics of 2008

While it seems longer, it has only been six months since we launched Wag Reflex. On behalf of all our hard-working bloggers I'd like to thank all our pet-loving readers. We look forward to cranking out more entertaining and informing posts for you in 2009.

In the meantime, here's a look back at our top five pet pics of 2008.

5. The amazing Chihuahua fetus composite image from National Geographic.

4. Best buds.

3. An abused puppy.

2. The rare seal dog.

1. A peanut butter-loving Corgi.

--Spanno    

Adopting the Alley Cat

If you have decided to let the scruffy, one-eared, homeless tom cat into your house for warmth and food this winter, take him to the vet before he settles in front of your fireplace. At our hospital, all “stray” cats are scanned for a microchip. If they have one, sometimes we can contact the former owner and have a happy reunion. Other times, the numbers are old or the former owners decline the reunion so the microchip information is updated to the new owners information. Next, we perform a physical exam to look for signs of external parasites like fleas or ear mites. We assess their body condition and the state of their teeth. A lot of these guys are undernourished and have fractured or neglected teeth.

After the exam, we draw a blood sample and test right away for their feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus status. If we think we need to clean or pull teeth right away (or neuter them), we submit a wellness profile to make sure they are healthy enough for anesthesia. After the blooddraw we give the first set of vaccines, to be boostered in 3-4 weeks, apply a dose of Revolution, trim their nails, submit a fecal sample and send them home to adjust. If they are entering a home with other animals, it is a good idea to keep them isolated from the other pets for about 2 weeks to monitor for any signs of contagious illness and to give the other pets time to adjust the scent of a newbie.

--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

Readers' Pets: Samson the Shepherd Mix

Introduction: Meet Samson--AKA Sam, Sammers, Samma-Lamma, Samurai etc. Sam is an almost 6 month old Heinz 57 puppy that came to us through a local rescue. Sam, his mother and littermates were dumped at high-kill shelter in the Philadelphia area. Their stay was not long, as the rescue came in and scooped them up. At 8 weeks they were listed for adoption, and it was love at first sight. Mr. Samson came to live at his forever home with us just two days later. He was only a 7 lb little puppy boy when he came home, and he is now a 50+ lb. adolescent moose.

Home: Frenchtown, NJ. Sam loves his quaint river town!

Age: 6 months

Breed: Mixed. Possibly German Shepherd, Great Dane. Whatever breed or breeds that produce 23 inch tall, 55 lb, 6 month old pups.

Personality: He is a silly, adolescent pup in all senses of the words. Always looking for something new and excited to play with, chew, or tug on, Sam sure keeps us on our toes. He is a scary smart dog, so training is a MUST with him. We have been very successful in following the My Smart Puppy training techniques, and his training is progressing quite nicely. Sam is really looking forward to starting up some dog sports training once his little bones have grown to full size.

Likes: Food, food and more food! Playing with his toys ranks pretty high up there too. Fetch and catch are his favorite games to play with mom and dad. He also loves “attempting” to play with his feline brother, but mom and dad tell him he can’t play rough. A good snuggle on the couch is a classic favorite as well.

Dislikes: Odd looking, unrecognizable objects (can we say fear stage?), not being allowed to play rough with the cat and having to actually wait all day for dinner. Yes, he’s a little piggy.

Favorite Toy: His Water Kong Wubba that he picked out all on his own (behind mom’s back at the pet supply store) and his green and pink balls. Like I said, he loves catching and fetching!

Favorite Food: Anything! He is just as happy getting his kibble as he is getting a nice piece of boiled chicken. He would eat all day, every day if he could.

Trivia: When we first adopted Sam, the rescue guessed he was a Shepherd/Basenji mix. Considering that he is now the size of two Basenjis combined, I find that latter breed to be unlikely. Almost everyone we meet thinks he looks like a Great Dane mix. I have to giggle because I thought I would have a 40 lb dog, and it turns out that I may have a 100 lber! More to love, that’s my theory!

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

Rachael Ray is Trying to Kill Your Dog

Rachael Ray, whilst promoting her line of "Nutrish" dog food, shared a human food recipe with Modern Dog magazine. The problem? She never mentioned that the dish is for human consumption only and might kill your dog. The recipe, called Isaboo's Butternut Squash Mac and Cheddar, contains gobs of cheese, butter, heavy cream, and onions--which are potentially fatal to dogs. Here's the deadly recipe listed as "Pet Friendly" on her website.

 

Hat tip to WWTDD.com.

--Spanno

Reaching Out to Stray Cats

One of our hospital employees has brought in a stray cat. He feeds them when they come around and will scoop them up if he can to have them checked out if they are limping or too skinny. He noticed this guy was sneezing and was concerned with the colder weather approaching that he wouldn’t be able to get better on the streets. His generosity to these cats has inspired several others in our hospital to reach out to the strays they see.

Two young kittens were caught and brought in for an exam and vaccines before getting a new start at our great local shelter. Another woman bought heated water bowls and set them next to a few new cat beds which she diligently keeps clean. I think it is a good time to be on the look out for the stray cats that need support during the colder weather. Often, local shelters or animal control can help you catch them so they can be transferred to stable environment and have a chance at adoption and good care. If you decide to open your heart and you door to a neighborhood stray cat, please be sure to have them checked by your vet beforehand!

--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

Pets as Holiday Gifts Can be Chaos

Many people are tempted to give pets as a gift for the holidays, imaging ear–to-ear smiles on their loved-ones face when they discover  their very own new new furry friend under the tree. What many forget though is the chaos and hazards of exchanging gifts. Wrapping paper and holiday decorations are everywhere, family are coming and going, along with a busier-than-normal schedule, all making for a less than stable environment to introduce a new pet. As an alternative, ask you local shelter if you can pre-pay for a pet or get a gift certificate. Ask if you can take pictures of some of their animals up for adoption. Present your loved-one with a wrapped pet dish with a “new pet’ gift certificate, complete with pictures of possible pets. Your loved one will spend hours dreaming of their new pet in anticipation of the day they got to go pick it out. Alternatively, if your loved one decides its not the right time for a new pet, your purchase will act as a nice donation to the shelter in their name.

During the holiday season so many pets are purchased from breeders, or adopted from shelters as gifts, only to be returned to the shelter. This holiday season, remember that if you, or your family are not ready for a pet, it is best to wait. Getting a new pet should never be done in a hurry, new pets are a long term commitment!

--Dr. Hamilton
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Dr. Hamilton is an oncology resident at Michigan State's Animal Cancer Care Clinic and a regular contributor to Wag Reflex.

Disclaimer Regarding Veterinary Information   

Trash is Trouble

For most of us, the holidays bring with them a large holiday feast, which in the end, result  leftovers. Unfortunately, many pet owners see this as an opportunity to share the holiday meal with their pets to ‘give them something special’. That something special, however, can be harmful. Vomiting and diarrhea are not uncommon responses by pets to new foods they ingest, even in ‘small’ amounts, making your ‘little treat’ trouble for your pet. A much better way to include your pet in the holiday meals is to buy them new holiday-themed feeding dishes to eat their normal food out of.  It is important to keep your pet’s food and feeding times on schedule, allowing their digesting to stay on tract. Remember, when you are disposing of your leftovers, make sure that the garbage is extra secure. This time of the year the garbage may be filled with lots of extra yummy (yet dangerous) table scraps, tempting your dog more than normal to investigate the trash.

--Dr. Hamilton
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Dr. Hamilton is an oncology resident at Michigan State's Animal Cancer Care Clinic and a regular contributor to Wag Reflex.

Disclaimer Regarding Veterinary Information   

A Puppy for Christmas (with Parasitic Bonus)

During the holidays a lot of parents chose to bring home a new puppy for their little ones. How exciting would it be to watch your kids open their first present Christmas morning and out jumps the cutest, most lovable little puppy? Your kids will think that is the best present ever!

What we don’t think about is that we are potentially expsoing zoonotic parasites (transferred from pet to human) to our children. The most common zoonotic parasites are roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms. All puppies carry roundworms and if not dewormed properly, can shed the parasite’s eggs in their feces and quickly contaminate your whole yard. Children are most at risk for contracting these parasites because they play outside and have a tendency to put objects or dirty hands in their mouths.

Humans are aberrant (abnormal) hosts for these parasites and they may migrate to areas other than the gastrointestinal tract and cause serious problems. Roundworms usually migrate to the eye and cause either permanent or partial loss of vision. Hookworms more commonly migrate through the skin and cause painful infections.

There are things that you can do to prevent these infections. Promptly pick-up and discard any fecal material in the yard, make sure children wash their hands frequently, especially after playing with the puppy, after playing outdoors, and before eating. Make sure to have your veterinarian run a fecal analysis on your pet at least once a year and most importantly make sure to get your puppy dewormed at an early age and talk to your veterinarian about keeping them on a monthly parasite preventative year round.

--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

Holiday Boarding Tips

If you plan to board your pets for the holidays, consider a few things before you head out of town. Choose a good kennel! Ask to have a quick tour to see the conditions the dogs and cats are kept in. Are the pets let outside and if so, where and how often?  Is there grass, gravel or concrete? Can you have them walked individually? Can you board your pets together (some kennels offer a reduced fee if they share a space)? Do the people seem compassionate and organized? Is there a veterinarian on the premises, if needed? Selecting a high-quality kennel may be more expensive and sometimes father away but knowing your pets are being properly sheltered, fed and exercised is worth the extra effort!

Have your pets boarded before? My old dog, Oscar, is new to the boarding experience, and during a trial run over the weekend he displayed his dislike for the idea by ripping his dog bed into tiny bits and rubbing his nose raw on the kennel doors. I now have anti-anxiety medications at hand for his future stays. He also now gets to sleep on whatever comfy old blanket they provide for him – not his good, décor-matching, expenso-bed from home. 

What do you want back?  Most kennels will accept personal belongings but most discourage anything but the essentials because they so often get destroyed or lost. If you insist on leaving it, make sure the label is readable after washing.

What foods should they eat? Ask the kennel what their “kennel diet” is and if you don’t want your pet eating that food, bring their own. But don’t make it too complicated. If your feeding instructions involve the kennel technicians measuring out a teaspoon of whey protein, a half cups of warmed veggies and a squirt and a half of chicken soup, they may charge a medicating fee!

Are your pets on medications? Our kennel houses the animals that are on medication in a separate area (and charges a medicating fee) because the medications are administered by veterinary technicians according to instructions. They are also monitored for specific side-effects related to the medications or the disease they are treating.

What do you want to do if your animal needs veterinary care during their stay? As a veterinarian, it is extremely helpful to have the owner’s permission to do appropriate veterinary care if the need arises. Having a pre-determined budget allows the vet to start any testing right away. Also, having a contact number is essential. If you can’t be reached, be sure the emergency name and number you provide knows they are the contact person and have an idea of what you would allow as far as costs go.

Lastly,  be sure to let the staff know if your pet is in the habit of not eating well while boarding, or develops diarrhea after a day or too.

At the end of your pets stay, the kennel should be able to provide a report card or a copy of the boarding activity if you ask for it. Ask the veterinarian if you have any questions, and though sometimes we never see a pet if all goes well, we certainly can get the information from those that provided their care.

--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

Donate Old Linens to Your Local Shelter

If you are cleaning out your house for holiday guests, think of your area shelters or animal hospitals before tossing old linens. For the towels and sheets that can’t quite make the resale at Goodwill, a donation to the animals is much appreciated! We use old blankets, bath towels, hand towels, sheets, pillows, pillowcases, bathroom rugs and t-shirts in our hospital. The little dogs and cats love the pillows and t-shirts make great cases for them. We use old sheets to cover kennel doors when the animal needs to rest and a break from all the lights of the treatment room. Our towels and blankets are washed daily and become threadbare over the course of the year. Having extras also allows us to send them home with an ill patient for the car ride home. The shelters and rescue groups have a great need for blankets so consider the ones in your area. Sometimes they also take extra litter boxes, microwaves, refrigerators, utensils and more. If you are feeling extra generous, when buying that new orthopedic bed for your own dog, buy two and give one to a less fortunate pet!

--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