Wag Reflex

How Do You Know if Your Pet Has Fleas?

The easiest way to tell if your pet has fleas is to see the live insects on your pet. Pay close attention to the flea’s favorite spots (on the face and chin, on the rump by the tail, and in the more sparsely haired areas on the belly). Sometimes, though, there may not be many fleas and they can hide while you are searching for them. In this case, a flea comb is helpful in determining your pet’s flea status. A flea comb will pick up two things--fleas and flea dirt. Flea dirt (tiny black specks about the size of poppy seeds) is actually flea feces composed of digested blood. If you find small black specks and are not sure if you are finding "flea dirt" or just plain dirt, place the specks on a damp paper towel--if you see red then it is flea dirt.

Other signs range from scratching and biting at the skin to more severe dermatitis. Your pet can be highly allergic to fleas (flea allergic dermatitis is the most common skin disease in pets) and although you may not see fleas, they may still be present so check your pet any let’s stay flea free this year.

--Dr. Melinda, Hartz R&D Team
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Dr. Melinda is the resident veterinarian at Hartz and a regular contributor to Wag Reflex.

A Little Norwegian Lundehund

This is one ridiculously cute dog. Rista is a Norwegian Lundehund--a breed I'd never heard of. According to Wikipedia, they're polydactyl and bred to hunt puffins. They were first recognized by the AKC in 2007, so you'll see a lot more of these dogs at major dog shows.

Photo courtesy of Boromir kennel's photostream.

--Spanno

Wag Reflex Sweepstakes Ends Tomorrow

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Already getting the daily Wag Reflex digest, but didn't enter the sweepstakes yet? Don't worry, you can still sign up for the sweepstakes by filling out the entry form. Just make sure to use the same e-mail address in the form as you used when you signed up previously for the digest.

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Sign up and read the official sweepstakes rules. No purchase necessary. Enter by 11:59:59 a.m. (PT) May 29, 2009. See official rules for details.

See you in your inbox!

--Spanno

Rough and Tumble--Balls That Last

Toys get hard use in my home and balls in particular get thoroughly tested. Not only are the toys Lab tested, but they are also terrier tested, German Shepherd Dog tested and Jaws-of-Death Doodle tested. You want to know what toys go the distance? These do:

Orbee Balls
Sure, they are cute, but they are tough, too. Left outside through a long, cold New Hampshire winter, mowed with our lawn tractor and abused by numerous dogs our Orbees still just fine. Not usually a favorite toy, Pip has recently taken a shine to their “Snowball,” adding it to this week’s golluming pile.

Everlasting Fun Balls
Add these to the list of great food dispensing toys. Soft yet hard wearing, ours have seen daily use here for many months with no noticeable wear. We’ll always have a few of these around. My only criticism is that opening where the food comes out is the same in all three sizes, meaning that toy-breed sized mini kibble simply falls out.

Fantastic Foam Balls
These make no sense to me at all. When I got my first one, I laughed. This will last a few minutes, I thought as I tossed it to PJ, an experienced toy destroyer. But it has lasted for nine or so months now with only one small nick out of it. Amazing.

Jolly Ball Tug-n-Toss
Okay, Jolly balls aren’t durable but they are, apparently, just as fun flattened, chewed, and handle-less as they are fresh out of the box. We have one “Jolly Chunk” that’s been around for several years now. It is no longer even remotely “ball” shaped but it remains a favorite toy among our gang.

--Sarah Wilson, MySmartPuppy.com
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Sarah Wilson is a pet behavior specialist, author, media personality, and a regular contributor to Wag Reflex. Sarah's books include, "Dogology", "My Smart Puppy", and "Tails from the Barkside", all available now.

Treat Allergies Early

It's that time of year--blooming shrubs and trees, emerging grasses, afternoon winds and bugs, bugs, bugs. For people with itchy pets, this is a popular time to visit the vet. If your pet spends time licking his paws, chewing his legs and tail, rubbing his eyes or shaking his ears, I recommend scheduling your appointment just as the itching starts.

If left untreated for long, itching can lead to open sores and infections which require multiple medications to clear. Plus, it is miserable to be itchy. There are several common causes for itchy skin: ectoparasites (fleas, mites), bacterial or yeast skin infections, food allergies and environmental allergies (molds, pollen, grasses, etc). Some pets can have more than one at a time.

While it can take weeks (or months) to figure out what the exact underlying problem is, your vet can help make your pet comfortable while the tests are conducted.

Photo from ElleGoon's photostream.

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

Should You Remove Your Dog's Dewclaws?

Many dog owners often ask their veterinarian whether their dog's dewclaws should be removed. There are several situations in which removal is advantageous, and owners should consider their dog's lifestyle when making such a decision.

The dewclaw is the digit on the innermost part of the foot. It does not make contact with the ground. Most dogs will have dewclaws on their front feet when born however it is rare to find them on the back feet. This digit is considered a vestigial structure that is non-functional in most breeds. However in several breeds, such as the Great Pyrenees and Briards, rear dewclaws are common and included in the breed standard. The Great Pyrenees even has a double dewclaw, an inherited trait called polydactylism, so that there are two bony digits instead of one. The Great Pyrenees is a livestock guardian dog and the terrain they work on is rough and uneven. The double dewclaws placed low on their rear legs act as functional digits to help them gain stability. However, in other breeds of dogs that do have a rear dewclaw, it is often hanging loose and susceptible to being torn off. This is the main reason why it is sometimes recommended to remove the rear dewclaws, especially if the dog is going to be running outdoors in the brush (like hunting dogs).

Some breeders have their puppies dewclaws removed at 3-5 days of age. At this age, the dewclaw is adhered loosely so it is very easy to remove. The veterinarian will clamp at the base of the dewclaw at the joint and this is often enough to allow for manual removal. Surgical glue or sutures are then used to close the wound and prevent bleeding, although there is little bleeding associated with this procedure. If the breeder has decided to allow the dewclaws to remain, you will need to make a decision around the time of your puppy's spay or neuter as to whether the dewclaws should be removed. Factors to consider are where your dog will be spending his/her time, if your dog has rear dewclaws and the degree of adherence of the dewclaws. Any dewclaw loosely adhered should be removed, regardless of whether the dog will be in nature or walking on city sidewalks since loose dewclaws can catch onto anything and become torn.

Veterinarians prefer to remove dewclaws during the spay/neuter because the dog will already be under general anesthesia so it eliminates the risks associated with another anesthesia. If you are considering showing your dog in the ring, it is advisable to consult the breed standard of the kennel club you are associated with. Most state that removal is optional though there are a few breeds where dewclaws are required and some in which dewclaw removal is mandatory.

Many dog owners often leave the front dewclaws for the reason that they are usually held close to the paw so need not be removed. However, this does not mean that they should be forgotten. They are easily missed due to their location and it doesn't help if the dog has long hair which covers it! Dewclaws should be trimmed during routine nail trims. This is especially important because these claws cannot be worn down since they do not make ground contact. If left untrimmed, the claw grows in a curly fashion, which may be uncomfortable or even painful because the claw may grow around into the skin. It also makes trimming extremely difficult.

If your dog has dewclaws, you may wish to consult with your veterinarian as to whether they should be removed, taking into consideration your dog's lifestyle. Dewclaws not removed should be maintained during the routine nail trim to prevent overgrowth of the claw.

Photo of a broken dewclaw from This Year's Love's photostream.

--Dr. Hinson
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Dr. Hinson is a mixed animal veterinarian in Tampa, FL and a regular contributor to Wag Reflex.

Disclaimer Regarding Veterinary Information   

Golden Retriever Wins 2009 BISSELL MVP Contest

The votes have been tallied and the results are in. Last Thursday BISSELL honored its grand prize winner in the 2009 BISSELL Most Valuable Pet (MVP) Photo Contest with a local presentation and photo shoot.  Taking the top spot out of nearly 40,000 entries was Norman, a golden retriever from Columbus, Ohio.

Norman’s “foster mom,” Tara Driscoll, selected 4 Paws For Ability to be the recipient of the  $10,000 grand prize donation.  4 Paws For Ability is a local service dog program, and the prize was intended to offset the cost of a seizure dog to assist two special needs children in Tara’s community. The two boys, ages six and eight, have been in need of a seizure dog for several years but the $14,000 price tag has hindered their family from obtaining one. To help the boys, BISSELL donated an extra $4,000 on top of the $10,000 grand prize, which covers the full cost of the seizure dog.  Tara, the boys and their mother were surprised when BISSELL unveiled the extra donation, and everyone is looking forward to the fall when the boys will receive their special helper.

That afternoon, BISSELL’s new star shined under the lights at a photo shoot for the Pet Hair Eraser Upright Vacuum. Norman will be featured on the packaging, another perk of winning the contest.  However, Norman wasn’t the only top dog. This year the contest was expanded and more prizes were given away.

Kiely, a Border Collie mix, won second place spot and will be featured on BISSELL’s Pet Hair Eraser Vacuum. Kiely’s prize of $5,000 was donated to Glen Highland Farm, a Border Collie rescue facility.

Third place was awarded to Baloo whose $1,000 prize will assist the Suncoast Humane Society, a nonprofit which reduces a number of homeless animals.

Baily, an English Shepherd taking fourth place, donated his $1,000 prize to the National English Shepherd Rescue, the same organization from which he was adopted.

Last but not least, Gabby, a domestic long-haired cat, came in fifth place and will put her $1,000 prize toward PetFix Northeast Ohio, an organization dedicated to ending pet overpopulation.

Check out the winning photos and more information on the winners or become a fan of BISSELL on Facebook.

--BISSELL Clean Team
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BISSELL supports pet charities across the country and regularly contributes to Wag Reflex.

Charlie the 'Spider Cat'

Charlie the cat doesn't have to wait to be let in. He gets home ninja-style.

Via BuzzFeed.

--Spanno

How Not to Travel With Your Dog

Do they make doggy motorcycle helmets? I'm guessing no.

Via Jalopnik.

--Spanno

Diet Might Not Fix Your Fat Dog

We’ve talked a few times on this blog about overweight pets and the associated diet considerations. For some of you with ‘round dogs’ over-feeding is not the problem--your pet may actually have a hormone imbalance which contributes to them being pot-bellied or obese. If a hormone imbalance is your pet's problem, diet changes will have minimal impact on your dog’s physique. Here are two of the more common hormone conditions that middle aged to older dogs can get which can make them look fat.

Hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing’s disease)
This hormone disease comes in multiple forms, however, the most common form of the disease is caused by an area of the brain stimulating the adrenal glands to produce too much cortical (stress hormone). The excessive cortisol in the body can cause muscle loss as well as other changes in the body such as: increased thirst, increased urination, hair loss along the back, lethargy and acne on their skin. If your dog has one or more of these signs you may want to consult with your veterinarian. If they are suspicious of this disease they will probably want to start some blood work to evaluate your pet further.

Hypothyroidism
This hormone imbalance can actually look very similar to Cushings disease. Middle-aged to older dogs can get Hypothyroidism which is where the thyroid gland produces too little thyroid hormone. The low thyroid hormone levels affect most cells throughout the body resulting in a decreased metabolism or an overall slowing down in their normal activity. This slow-down results in clinical signs such as: weight gain, lethargy, thin hair along the back, overall dull coat, loss of hair on the tip of the tail ‘rat tail’ and intolerance of cold. Some dogs will even actively seek out heat sources. This condition can also be evaluated at your veterinarians office with routine blood work.

Thankfully both of these conditions are treatable, but they will require a visit to your veterinarians’ office.

--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