The Secret Of are Rice Cakes Ok For Dogs
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The Best Tips For Owning A Dog
In some ways, caring for a dog is almost like caring for a kid - a big, furry, slobbery kid. Dog care is a tremendous amount of work, and it can be hard to figure out what action you should take. Thankfully, you're in the right place. This article will help you with your dog.
Go on and hug your dog, but do not kiss him. Kisses from dogs are adorable, but they're a lot less cute when you realize how filthy your dog's mouth actually is. Dogs really get into everything, from toilet water to the neighbor's trash. Many people believe that the human mouth has more germs than that of a dog - this isn't true. It is not necessarily true.
If your dog gets lost, it is very unlikely that you will see him again unless he has proper identification. Tags can come off, so the best option is a microchip. It is quick to put in your dog, and it causes minimal discomfort. Simply register the chip ID after it is put in, and your pet will always have his identification with him.
Never take your dog outside your yard without a leash. There are quite a few things that could cause your dog to run off unexpectedly. You are the only one responsible for your dog's safety and his actions.
Don't assume your toy-sized dog's bite isn't dangerous, just because he's little. A lot of owners brush-off training, thinking that the smaller breed dog can get away with a little bad behavior and this isn't true. As a responsible canine master, you've got to make certain your dog does not pose a threat to anyone by having him well trained.
Have a rotating schedule for dog-related responsibilities in your home. It's not fair for one person to always be taking care of him, and he'll feel more like a family pet if everyone pitches in. Kids often lose interest in a pet and leave the work to parents, but it's important that you teach them to keep up the commitment!
Get a dog house if you have a dog that you leave outside, in case the weather gets bad. If your dog happens to get his feet wet for a long period of time in cold temperatures, it can cause health complications. Keep your dog safe from precipitation and winds by providing him with a place that is spacious, with a dry floor.
Be careful around Christmas time with a dog in your home; it's the busiest time of year at 24/7 animal clinics! Things like hanging and tree lights pose a danger to your dog, as they could become tangled or gnaw their way down to raw wires. The loveliest of Christmas plants are also hazardous to a dog's health, so take extra care during holidays.
Timing is key when bringing your dog home. Try to introduce him to his new home over the weekend or when you have a couple of days off. Take the time to get to know one other - this will make him feel much more comfortable when he has to spend time in the home alone. Also, if you have children, make sure that they don't overwhelm him at first. If you have other pets in the house, be extra cautious when introducing the new arrival.
Does your dog chew a lot? This could be a sign that your dog is bored or anxious. You need to provide your dog with some toys that can be chewed and perhaps leave a shirt with your smell near your dog to avoid separation anxiety, especially if your dog is very young.
Be prepared for https://petsroof.com/are-rice-cakes-good-for-dogs/ that also impact your dog. Have an emergency supply of water and food for him and know in advance if your local shelter for people will allow pets inside. Too many pets are injured or lost following storms, floods and other situations that cause chaos in a community.
Before you have your dog fitted with a microchip, be sure and check the database of the company that will store his information. Not all of them are created equal and you want to know that you'll get a fast response if your dog is lost. Look for a large database that connects to shelters and vets near you.
If you've got the most well-behaved and lovable dog around, share his good nature with those less fortunate. You could bring him to visit the elderly in nursing homes or sick children in hospitals. Not only will you be improving the quality of life for those people, but your dog will love being a super-star wherever he goes!
Exercise is vital when you own a dog. You can even teach your dog useful tricks such as fetching the newspaper for you. He'll feel helpful and like he is a member of the family. At the same time, the training is good for his mental and thinking skills.
Never allow a puppy to climb up or down steps in order to prevent joint problems in the future. This is extremely important, especially with breeds that are at high risk for hip dysplasia. Any sort of high impact shock such as jumping or stair climbing should be avoided due to the fact that their growth plates are still developing.
You must learn how to introduce your dog to other dogs. Keep him on his leash during introductions so you have better control. Start with a walk by while keeping his attention on you. Then, on the next walk by, allow the dogs to sniff each other a bit. This will allow them to get to know each other without the dangers of attacks.
When you bring a new dog home, the first thing you should do is make sure they'll always be able to get back to you. Invest in a safe collar and a tag that contains both your name and phone number. Most lost dogs don't make it home, but with a good tag, you can be sure yours will.
Buy a good quality leash. Make sure that the leash is the proper size and strength for your dog. For example, a lightweight nylon leash would be suitable for a smaller dog but not strong enough for a larger breed such as a labrador. If your dog has a tendency to pull, a harness is a great way of correcting this instinct.
Owning a dog is a lot of fun, and it is even more enjoyable when you pick the right one and care for him properly. Here we have outlined some essential tips that any potential dog owner should follow. Keep them in mind to make life with your new dog happier and healthier for both of you!
Best Advice for Dogs with Skin Issues
I still need to publish a real post about Mr. Stix's full backstory, but this feels more pressing. For nearly 18 months, Mr. Stix's permanent nakey spot (from unknown injuries before he was rescued, including 15 fractures and this big patch of coat missing) has featured several inflamed, peeling areas. Initially I tried to fix it myself at home with things like aloe vera, vaseline, a veterinary ointment called animax that the shelter had give us while we fostered him most of 2019, etc. It's sort of a combination of steroids, antibacterial, and antifungal stuff. I took him to see our main veterinarian in spring 2020, when there was a 2-month wait to get into see a board-certified veterinary dermatologist. It has been quite a journey since then, and it's nowhere near over. Here's my best advice for dogs with skin issues.
Before I tell the ongoing saga with Mr. Stix's skin. Here is my best advice for dogs with skin problems.
See a board-certified veterinary dermatologist as soon as you can. Yes, your main veterinarian can probably help, but it's honestly best to go right to the top experts.
Agree to whatever skin scrapings / cytology the veterinary dermatologist recommends. This provides information about what types of secondary infections currently grow on your dog's damaged skin.
Do NOT assume every skin issue is allergies. It often is some sort of allergic process, but NOT always and assuming so (and acting accordingly may only delay real solutions and subject your dog to all kinds of quack advice and home remedies).
Buy the best quality fish oil and Vitamin E supplements you can afford, if it's recommended for your particular case of a dog with skin issues.
When necessary, agree to the skin biopsies (yes, like minor surgery) and have them reviewed by a veterinary pathologist that specializes in dogs with skin issues. The one we used is at Texas A&M.
Follow your veterinary dermatologist's advice and plans, and keep the faith. These dogs with skin problems often don't improve quickly. (I need to take my own advise. See below.)
Mr. Stix's Story as a Dog with Skin Problems
This is what Mr. Stix's nakey spot looks like when it's normal. Photo from May 2019 soon after his hip surgery. The bald patch is permanent. That's not the issue.
This is how bad the red / peeling areas got in mid-2020 when we saw our main veterinarian, who added a low-dose of oral Vitamin E and some topical too and told me to keep using the animax.
This is how it looked when Mr. Stix first saw the board-certified veterinary dermatologist in early August 2020, but the specialist had me STOP the animax and instead use a prescription anti-bacterial ointment (mupirocin) ... as well as add a better quality oral fish oil and continue both topical and oral Vitamin E (but at a higher dose twice a day). We knew from the skin scrapings / cytology they did onsite that Mr. Stix had a bacterial infection.
But, without the daily topical steroids (which long term are a bad idea), Mr. Stix's skin got much, much worse -- even breaking open and scabbing over.
Our veterinary dermatologist had recommended doing the skin biopsies right away in August 2020, and I *almost agreed to it then, but I was VERY worried about the cuts resulting in skin that would NOT heal. And, I figured it was at least worth a try to use the prescription antibiotic ointment and other supplements and stuff.
But, by around Thanksgiving, it was clear we had to do the biopsy. That photo is kind of gruesome, so you can see it here, if you want. I wish I had done the biopsy sooner. I feel like I wasted time from August through November.
Post-Biopsy Diagnosis
As I expected, despite all the know-it-alls trying to tell me it was an allergic issue, it turns out that Mr. Stix instead has an autoimmune condition called erythema multiforme. They believe it was triggered by the trauma of his earlier injuries. They don't think it is life-threatening. They don't think it will spread to other areas of his skin. Just the already damaged, permanent nakey spot.
With that information in hand, we updated the treatment plan to include a topical, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory ointment (tacrolimus -- often pricey, but we used a Good RX coupon at Costco to get the cost down). They use a version of this medication orally for people who have had various kinds of transplants. It's the smallest / safest option for treatment, and that's where we started.
I was so hopeful it would work at the once-daily application, but the skin still didn't heal completely.
So, in early 2021, we started applying it twice daily on the advice of our veterinary dermatologist.
But, it still hasn't healed completely. It often improves a lot and then comes roaring back, so we had another appointment to see the specialist last week. We had to try something new.
Enter the Big Immune-Suppressing Drug
Despite my concerns and form of veterinary PTSD about major immune suppression drugs (after our experiences with Lilly), I agreed last week to add oral cyclosporine, which is also a drug that people get after various transplants. Mr. Stix would need to take it daily for life.
It smells like it's made from skunk butts, so each gel-cap pill is individually packaged, and you keep them in the freezer because that can help with nausea it can cause (since it's recommended you give on an empty stomach).
I found some good info on this med, and our veterinary dermatologist assured me that it has been safely used in veterinary medicine for like 20+ years, etc.
The med only comes in doses of 25 mg, 50 mg, and 100 mg, and at his size Mr. Stix's ideal dose is around 88 mg once a day. So we went with 75 mg (25+50) to err on the lower side.
It takes like 3-7 days for the med to build up in the blood to therapeutic levels, but it takes more like 4-6 weeks to know if it's going to help the skin (or not).
We made it to day 4, then the barfing started.
Anxiety
I wish I could say that this is all going to be fine, but I just don't know. I feel like I just have to accept that the skin will never fully heal, even though seeing his raw spots up close while applying the topical med twice a day and topical Vitamin E once a day causes me so much angst and anxiety.
I supposed to check in with our veterinary dermatology team next week to confirm that Mr. Stix's weirdness and apparent suffering has improved.
It took a lot of convincing to get Mr. Champion of My Heart to agree to try the cyclosporine, so even if the specialist comes back and recommends maybe a lower dose, I doubt we'll want to risk it ... because Mr. Stix sure seemed to be having some neurologist issues to me, and after the Lilly situation, I just cannot do that again.
He is only 3 years old. I don't want to make anything worse. It honestly felt like I'd poisoned him.
The good news is that most of the time his skin doesn't seem to hurt or itch or anything -- though I do have pain meds, if he needs them. It mostly just looks bad, and he has to wear a no-lick collar for about 20 minutes after I apply his meds so that he doesn't lick it off.
His nakey spot is prone to sunburn anyway, and the topical tacrolimus increases the risk of burning, so I used his earlier sun-reflecting coat (which started to look ragged) as a pattern and sewed him a new / light sun protection coat. He looks very cute in it.
https://championofmyheart.com/2021/08/05/dogs-with-skin-issues/
Good Morning from the Golden Retriever Channel. This pupper is taking-in rain. Who turned on the sprinkler in the sky? Another good day in his life, so far.
(Lifeofsterlingnewton IG)#dogs #puppies #cute pic.twitter.com/ooQqHn9XIfAugust 20, 2021
Easy To Follow Tips About Dog Care
Dogs have been companions to humans for thousands and thousands of years. However, if you're having problems with your dog, you might feel as though you're in uncharted territory. This article will help you harness years of wisdom and give you the knowledge you need to nurture your beloved pet.
If you are thinking of getting a new dog for your family, be sure you are prepared for this commitment. Smaller dogs will require at least a 14-16 year commitment, and larger dogs will require at least 10 years. If you are not prepared to own the dog for its entire life, then do not choose a dog as a pet.
Whenever you travel with your pet, don't skimp on the packing. Of course you need to be well supplied with his food, water and any medications he may be on, but experts advise that you also bring his grooming supplies, vaccination paperwork, tags and an extra leash. Also, bring a flat sheet for when your dog will be on hotel furniture.
When preparing to groom your pet, start the session off on the right foot by helping your dog relax. Spend a few minutes simply petting him, starting with the head and then rubbing the back, paws, belly and even tail. Once you feel your dog is happy and content, begin grooming him.
When choosing a dog for your home, don't forget to estimate the size it will be as a full grown adult. This is especially true if you have small children at home. Although a small puppy will be cute, it may grow into a large, one hundred pound dog. Do some research on the average adult size of the breeds you are considering.
When clipping a puppy's toenails, start slow. Introduce your little dog to them before you begin cutting. You may only be able to get a single nail done during a sitting. It could take some time for puppy to become comfortable with the idea of nail clipping, but soon, you will be able to get through it all at once.
You should carefully trim the hair near the paws to avoid matted hair. Use a comb first, then start cutting. If you have a hard time with this, enlist the services of a groomer.
If you wish to get a dog, but don't know if you can commit to it, try getting a foster dog. Many homeless and abused animals are waiting in shelters for someone to adopt them and with over-crowding, resources are slim. Fostering will help you become adapted to the life of a pet owner, and you will be making a difference in the life of a dog at the same time!
If your dog does something that you do not like, try to avoid just saying no. To your dog, no doesn't really explain what you want your pup to do. Instead of saying no if your dog is jumping, try to get your dog to sit or lay down. By doing this, you provide your dog with an instruction of what to do.
Groom your dog frequently. Keep them clean and reduce the amount of hair they shed by brushing them frequently. When the weather warms up, start checking them for ticks and fleas daily. Dogs generally require a few baths a year. Before you give your dog a bath, make sure to cut or comb out mats and tangles. Rinse their coat thoroughly to avoid dirt sticking to any soap residue.
Brush your dog's teeth every week. Use a child's toothbrush that is soft, some nylon pantyhose over your finger, or a gauze pad. Don't use regular toothpaste. Instead, try using a baking soda and water paste or toothpaste made for dogs. Clean their teeth one to two times a week.
Do you have a hard time keeping your dog from barking? You might be encouraging this behavior without even realizing it. Your dog will keep barking if you acknowledge this behavior. It is best to ignore your dog until it stops barking, even if your dog wants to come inside.
Pay attention to your dog's breath. Dogs will always have "dog breath,"u009d however, really bad breath is a sign that they need a dental check up. Plaque buildup caused by bacteria could be the culprit and that will need to be treated by a professional. After their treatments, you will need to brush their gums and teeth and feed them food that helps maintain good dental health.
Although some dogs do well on the recommended amount of food to be given each day, some dogs need more or less. Instead of just going by what your food says to feed your dog, try to keep an eye on your dog's body. If you notice that your dog is gaining a bit of weight, cut the food intake back a bit.
If you are trying to teach your dog some basic commands, one of your first ones should be a recall. Everyone wants their dog to return to them when called for. If you have a solid recall for your dog, you will not have to worry about chasing your dog down it manages to get outside. It should come back to you when you use your recall word.
Not all dogs are meant to be outdoor dogs. If you plan to keep your dog outside, carefully choose the breed. Small dogs, short-hair, or older dogs will not do well being kept outside. Choose click here now that has a nice thick coat, that is mature and one that is extremely healthy.
Don't rely on just a wet and cold nose to determine a dog's health. There are multiple reasons a nose could be chilly and damp, and plenty of them don't involve illness. You can get a feeling about a dog's overall health by watching its demeanor, appetite, and energy levels. These are good barometers of the dog's health. A dog's temperature can be taken rectally if need be.
Dogs love to chew. Make sure your dog has plenty of things that he can chew on so he doesn't chew on things he shouldn't be chewing on. Dogs love to chew on rawhide and various other things that are manufactured and sold just for dogs to chew on.
Some people like to learn by reading, while others like to learn by doing. You need to attempt learning in both ways. The first was reading this article, which you have completed. The second is starting to use the tips to see which work for you and which don't, so get to it!
As an enthusiastic reader on Pets, I assumed sharing that article post was worth the trouble. Sharing is caring. Who knows, you could be doing someone a favor. Thanks so much for going through it.