Hand & Paw - Blog related to pets, health and products,dog, cat, and all pets.

We all love the smell of thanksgiving dinner cooking, pies baking and the aroma’s of that wonderful Thanksgiving feast.  Our pets love those aromas as well, so there are some things you should be aware of.

Having the addition of family members in your home can caues havoc on your pets health.  So many people want to give your dog a treat, well if each guest gives your dog something to eat, that is way too much!    Make sure your friends and family know the rules about feeding your pets.

Cooked turkey is a very rich, fatty food.  One that is known to contribute to pancreatitis.

“The pancreas produces digestive enzymes that break down food so the body can digest it. These enzymes are carefully handled by the pancreas in order to prevent them from damaging the pancreas itself or surrounding tissue. If they break down for any reason, the result is leakage of enzymes, which damage the pancreas and any surrounding tissue they reach. This breakdown is called pancreatitis. Symptoms include loss of appetite, severe and frequent vomiting, diarrhea that may contain blood, reluctance to walk, weakness, pain, crying, restlessness, irritability, or refusing to eat. Many people know their dog is sick, but may be confused as to whether or not it’s serious because of a lack of symptoms or symptoms being vague and mild.”

Bloat(Gastric Torsion) is a medical emergency!

Bloat, also known as Torsion or Gastric Dilation-Volvulus (GDV), is a condition that affects large dogs.

The condition is rapidly fatal in dogs, causing shock, coma, and death within 6-12 hours. Always consult your dog’s vet as he or she can take x-rays of the abdomen to confirm the diagnosis. It is characterized by stomach enlargement due to extreme gas and or dilation.

Dilation may follow by “volvulus” a twisting rotation of the stomach. This closes both the esophagus and pylorus preventing the dog’s stomach from relieving gas by belching; it also blocks the food to advance into the intestines and stops the suffering dog from getting ride of the food by vomiting.

We have also found out that this twist compresses one of the major veins carrying blood to the heart and causes abnormal blood circulation through out the dog’s body, which causes shock and death.

What breeds are prone to bloat? Bloat seems to affect deep-chested, large or extra large dogs between the ages of 4 to 10 years.

What are some of the bloat symptoms: Common symptoms of bloat are:

Know these signs.  Bloat is a known killer among deep chest breeds.  The faster you respond the better chance you will have in saving your pets life.

Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

With the cold weather here, and the snow approaching here are some tips on keeping your best friend safe:

• Do not leave antifreeze, coolant or windshield wiper fluid within reach. And do not let pets drink from puddles. These products taste appealing to pets but most are lethal to animals when ingested. So thoroughly clean up any spills from your vehicle. Also, keep your pets on leash outdoors and steer them far away from any suspect puddles.
• Always wash your dog’s paws after a winter walk to remove salt. 
• Anti freeze that leaks onto driveways and roads smells and tastes good to dogs. However, it is highly poisonous and can be lethal to your canine companion if ingested.
• Your dog’s ears, feet and tail are highly susceptible to frostbite. Limit his time outdoors, if possible

Musher’s Secret is a great product that protects your pets feet from both the heat and the ice and all the products we use for ice melt.

Musher’s Secret, 200gMusher’s Secret protects paws year-around from sand, hot pavement, ice, and road salt. When applied to pads and between toes, Musher’s Secret forms an invisible boot to prevent potential paw problems. Also provides protection and relief from open sores, and cracked toes.

As many of you have read, I have been doing a lot of traveling to and from NYC for business. So I just got back from NY, it’s nice to be home!

I almost always travel with a dog.  My dogs are very comfortable in the car, being we are always going to dog shows, or fun rides to train for water work or do draft work or training for SAR(Search & Rescue).  One of the problems people have is the ablility to keep water available to their dogs while in motion. The buddy bowl is a great spill proof bowl.  The unique design of this bowl keeps the water inside even if it’s tipped over! Keeps the bugs out. Reduces evaporation and contamination. Made of non-toxic polyethylene. Dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning.

The Orginal Buddy Bowl 1/2 Gal