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.

This week has been a looooong week! One of our girls had been sick. She wasn’t eating much, and she finally stopped eating all together. After checking her over and over I noticed she was excessively cleaning herself. I thought oh boy! Luckily, she doens’t have Pyo, but she does have an infection. She was dehydrated and some IV fluids got her back on track.  She still isn’t in the clear, but we are glad to at least see her happy again!

Anway, here is some info on Pyometra:

Pyometra

©Charla Dawson
Pyometra is a serious uterine infection that is potentially fatal and can occur in unspayed animals. During the animal’s heat cycle, or estrus cycle, her cervix relaxes and opens a little, this can allow bacteria to enter her uterus. When the cervix closes the bacteria is trapped.

The body is usually able to fight off infections but if the immune system is somehow compromised then a pyometra can develop. The bacteria usually seen in pyometra is E. Coli although other bacterias have been to blame. Usually dogs and cats presented with pyometras are middle aged to older and within 60 days of their last heat cycle.

Symptoms of Pyometra: Pyometras can present as either open or closed. In the open form the cervix is open and there is a foul smelling discharge from the vagina. In the closed form the cervix is closed so there will be no discharge. The closed pyometra is harder to diagnose and the patient is usually sicker because the body is retaining the infection in the uterus.

Symptoms of pyometra include, but are not limited to: very smelly vaginal discharge, enlarged abdomen because of the uterus filling with pus, vomiting, not eating, lethargy, drinking more, urinating more, and dehydration.

Treatment of Pyometra: If your pet is exhibiting any of these symptoms, take her to the veterinarian immediately. Your veterinarian will probably want to run blood work and do an x-ray of the abdomen. The blood work will show the doctor how well the organs are functioning and how bad the infection is.

An x-ray will show the enlarged uterus and rule out pregnancy. The preferred treatment for a pyometra is an ovariohysterectomy, commonly called spay. The patient is usually very ill from the infection so surgery is a risk but if the uterus ruptures the dog or cat will go into shock and die. The patient will need IV fluids to correct the dehydration, and antibiotics to fight infection.

If the pyometra is not closed and you do not want to spay your dog (cats almost always need surgery) your pet will probably be treated with IV fluids for dehydration and receive antibiotics and a medication to expel pus from the uterus and alter the hormone levels. If this treatment does not work, or if the pyometra is closed, then surgery should be done to save the life of your pet. If the non-surgical treatment is a success 26% - 40% of females will have a recurrence of pyometra within one year.

Post Operative Care: If surgery was elected then you’ll need to keep your pet quiet for a couple of weeks following surgery so she has a chance to heal before going back to normal life. Keep an eye on the incision, check it daily and look for signs of infection. If you notice redness, swelling, or discharge then call your veterinarian.

If you think the incision is open call your veterinarian immediately. Pain medications and antibiotics will probably be prescribed; give as instructed. Follow closely any post operative instructions given by your veterinarian to avoid any complications.

Complications Include: bladder infections, peritonitis (infection of the abdomen), Sepsis (poisoning from toxins in the blood or tissues), clotting disorders from the infection, and death.

Additional Information: Spaying your dog or cat will prevent pyometra. If your dog or cat develops a pyometra, early and aggressive treatment is necessary to save the life of your pet.