May 20-26 is Dog bite Prevention Week.  Dog bites are a public health issue, every year in the United States, more than 4 million bites occur.  Children under the age of 14 are the most common to be bitten, however, adults can also be victims. Almost one half of all dog bites involve an animal owned by the victim’s family or neighbors.

The following link has excellent advise in helping prevent dog bites:

http://www.healthypet.com/PetCare/PetCareArticle.aspx?title=Dog_Bite_Safety

It is important to everybody to follow general guidelines about how to interact with a dog, however, this does not guarantee complete safety.  Therefore, kids playing with any dog should always be supervised.

To help your own dog become more socialized, train you dog to greet strangers gently without jumping and biting excitedly.  Vaccination status is of huge importance for public safety.  A current rabies vaccination status is a must.

What should you do if your dog bites somebody?  Be honest, tell them your name, address, and provide them with a copy of you proof of rabies vaccination certificate.  By providing this information, the victim could have a much easier and more comfortable treatment plan for the bite wound.  By providing proper documentation, the victim will have peace of mind and may prevent them from needing rabies prevention treament (not fun!).  For all parents reading our blog, the Amercian Academy of Pediatrics has a guide on dog safety for parents to help their children interact in a fun healthy environment with their dog.

http://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/news-features-and-safety-tips/Pages/A-Lesson-in-Dog-Safety-Can-Help-Prevent-Bites.aspx

At McPherson Veterinary Clinic, we enjoy children in our clinic, it provides everybody a smile and appreciation of how powerful the human-animal bond can be in our lives.

Humans cannot catch the dog flu, but they can spread the the virus through their clothes.  Two clinical syndromes have been seen in dogs infected with the canine influenza virus-a mild form of the disease and a more severe form that is accompanied by pneumonia.

Dog flu causes an acute respiratory infection.  Signs of the flu may be coughing, runny nose, fever, discharge from the eyes, and general malaise.  Canine influenza can occur year-round.  It appears clinically similar to “kennel cough”, and therefore is commonly misdiagnosed.

Do dogs die from canine influenza?

Fatal cases of pneumonia resulting from infection with canine influenza virus have been reported in dogs, but the fatality rate (5% to 8%) has been low so far.

Is there a vaccine available to prevent dog flu?

Yes.  McPherson Veterinary Clinic has a flu vaccine to control the disease associated with canine influenza virus infection.

Should my dog get the flu shot?

The canine influenza vaccine is a “lifestyle” vaccine, and is not recommended for every dog.  Dogs that are candidates include ones that are at risk for exposure to the flu virus.  Dog lifestyles that include activities with many other dogs or who are being boarded (including grooming/daycare services).  If your dog has received a kennel cough vaccine, the flu vaccine may benefit your dog due to similar risk groups.

Dogs

Never let your dog off the leash on snow or ice, especially during a
snowstorm, dogs can lose their scent and easily become lost. More dogs are
lost during the winter than during any other season, so make sure yours
always wears ID tags. Be sure to wipe of your dogs legs, stomach and feet
when he comes in from outdoors. Dangerous salt, antifreeze or other
chemicals could be on his paws and make them very ill or can be potentially
fatal.

Grooming is always an important part of your pet’s health. During the winter
months do not shave your dog to the skin as his coat is needed to keep them
warm. However, grooming does play an important part of your pets health, if
you have questions about grooming and if it’s safe during the winter months
ask one of our veterinarians or one of our groomers. When bathing make sure his is completely dry before letting him outside or taking him for a walk.

Puppies do not tolerate the cold as well as adult dogs, and may be difficult
to housebreak during the winter. If your puppy appears to be sensitive to
the weather, you may opt to paper-train him inside. If your dog is sensitive
to the cold due to age, illness or breed type (especially dogs with short
noses), take him outdoors only to relieve himself.Share This

Cats and Dogs

Never leave your dog or cat alone in a car during cold weather. A car can
act as a refrigerator in the winter, holding in the cold and causing the
animal to freeze to death.

Pets that spend more time outside during the winter need to have proper
shelter and bedding. Sturdy dog houses with ample straw, blankets and always
fresh, unfrozen water available at all times. Sheds, garages or barns work
well for cats to get shelter from the elements. They also need warm bedding
and water available at all times. In severe cold weather bring your
companion animals in the house or a heated shed or garage.

If you know of animals without proper shelter or care please contact the
police or the McPherson County Humane Society. Hypothermia is a very real
and present danger here in Kansas. Wind chills can drop into the teens or
lower quickly and our animals depend on us to keep them safe!

No Existing Pets

If your new fur baby is the only pet in the home, the transition can be relatively easy.  When you first bring her home, give her time to explore and adjust to her new surroundings.  Provide your kitten with lots of love, patience and plenty of bonding time.  Set aside an area that is just for her with her bed, food, water and litter box – a place where she will feel safe.  Most importantly, give your kitten space when she needs it and attention and affection when she’s ready for it, and before you know it she’ll feel right at home with you.

Multi-Pet Home

Before you introduce your new kitten to your existing clan, be sure he has received the appropriate veterinary care and treatment to prevent the possible spread of parasites and other diseases.  It’s also a good idea to place a new kitten in a separate room with his food, water, bed and litter box for the first few days.  Give the animals time to get used to one another’s scents.  (You may want to rub a towel on the new kitten and allow the others to sniff it so they become familiar with the scent of the newcomer.)

After a few days you can open the door to the kitten’s room and allow the other pets to sniff and meet their new roommate.  Keep in mind that when you first introduce the new kitten there may be growling or hissing from your other pets.  Be sure to carefully supervise any interactions between them until this behavior ceases.  Using food or treats can help make the introduction a more positive experience for the existing pets and help with a quicker integration into the home.  Keep in mind that the process can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks so patience and consistency is the key.

Children

There’s nothing that will light up the face of a child like a fuzzy new kitten.  You must be careful, however, when introducing your new family member to young children so that everyone involved remains safe and happy during the process.  Involve your child in the process by letting him help in naming, feeding and shopping for new toys.  Just keep in mind that children should never be “in charge” of caring for a small kitten – that’s an adult’s job.

It’s also important to set clear ground rules for your child such as never pulling the kitten’s tail, not bothering her when she’s eating and never cornering her.  Make sure your child understands and adheres to these rules whenever he plays with the kitten.  Most importantly, always monitor the interaction between your child and new kitten closely.  Never allow them to play alone or unsupervised until you are certain that they can play safely together.

Introducing a new kitten to your home can certainly have its challenges, but as long as you carefully consider and prepare for all the possibilities, before long your new furry friend will become part of the family and feel right at home with you and everyone in your household.

First and foremost, make sure that your dog’s shedding is normal.  It’s healthy for dogs to lose a lot of fur, particularly when warmer weather is approaching, but make sure that the remaining coat is shiny and healthy in appearance and that there aren’t any bald spots or areas with abnormally sparse amounts of fur.  These can be indicators that your pooch may be suffering from any number of health conditions.  As long as everything appears normal, chances are your dog is simply experiencing a regular shed cycle.

Shed Control Tips

The best thing you can do to control your dog’s shedding is to groom him.  You can either schedule an appointment to have a professional handle this or you can do it yourself if you feel comfortable.  Routine brushing will help remove dead hair and help make room for the new coat to grow in.  It also helps to prevent the development of painful matting.  Brushing your dog regularly, preferably for a few moments each day, will help you control when and where the majority of fur is shed and help your pet maintain a more healthy coat and skin.

There are also a number of helpful tips and shed control products available that you can use to keep up with your dog’s shedding.

• Use a high quality brush that is designed to remove shed fur and try to brush your dog outside if possible.
• Keep a few heavy-duty lint rollers handy to remove fur from clothing and furniture as needed.
• Keep furniture covered when you’re not home.  (There are some companies that make throws specifically designed to capture fur and hair.)
• Consider using a shampoo that is made to keep fur and skin healthy (discuss with your vet or groomer prior to using).
• Remove newly shed hair from upholstery and your dog’s bed as quickly as possible.
• Get a heavy-duty vacuum and use it often to keep on top of loose hair before it becomes a problem.
• Discuss your dog’s shedding with your vet to make sure he is on an appropriate diet.

Unfortunately for a dog owner, shedding is a fact of life but the companionship and unconditional love these four-legged family members provide make it worth the occasional piles of fur on the couch.  And with the help of these tips and tricks you can keep it under control and make the process more manageable in the interim.