Health and Welfare
A Puppy For Christmas
Written by Kathy Molek and Jill Paige Tuesday, 22 December 2009 18:36
Oh, you got a puppy for Christmas? It’s soft and sweet and looks so cute when it sleeps. And it what? Oh, it pees on the carpet and poops just about anywhere! It chewed on your slippers and took your underwear? And it cries a lot?
Well, take a deep breath and hold on. We have some tips that might help you with this cute bundle of fur.
CIV – Canine Influenza Virus – N3HN
Written by Ronde Dalton & Kathy Molek Sunday, 08 November 2009 16:20
The flu virus has long been recognized to cause disease in people and horses. However, the type of flu virus which causes disease has been species specific meaning that the people version of the virus infected people and the horse version affected horses without crossing species. Neither of these flu viruses was known to infect dogs at all. Somehow a change, mutation, occurred in the horse flu virus at a racetrack in Florida in 2003. The horse virus infected a kennel of racing Greyhounds. The respiratory illness that resulted caused fevers, coughing and discharge from the nose and eyes of the sick dogs but the illness was not immediately recognized as a new disease. So, dogs from the kennel were not isolated and as these dogs traveled, the disease traveled and spread with them.
Summer Heat Safety For Our Dogs
Written by Kathy Molek Monday, 27 July 2009 16:49
I recently saw a story on one of the local TV stations about a dog whose stomach turned after drinking a lot of water after a workout outside with his trainer. With emergency surgery, the dog survived. But without the fast thinking on the part of his trainer, they very well could have lost this dog.
Another health related problem that may occur with your dog in summer is heat stroke. Symptoms are rapid, labored breathing and temperature of more than 105 degrees.
