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Helpful tips; real questions with real answers, for your pet related education
Source: HealthyPet.com
Question
I want to teach my cat to walk on a leash. He is 14 months old and slightly obese. I have a leash and harness for him. Do you have any tips for me?
Answer
It’s admirable that you’re trying to help your feline buddy lose weight and stimulate him with walks. You may or may not be able to teach him how to walk on a leash. Your cat’s ability to walk on a leash will in part be determined by his personality. If he is a confident or bold cat, your chances are good that he will learn. If he is skittish or shy, he may be too frightened outdoors to walk comfortably on a leash.
The other factor that will determine how well he takes to a leash is the method that you use to teach him. If his first experiences with the leash and harness are frightening or upsetting, you’ll have more trouble in future attempts. Keep the training sessions very short and upbeat. Use lots of food that he really likes (this won’t help with his weight problem, so cut back on his regular food) until he learns how much fun being outdoors on a leash can be.
Clicker training would probably work best to teach a cat leash walking. Clicker training involves using operant conditioning to teach an animal a specific behavior. Most information on clicker training that is available today relates to using clickers to train dogs. But clicker training also works for horses, dolphins, fish, cats, etc. Check your library or bookstore for a good book about this effective training method
Question
My Alaskan Malamute seems so hot and miserable in the summer. Should I have her shaved?
Answer
You’re right to be concerned about your dog’s comfort during hot weather. Northern breeds with thick fur like Malamutes and Huskies were developed for cold climates, not the 90 and even 100 degree weather some areas experience in the summer. However, some hair can be beneficial in hot weather, working to insulate dogs from the heat and shield their skin from the sun. Remember, dogs don’t use sweat to cool themselves the way people do, so they don’t need to have exposed skin in order to stay cool.
That being said, if a dog has too much hair, the hair can stop being beneficial in hot weather and start retaining too much heat. You may be able to thin the coat out enough by brushing your dog thoroughly and consistently with a wire or "rake" type brush designed for heavy-coated breeds. These brushes can remove some of the fuzzy undercoat layer of fur, sometimes enough to make dogs comfortable in warm weather. If she still seems too hot, shaving won’t hurt her a bit. Just be careful to leave an inch or so of fur so that she still has some insulation and protection from sunburn.
Even if your dog is shaved, you’ll want to be careful with her when temperatures get really high. Don’t leave her in a parked car or leave her outside unsupervised for long periods of time. When she’s outdoors, she needs shade and plenty of water. Some people buy the drip-system "mister" hoses used to water plants and set them out for their dogs on hot days.
You can even freeze water bottles full of water and put them where she lies to keep her cool. And, as with any dog, watch for signs of heatstroke. If your dog is panting, has a staring or anxious expression, does not obey commands, has warm, dry skin, a high fever, and a rapid heartbeat or is vomiting, lower her body temperature quickly with cool water--either by immersion or by spraying thoroughly with a garden hose--and call your veterinarian immediately
Note: All content from HealthyPet.com, is meant for educational purposes only on health care and medical issues that may affect pets, and should never be used to replace professional veterinary care from a licensed veterinarian. This site and its services do not constitute the practice of any veterinary medical health care advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Source: HealthyPet.com
Xylitol toxicity in dogs
Does your dog have a sweet tooth? Does he drool at the thought of sharing that deliciously sweet snack with you? Now there is one more reason to keep the sweets all to yourself. The sweetener xylitol is toxic to dogs. It has been known to cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) in dogs for years, but recently it has been discovered that it can cause acute liver disease and a coagulopathy (inability to clot the blood). A study found that 0.5g/kg or more of ingested xylitol can cause liver failure.
What does this mean in the real world?
One piece of sugar free gum with xylitol has around 0.3g of xylitol in it. Some gums can have as much as 1g of xylitol per piece. If you bake with the xylitol powder one cup has 190g of xylitol. If a recipe calls for 1 cups of xylitol to make 24 cup cakes, it will only take 2 cupcakes to cause acute liver disease in a 50lb dog.
What are the signs of xylitol toxicity?
Vomiting is usually the first sign of toxicity and then in 30-60 minutes hypoglycemia can occur. The signs of hypoglycemia can be lethargy, ataxia (stumbling around), collapse, and seizure. In cases where gum with xylitol was ingested the hypoglycemia may be delayed for up to 12 hours. In severe over doses some dogs do not display the signs of hypoglycemia prior to the onset of liver failure. Instead lethargy and vomiting occurred 9-72 hours after exposure. They developed petechia (small spots of bleeding on the skin and mucus membranes like gums), echymosis (larger spots of bleeding seen on the skin and mucus membranes), and gastric hemorrhage (bleeding in the stomach).
What can you do if your dog does ingest xylitol?
Immediately bring him into your veterinarian and let her know which items contained xylitol. Remember how much you pet consumed (always estimate on the high side because it is always better to be overly cautious when it comes to the health and wellbeing of your faithful friend). Your veterinarian will want to treat your dog with dextrose (a type of sugar) so that they do not go into hypoglycemic shock. They will also treat the pet for liver disease if enough xylitol is ingested.
The moral of the story is to keep the sweets up and away from your furry friend. Xylitol may help you watch your waist line, but it can be deadly to your furry friend.
Source: HealthyPet.com
Note: All content provided on HealthyPet.com, is meant for educational purposes only on health care and medical issues that may affect pets and should never be used to replace professional veterinary care from a licensed veterinarian. This site and its services do not constitute the practice of any veterinary medical health care advice, diagnosis or treatment.
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