Vote for your favorite post of April
Please click on the links below to view specific posts, or just scroll down to view them all.
Ask The Vet: Bengal Cat With Allergies
Reduce Your Dog's Footprint on the Earth
A Pet Friendly Garden (Part 2)
A Pet Friendly Garden (Part 1)
Reduce Your Cat's Footprint on the Earth
Hemp Collar Giveaway
Earth-Friendly, Pet-Friendly Cleaning
Earth Day 2009
How to choose a puppy (Part 3): Well, Maybe Not Quite A Puppy
Fizz Dog Collars
Will Bo Wear Handmade?
Presidential Pets
The Hebivore Feeding Project Part 2: It's sprouting!
Tangerine Cat Collar Giveaway
Bone Recipe Cards
Living With Bunnies
Snow Day!
Ask The Vet: Puppy with Swollen Shoulder
Encyclopedia Entry: Cat
Dog Training: Instantaneous Recalls
Candy Apple Dog Collars
Plants To Avoid On Your Walks: Foxtails
And the winner is...
Ask The Vet: Bengal Cat With Allergies
I suspect that our Bengal may have a food allergy. I’ve been doing research and it’s common for the breed. They are very sensitive to immunizations and pesticides etc. and ours is very allergic to Advantage Flea treatment. She has some spots that she is licking the fur off of on her arms only. No open sores though. I’m wondering if they are itchy and I’d like to put some cortisone on them and see if it helps. Do you know if it’s okay to put cortisone cream (the human kind) on a cat? The skin is maybe the tiniest bit bumpy in spots. Hard to tell there is still a short layer of fur. I don’t want to do tons of expensive and unpleasant medical testing on her if I don’t have to just yet...
Answer:
Assume that anything you put on the outside of a cat you are feeding to a cat, since they lick themselves so much. I wouldn't use steroids, I would attempt to eliminate the allergies. Steroids are a band-aid, and have bad side effects when used long term, including thinning of the skin and hair loss (with topical application; systemic use adds muscle wasting, immunosuppression, and impacts the liver and pancreas, as well as increasing risk of diabetes, etc).
A good omega3 supplement from fish oil is the first step (to reduce inflammation, give 50-150 mg of EPA+DHA per kg of cat per day; the average cat is around 4 kg, so 200-600mg ---the typical fish oil capsule is 1000mg of oil, containing 300mg of EPA+DHA, so 1-2 capsules per day). That would take a few weeks at the soonest to show effect, and I would start low (half a capsule per kitty per day) and increase the dose gradually. It should also benefit the kidney failure cat. Once the cat's symptoms go away I try to reduce to a lower maintenance dose of the oil, usually half a capsule a day per kitty.
Getting the cats off of the grain/potato based foods onto a more meat based, less processed food should also help a lot to reduce the food allergies, since those are most commonly the culprits. If they don't go outside there is no need for flea meds. If they are allergic to flea meds they probably shouldn't go outside. Revolution is another option, and covers more types of bugs (ie, mites), few cats are allergic to it (it's related to ivermectin).
Most likely a big part of the problem is actually inhalant allergies (called "atopy"), and a good HEPA air filter, along with the omega 3s, should help a lot. Add in improving the diet, and most of these problems go away within a couple of months. Standard Process Dermal Support is a good additional supplement, too.
Have a question for the Veterinarian? Use our Ask The Vet Form here.
This post was generously contributed by Dr. Stanley of House Call Of The Wild.
Reduce Your Dog's Footprint on the Earth
Organic Foods: You can be an eco-friendly dog owner by buying organic foods for your dog. These foods are made from cows, chickens and crops without pesticides or hormones, which is better for the Earth. Quality food will also help your dog live a longer and happier life.
Earth Friendly Dog Beds: Look into beds made with organic cotton, hemp or recycled materials. These dog beds, by West Paw Designs, are actually made from recycled soda pop bottles!
Waste Removal: Dog feces can actually benefit the planet if you use it wisely. Never wrap your doggy poo in a plastic bag and then throw it away. The plastic will not decompose and it will preserve the waste for hundreds of years. Instead, use a biodegradable waste bag and try composting the waste, or use a pet septic tank. Improperly disposed pet waste can wash into storm sewers by rain, thus carrying pollutants directly into our lakes and streams.
Use Natural Grooming Products: Lather pets up with detergent, alcohol and pesticide-free grooming products. This is especially important when bathing your pet outside- all those nasty chemicals go right down the storm drains and straight into lakes and streams. Instead of buying regular flea shampoo look for plant based products, or even better yet try tea tree oil to keep fleas and ticks away and to soothe skin. You can also clean up dog accidents with vinegar and baking soda rather than chemical cocktails.
Recyclable Or Sustainable Pet Toys: Toys made with organically grown cotton or natural dyes aren't only pesticide and chemical free, they also reduce pet allergies and are biodegradable. There are also some great toys made from recycled or recyclable materials.
Hemp Collars: Almost all pet collars are made of nylon, which is made from petroleum. Check out these hemp collars, as a great alternative. Hemp does not need many nutrients, so it does not require chemical fertilizers. Hemp outcompetes other weeds, so it does not need herbicides to thrive. Even hemp strains that are 100 percent THC-free produce their own resins that make the crop naturally pest-free, so unlike cotton, it doesn't require toxic chemical pesticides. Hemp actually leaves the soil in better condition than before it was planted.
Going green will keep the planet as well as your dog healthy.
A Pet Friendly Garden (Part 2)
Snail and slug bait: Even fans of escargot hate the slime trails and mutilated buds left by voracious snails and slugs. Every spring I do battle with hordes of snails intent on devouring my flowers before they even have a chance to open, so I do understand why people march off to the store in search of a chemical solution. Unfortunately, the snail bait they most commonly come home with is truly horrible stuff: metaldehyde, which causes severe seizures in mammals, and for which there is no antidote. Animals that eat metaldehyde generally die without treatment, and even with treatment end up unconscious in intensive care for days. Animals that survive the seizures can suffer liver failure weeks or months later.
The good news is that there are some effective, animal-safe alternatives; Sluggo is widely available, made from iron phosphate, a nontoxic, natural compound, and is quite effective if applied regularly. Copper strips around the bases of containers can turn back inquisitive snails and slugs, and if you have a fireplace or wood-burning stove, a trench dug around the perimeter of your garden and filled with a few inches of wood-ash will keep the slimy marauders at bay. And if all else fails, there's always the beer approach.... some say shallow dishes of beer will attract the slugs to drown; others say that if you drink enough of it, you'll stop caring about the darned slugs!
Pesticides: There are several categories of pesticides commonly available for gardening, and some are quite dangerous, especially for cats. The most common pesticides work by disrupting the nervous system, and most are very nonspecific ---they are toxic to everything. Signs of pesticide toxicity can include trembling, excessive salivation, dilated pupils, watery eyes, urination and defecation, and seizures. Organophosphates are the most powerful, but synthetic pyrethrin derivatives can be quite toxic as well.
But never fear, less toxic, environmentally friendly alternatives abound. I mentioned in my last post that plants actually produce more nutrients when they have to defend themselves against pests, so we don't really want to get rid of all the bugs anyway! And remember, good organic techniques grow healthy, robust plants that are naturally more resistant to pest damage. Insecticidal soap can be quite effective, but needs to be reapplied regularly. Soft bodied pests like aphids can be controlled by simply spraying your plants with a good blast of water from a hose, and natural predators like ladybugs and preying mantises can be purchased at many garden centers or ordered online. Neem oil and diatomaceous earth are also effective and safe.
There are also companion plants that can help ward off pests, like catnip and strongly scented varieties of African and French marigolds, which can be planted with your other plants as a natural pest control. Of course, I can't guarantee that the neighborhood cats won't throw a party in your garden one night....
Come to think of it, plants aren't the only things that get doused with pesticides come spring.... In the next post, I'll talk a bit more about the hazards of pesticides, including flea and tick treatments, and finish up my review of garden and yard hazards.
A Pet Friendly Garden (Part 1)
Did you hear about the letter that agri-business lobbyists wrote, complaining about Michelle Obama's plans to have an "organic garden?" They encouraged her to consider using some "conventional" gardening techniques, including chemical fertilizers and pesticides. (as an aside: I've never quite understood why an approach to farming created within the past 150 years is called "conventional," when you consider the 7-10,000 year history of human agriculture.... Seems like the other 98% of human experience would be more appropriately termed "conventional!").
But Michelle Obama knows that studies have shown organic foods are substantially higher in vitamins and micronutrients than their chemically plumped "conventional" counterparts. In fact, recent studies at UC Davis indicate that part of the reason for that may be exactly those darned bugs the chemical companies are so keen to eliminate. Turns out that the stress of fighting off pests actually induces the plants to produce more antioxidant metabolites to ward off the bugs. So no pesticides in the White House garden, and a second helping of compost, if you please!
This is an approach we should emulate. It's springtime, and everyone wants to get out and dig in the garden.... some of us because we want to grow some pretty flowers or veggies, and others of us because we want to bury a tasty bone! There are some important things to consider before we start, to safeguard the health of our pets and the health of our environment.
It makes sense if you think about it ----many of the things that are bad for the environment are bad because they are toxic. And I don't know about your pets, but mine are quite good at immersing themselves in their environment--- they sniff it, they lick it, chew on it, roll around in it.... We go through a lot of Funky Dog Shampoo around here, oh yes indeed! But while the rugs are in constant need of protection, we know the pets are already safe.
In the second part of this post, I'll talk about some of the hazards commonly found in our yards, and we'll make sure that your garden is as healthy for your pets to play in as it is for you to eat.
Have a question for the Veterinarian? Use our Ask The Vet Form here.
This post was generously contributed by Dr. Stanley of Housecall Of The Wild.
Reduce Your Cat's Footprint on the Earth
Gardens are becoming increasingly important as providers of food and shelter to many birds, because of a decrease in natural habitats and food sources. Red-listed species such as the house sparrow, starling and song thrush are becoming more concentrated in gardens and therefore in closer contact with pet cats.
According to a poll conducted by volunteer cat owners from across the UK, a correctly fitted cat collar with a bell reduced cat predation by upto a third. Results showed that cats equipped with a cat collar and bell returned 41% fewer birds and 38% fewer mammals than those with a plain cat collar. (RSPB Public Affairs 6 June 2005)
Birds are most active in the garden an hour after sunrise and an hour before sunset, so it is helpful to regularly feed cats indoors at these times.
The Great Litter Debate.
Clay litter- Traditional clay litters are not the best choice for the environment, as they are not biodegrade and instead pile up in landfills. The clay is obtained through strip-mining, a practice that causes adverse environmental effects on surrounding soil, water and air. Clay litter is also not the best choice for your cat because they produce dusts that contain silicon particles, which are known carcinogens.
Recycled newspaper litters- Recycled newspaper litter is biodegradable, flushable, burnable and 99 percent dust-free. Some people claim that this litter has poor odor control and that the Purina version, Yesterdays News, is way over priced. Fibre Cycle, out of Australia, seems to be well received and I like the ethos of the company; their primary mission is to find innovative and environmentally friendly uses for recycled paper. If you’re really motivated (or broke), I found this great tutorial on how to make your own here.
Plant-based litters- There are a number of choices of plant based litters such as corn, corncobs, cornhusks, wheat by-products, wheat grass and beet pulp. We used to use World’s Best cat litter, which is made from whole kernel corn, but had problems with flies breeding in it (I think because they ate it) and, no matter where we put the bag, the rabbits would find it, chew a whole in it, and have a tasty corn snack (I even caught Peter in the cat box eating it once(Gross!)).
Pine/Cedar saw dust litters- The pellets that pine and cedar litters contain are made from natural scrap materials that are biodegrade (this litter can be emptied into your compost or mulch pile). They also eliminate odor naturally—due to the innate ability of both pine and cedar to absorb and neutralize ammonia—rather than cover up odors with chemicals and perfumes. Feline Pine is a wood litter, made from 100 percent natural pine, that claims to have had the harmful wood oils removed; the veterinarian of the house is skeptical, though, as the great smell they boast is a product of the natural wood oils.
Organic Food is Not Just For People
Today’s factory-raised cow is not a solar-powered ruminant but another fossil fuel machine. Read our previous post on earth friendly bison, and this one on how to get cheap free range beef. There are tons of organic cat foods on the market now, so look around, some are not even that expensive.
Hemp Collar Giveaway
This giveaway has ended.
Happy Earth Day!
In celebration of Earth Day, we are giving away a Hemp Dog Collar or a Hemp Cat Collar!
To enter, simply visit TheModernPet.com and find your favorite earth friendly product. Come back and leave a comment containing the following information:
- The name of the product.
- What makes that product earth friendly.
- If you would prefer a dog or cat collar.
Good Luck!
Earth-Friendly, Pet-Friendly Cleaning
The grocery store shelves are loaded with toxic substances claiming to make domestic life easier, but do they really? Most of these cleaning products are just a soup of synthetic detergents that leave residues and attempt to mask odors with overly pungent fake floral or fruity scents. Take a note from your grandmothers book and go back to basics with homemade cleaning supplies. You and your pets can breath easy in your non-toxic home, and as an added bonus, you’ll spend about 1/10th as much on the homemade versions.
Don’t forget to store your creations in recycled bottles to make them even more earth friendly!
*Castile soap is natural soap made from olive oil.
Please click here to download a PDF version of these cards to print and cut.
Earth Day 2009
To celebrate Earth Day and the launch of our blog, we are offering a giveaway: One of our popular hemp dog collars or one of our soon-to-be-released hemp cat collars.
Be sure to vist The Modern Pet Blog on April 22 to enter!
(Pssst! Other giveaways are going on right now!)
Plus special Earth Day blog posts all week!
* Download free earth-safe, pet-safe cleaning product recipes to save money and the Earth!
* Veterinary advice on how to feed your pet sustainably, while improving their health.
* Tips on how to reduce the impact your pets have on the environment.
* ...and more!
How to choose a puppy (Part 3): Well, Maybe Not Quite A Puppy
View the previous posts in this series:
Ok, so you've figured out the perfect breed (and it's not just because they're just so darned cute!). Or maybe you don't care about breeds, you've just considered your lifestyle and thought about the type of dog that will fit in best with it. Now it's time to look at some actual dogs!
First off, you can look for a puppy, or you can find an adult dog in need of a home. Even if you want a purebred, there are purebred rescue organizations for almost every breed. Breeders sometimes have adult dogs available as well ---the Obamas just got a 6 month old Portuguese Water Dog who'd been returned to the breeder by someone who was unable to keep him. And the shelters have lots of wonderful adult dogs who are often overlooked in the general rush towards those adorable puppies. That's a real shame, because some of the best dogs I've ever met were adopted as adults out of shelters. Adult dogs often come house trained, and sometimes even obedience trained ---one of the dogs I had growing up came from the shelter with a long list of tricks! Sure, some shelter dogs have specific issues that will need to be worked on, but sometimes wonderful, well-behaved animals just have the bad luck to end up in the shelter. And don't worry that your dog won't bond with you as strongly if they aren't a puppy when you get them ---I really think that dogs who are adopted as adults appreciate their owners that much more, because they remember very clearly what you rescued them from!
View the next post in this series:
Have a question for the Veterinarian? Use our Ask The Vet Form here.
This post was generously contributed by Dr. Stanley of Housecall Of The Wild.
Fizz Dog Collars
Add a little pop to your dog’s wardrobe with our Fizz collars. Available in two effervescent colors, Wine Cooler and Mineral Water, these dog collars are sure to make a splash.
Fizz 3/4" satin ribbon collars feature printed trim sewn to thick nylon webbing for unmatched style and strength we think you'll love. Each collar includes a comfort-curved acetal buckle and cast nickel d-ring for leash attachment. With comfort and flair like this, your dog is sure to be the talk of the park.
Handmade in Northern California, USA
Will Bo Wear Handmade?
You can read the essay I sent in the package here or under the Our Story tab above. Also, click here to purchase a Wonder Dog collar of your very own.
Presidential Pets
The Hebivore Feeding Project Part 2: It's sprouting!
So, here are the pictures of our herbivore feeding table that was described in the previous post (bonus points if you can spot the tortoise and the dog in these pictures).
As you can see, we have some tiny baby greens! It’s all very exciting but as of yet, we have not accomplished any of our three goals: feed our herbivores, save money, and be more earth friendly.
I have high hopes that these tiny sprouts will eventually feed the lettuce eaters of our house, but if we set the buns loose on them now, I’m afraid they wouldn’t even make an afternoon snack. As for saving money, obviously that is not happening yet because we are not feeding the home grown greens. And finally, the earth friendly aspect... We discovered the first possible flaw in our plan here. We mixed too much peat moss in with our compost and soil, so the bed is a little too efficient at retaining water, and thus does not drip down to water the lawn below. Even though this was not the intended result, I’m not sure it’s a bad thing. We have to water the lettuce bed less often than expected, but we still have to water the lawn. Also, because the bed retains so much water, it can get quite heavy, so we have to plan its rotation more carefully then expected.
I’ll post our materials list and plans soon, I just wanted to make any necessary adjustments based on our experiences before I unleash the official version upon the world.
Tangerine Cat Collar Giveaway
This giveaway has ended.
It’s a beautiful warm day here in California. We were inspired to give away something bright and fun to match our mood, so here you go cat lovers...
Here are the rules:
Visit our website, The Modern Pet, and leave a comment below, letting us know which cat collar you would like to see in the next giveaway.
Winner will be announced May 1st, 2009. Good luck!
Bone Recipe Cards
Materials:
- Bone Recipe Cards PDF
- Heavy Card Stock
- Scissors
- Printer
Instructions:
- Download PDF file.
- Print onto heavy card stock.
- Cut out cards.
- Write your recipes.
Living With Bunnies
Both of our rabbits are litter trained, so we are able to give them free roam of the house. Peter was around eight years before Flospy arrived, and has not been very keen on sharing his zone with her, so we have a baby gate separating the front and back half of the house. For some reason, Peter decided that slippery surfaces are unacceptable for bunnies, and self contains himself on a large carpet in the living room. When we rescued Flopsy, we were expecting her to have similar behavior, but no such luck. She is an all terrain bunny and is in and on everything! Both rabbits have a bad habit of tasting everything within their reach, and we have to provide them with lots brows, hay, and fresh greens to keep them otherwise occupied.
At this point you may be wondering, “Why would anyone want a rabbit?”. Well, for one, they are very cute and soft. Petting a rabbit is like touching liquid silk, and our bunnies are happy to have you rub their heads all day, every day. When you do pet our rabbits, they click their teeth, making little rabbit “purrs”. Peter loves to be pet so much, that when you walk across his carpet, he will charge your feet and trip you to get your attention. Peter and Flopsy are both so fun to watch play. When they are happy, they will jump and click their hind heels in the air, and when they need exercise, they will run and jump from side to side, as if a hawk is about to swoop down at any moment.
Below are a few pictures of the joys of living with rabbits, and the creative ways we handle them.
P.S. You can find the super stylish organic cotton cat bed pictured below here.
Here are a few links to help you decided whether or not a rabbit is the right pet for you:
http://www.rabbit.org/easter/
http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/children.html
http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/housing.html
Snow Day!
Greetings from Lake Tahoe!
Yesterday, while taking a break from our taxes, we looked at the weather report in Lake Tahoe, CA and it was snowing! A few hours later we had our car and our puppy packed and we were on the road.... Nothing like a late season system to get a couple of skier/snowboarders out the door : )
Ask The Vet: Puppy with Swollen Shoulder
Question: my 9 month old german shepherd has swelling at the left shoulder area but very active runs in yard but limps a little please help.
Answer:
If you are pretty sure that your dog's lameness is from playing too hard, you can try restricting his activity for 7-10 days to see if he improves. The most likely thing is a simple soft tissue injury ---most 9 month old GSDs are still goofy adolescents, and if he spends time on his own in the yard he may simply have strained himself jumping at the fence, or jumping down off of something. If that is the case, it should improve fairly rapidly on its own with sufficient rest and perhaps some anti-inflammatory medications (your vet can prescribe you these, like metacam, rimadyl, or deramaxx, or they can give you an appropriate dose for aspirin). The most important element is REST ---if you put him out in the yard and let him run around, or take him on walks for exercise, he will not have a chance to heal! Imagine a teenager with a sprained ankle who insists on playing basketball every day ---it won't get better until he takes a week or two off.
A swollen shoulder could be a number of things, and it is hard to tell what is going on without actually examining your dog ---if the swelling is significant, I would encourage you to have it looked at by a vet as soon as you can. It is either swelling around the joint, or swelling inside the joint.
Swelling of the tissues around the joint could be from an injury to the muscle or tendon (that soft tissue injury we were just talking about), from an infection caused by a penetrating injury, or even from a reaction to an insect bite or sting. An infection could lead to an abscess, and could make your dog quite sick if not attended to promptly. A fracture or dislocation could also cause swelling, but in that case your dog would most likely be a lot more lame than you say he is.
Swelling within the joint capsule (which surrounds the ends of the bones, where the joint cartilage is found) could also be caused by injury. However, there is another condition that could cause a swollen shoulder and lameness, called osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD). OCD occurs in rapidly growing young large breed dogs when part of the cartilage in the shoulder joint does not develop properly. This leads to inflammation, and eventually a small flap of cartilage may break off, causing more problems. Dogs with OCD usually first show a very mild lameness, and often improve with rest and anti-inflammatories, only to get worse again when the dog goes back to normal activities. It generally becomes more severe over a few months, and while one side is often more noticeable than the other, about half of dogs with OCD have lesions in both shoulders. Your veterinarian can take radiographs (x-rays) of the shoulder to check for signs of this disease; sometimes, we need to inject a dye into the joint to be able to see the lesions. OCD may require surgical correction.
Fortunately, the young age of your dog means that the swelling is not likely to be a tumor ---if he were an older dog, I would be concerned about the possibility of bone cancer, which can occur in that area. But cancer is rare in young dogs.
Good luck!
Have a question for the Veterinarian? Use our Ask The Vet Form here.
This post was generously contributed by Dr. Stanley of House Call Of The Wild.
Dog Training: Instantaneous Recalls
- Establish different recall words:
- A “Causal Recall” such as “here puppy” for instances were it is not imperative that your dog comes.
- A “Sorry Pup Recall” for Veterinary visits, nail trims, etc. This can be a phrase like “It’s time”.
- An “Instant Recall” like “now” for emergencies. This word should only be used when you dog must come the instant you say it.
- If you have already been using a recall word and have mediocre responses from your dog, choose a fresh word for the Instant Recall.
- Never use your Instant Recall for anything your dog won’t like. For example, do not use this word to call your dog over for punishment, or to leave the dog park.
- Never practice your Instant Recall in a situation where you cannot make it happen.
- Never repeat the command; say it once and make it happen. There are several ways to achieve this; you can run in the opposite direction, you can waive a treat, you can pull on the leash, etc.
- Give your dog huge payoffs for an Instant Recall.
Candy Apple Dog Collars
An old-fashioned favorite, you can satisfy your dog’s sweet tooth with our Candy Apple Dog Collars.
At 1” wide our Candy Apple Dog Collars are just right for larger dogs.
Handmade in Northern California, USA.
Plants To Avoid On Your Walks: Foxtails
Another comon weed that is much more dangerous is the "foxtail." There are actually a number of species of grasses that create these sharp, barb-covered seedpods, and at this time of year, they are soft and green, looking quite pretty and innocuous, like some kind of wild grain. But within a couple of months, the long sheafs of seedpods will dry out and become stiff and sharp, and break apart into feather-light, long, skinny pods, tipped with a sharp point.
Woe betides the poor animal who encounters the foxtail then! Like burrs, they easily tangle in fur, but they also resemble porcupine quills, being covered with tiny stiff spines that ensure they only move in one direction. Once in the fur, they work their way down to the skin, and imbed themselves.
During foxtail season, we remove hundreds of these "awns" from every place you could imagine ---inside the ears and between the toes are common, as well as up the nose ---poor dogs, just trying to sniff some "pee-mail," and snuffle up a foxtail! I've pulled them out of tonsils, from behind third eyelids in the eye, and from assorted sensitive "private areas" (ouch!). It can be even worse ---once imbedded, they keep migrating, and the bacteria they carry with them can cause infections and abscesses throughout the body ---around the lungs, in organs, in bones ---I've even seen them imbedded in spinal vertebrae!
So do everything you can to rid your environment of these horrible plants; you might save yourself a lot of grief and expense in the process. Pull them up by the roots if you find them in your yard ---mowing just encourages them to set seed shorter and shorter, until they're seeding below the mower's level. Here's a picture of one I found in my lawn the other day (pic). And here's a link to a site with some great pictures of the plants in various stages of seed:
Dog Owners' Guide to California Foxtails
When you're out on walks, keep an eye out for these grasses, and don't let your dog sniff around in them. I commonly see them growing around the bases of trees on sidewalks, so you need to vigilent even on urban walks. Check over your dog when you come back from a romp in the park, and make sure you check carefully between their toes. Once we're into the dry western summer, any sudden shaking of the head or sneezing fits, especially if your pet sneezes blood, merits a quick trip to the vet for a foxtail check!
Meanwhile, enjoy spring, and take the opportunity to pull up any of these problem plants you see before they can cause any problems!
View the previous posts in this series:
Have a question for the Veterinarian? Use our Ask The Vet Form here.
This post was generously contributed by Dr. Stanley of Housecall Of The Wild.
And the winner is...
Victoria Bennett Beyer who says “Happy and Little Bear would love to win this toy!”
Congratulations Happy and Little Bear! Have fun!
You can buy your pup their very own Eco Bone at TheModernPet.com