Friday, May 13, 2011

LICKING & CHEWING PAWS

"ooh need to lick"



Dog  Licking & Chewing Paws

Can be an incredible and complicated issue that
affect many dogs and their owners.  There are a 
wide range of resources about this subject, and I 
will research and attempt to convey an understanding for all of us.  Of course, as we all know, what works for one dogs doesn't work for 
another.  We must be sure whatever resolve is 
attempted to help our dog, it will be safe, healthy and ultimately happy for your dog!

Licking and chewing paws may work the same way it does when we "scratch ourselves."
Why do we scratch?  It feels good!  Why?  Because it causes the body to release natural painkillers made by the brain.  These are called endorphins released and relaxes our dog, when he licks and chews his paw, leg, etc.    Sadly even when infection develops, this happens.  The infection will appear red, and eventually the skin 
become thick and raised


Licking usually is on the lower leg as it is easy for your dog to reach.  Study show, it is common in less active dogs.  Then again, there are some 
dog breeds that have been considered to have this licking and chewing issues.  So the key is to offer your dog mental stimulation, before "licking and chewing" of the paw become infected.
Umoof, I'm tired of licking!


BREEDS TYPICAL LICKERS ARE:
Labrador Retrievers
Jack Russell Terriers
Shih-Tzus
Pugs
Chow Chow
Doberman
Golden Retrievers
1. Trim fur around licking infected area, using
    blunt scissors, or electric shaver.
2. Soak and clean with antiseptic liquid soap,
    such as Betadine Skin Cleanser.
3. Rinse well, using cool water.
4. Pat dry gently.
5. Apply a cortisone cream, such as Cortaid
    three times a day.
6. Use antihistamine, such as Benadryl hopefully
    to subside itching.  May make your dog sleepy
    which can be good to keep dog from licking.
    1 milligram per pound of body weight
    every 6-8 hours.
                                    or
10 pound dog should receive 3/4 teaspoon liquid 
or 1/2 a pill.
If your dog has urination difficulties, STOP the Benadryl.  To avoid further infection due to licking, there are ways to keep your dog from licking:
1.  Elizabethan Collar restraint
2.  Cloth Wrap (clean,soft and breathable)
3.  Cotton  sock taped with adhesive tape.
FOLLOW-UP CARE:   Should home first-aid offer comfort and healing, on the licking infected area, than success!  If it does not comfort or heal then get Veterinarian help immediately!     



This sloppy licking may
also interpret how much the dogs "love you!"







Tuesday, May 10, 2011

DIARRHEA




"...poor baby has diarrhea..."
"Garbage-gut syndrome," when a dog eats what he should not!   Or, abnormally loose bowel movements, diarrhea,  can be a concern!
One of the serious observations would be dehydration, the loss of water from the body.
Do take caution however, if your dog has watery
diarrhea often and is not eating or drinking, then your Veterinarian should receive a visit.
What to do immediately:
         1.  Stop feeding for 12 to 24 hours, to rest
              the gut and allow the inflammation
              time to heal.
         2.  If your dog is very complacent, or weak
              during a fast, rub a sugar solution like
              honey on the gums and take to 
             Veterinarian right away.
          3. Keep water available always so dog
             does not become dehydrated.
          4. Often, a watery stool releases important
              minerals from the body.  What to do?
                         a.  Rehydrate.
                         b.  Gatorade - mix it 50/50 with
                              plain water and put into dog's
                              water bowl.
                         c.   Pedialyte, and Ritrol another
                               rehydration fluid, can be
                               given diluted 50/50 with 
                               water.


"...uffghh we all came from the same human  food fest..."


SEE VETERINARIAN, IF DIARRHEA IS:
              1.  Black stool with tar-like consistency.
              2.  Extremely foul smell.
              3.  Containing large amounts of blood.
              4.  Accompanied by vomiting.
              5.  Giving severe pain.
              6.  Causing fever.
              7.  Causing loss of appetite.
              8.  Causing your dog to be lethargic.
              9.  Persists longer than 3-days with no
                   improvement.
FOLLOW-UP CARE:
1.  Serve small amount of bland food.
     Cook plain white rice, or macaroni until very
    soft.  Mix with boiled skinless boneless
    chicken breast.
    Offer this bland rice mixture in small but
    frequent meals (3 or 4 each day)
    When diarrhea is gone, increase  each meal
    quantity, and decrease the meal frequency
    for 1-2 each day.
    Then, gradually begin mixing your dog's 
    regular dry meal in with the bland rice 
    mixture:
                         a.  30% regular dog meal
                         b.  70% bland rice mixture.
    Each day increase the amount of regular dog  
    meal while reducing the amount of bland diet
    mixture until your dog should be back on
    regular meals as before.
 2.  If your dog is not allergic to milk products,
      yogurt has "good" bacteria that help to re- 
      balance the intestinal upset that caused the
      diarrhea.
   If your dog has lactose   intolerance   do NOT
   give  milk products.


"...please keep my water supply ready for me anywhere...!"
"...my food should be good for my stomach, liver, intestines, and other parts of my body...thank you!"

Monday, May 9, 2011

VOMITING


Vomiting should never
be considered normal, but it's probably not a cause for concern if it happens only once, and the dog feels fine.
Anytime a dog vomits three or more times in a single day, or two or more days in a row, there is cause for concern.  Continuous vomiting is an emergency.  

Many illnesses can  prompt repeated vomiting, which leave the dog dehydrated and ill.
Use First Aid to calm your dog's stomach until you can get help works well.
What to do immediately:
1.  Remove the feeding dish.
     It's best to restrict food and give your dog's 
     stomach a rest for 12 to 24 hours.
2.  Give water sparingly.
     Vomiting will make your dog thirsty.
     But, drinking a lot of water will  only
     make the stomach more upset, and the water
     will come right back up.  Instead, offer tiny
     amounts of water. . . a tablespoon at a time...
     every 15 to 20 minutes.
3.  Offer Ice.
     Vomiting causes rapid dehydration.  Another
      way to keep some liquid in your dog, is
      offering an ice cube to lick.
4.   Give your dog some Pepto-Bismol.
      It is an effective, safe, and reliable way to 
      help manage vomiting.   
             a)  Coats the stomach to soothe
             b)  Ingredient, bismuth absorbs toxins
                   that prompt vomiting.
                    .  Dosage:  1/2 - 1 teaspoon per 5 lbs
                        of body weight.
                        Maximum dosage:  2 Tablespoons
                        up to three times a day.
                    .   Suggest using:  clean eye dropper
                        or turkey baster.  
                                  - Tilt dog's head up.
                                  -  Insert tip of applicator in
                                     cheek, and squirt-in 
                                     medicine
                                  -  hold dog's mouth closed,
                                     until you see it swallowed

              OTHER VOMITING ALERTS
                             BLOAT
A dog who repeatedly tries to vomit but cannot bring anything up, particularly a large breed dog like a Great Dane or Mastiff . . . may be suffering from a twisted stomach, causing it 
Painful and can kill a dog very quickly.
          A  VETERINARIAN EMERGENCY
Do NOT waste time using home remedies if you suspect BLOAT.  Get your dog to the animal hospital IMMEDIATELY!
RAW  SALMON:
Raw salmon carries a worm called a fluke.
The fluke carries a rickettsial parasite.
Dogs who eat raw salmon, can be infested with
infected flukes and get deathly ill, and can die
from salmon poisoning. 
             1.  takes 5-9 days after eating salmon,
                     for the dog to get sick.
             2.  dog runs a fever of 104-106 degrees F
             3.  vomits constantly
             4.  bloody diarrhea
             5.  swollen lymph nodes
DO IMMEDIATELY:                  
                      .   take dog to Animal Hospital
                      .   NO first aid can help
Dogs need intravenous fluids and supportive care to survive.  Veterinarian will look for fluke eggs in the feces to confirm the diagnosis.

When the poisoning is reached in time, a 5 to 10-day course of antibiotics like tetracycline, or chloramphenicol will get rid of the flukes and rickettsial organisms and cure the dog.

FOLLOW-UP CARE:
Once the Veterinarian has treated the cause of the vomiting, usually your dog should recover without follow-up  treatment.

Sunday, May 8, 2011

TICKS




Maui, privileges us with consistent tropical climate.  Our warm and tropical foliage, however, are  inviting to ticks.  This open invitation to the American dog tick is most infectious as an adult.  These dog ticks attach themselves, then become bloated as they feed.  They bury their heads beneath the pet's skin and stay there for days as they suck blood.  You'll see a lime-bean-size leathery  pest that balloons as it becomes full.
REMOVAL OF TICKS:  Use a blunt-tipped tweezer.
                                           Grasp the body very close to pet's skin
                                           and pull it straight out, slowly and 
                                           gently in the opposite direction from 
                                           the mouth's end.
 DISPOSE OF TICK:        Either drop the tick into a container
                                            of rubbing alcohol, or flush it down 
                                            the toilet.
FOLLOW-THROUGH:  If possible, a good idea, to wash the 
                                           tick bite with an antiseptic liquid soap,
                                           or swab it with some 3% hydrogen
                                           peroxide to remove residual tick parts.
FOUND WHERE:           The sparsely furred and hard-to 
                                           reach regions of a dog's body like
                                           the ears, armpits, and between the
                                           toes, are tick targets;  but ticks can 
                                           be found anywhere on the dog' body. 
Prompt removal can prevent most diseases..  Ticks don't hop off the dog and onto another host, so it's nearly impossible to catch something from your pet.


TICK BORNE DISEASE:     Many diseases are spread by ticks because their saliva transmits microscopic organisms when they bite.  Usually however, a tick must be feeding on a pet for at least 12 hours   The Veterinarian should diagnose the problem, but disease -specific medications usually take care of the illness.
It's easy to remove ticks at home,  therefore it's seldom necessary to see your Veterinarian unless you suspect that a tick has given your dog a disease.

Saturday, May 7, 2011

DOG PARK MAUI

Dog Park for Kihei, Maui?

Canine Visions,  has another Vision. A vision to research, create, produce and develop with willing alliances of Maui, a Dog Park in Kihei, Maui.     Kilohana Dog Park in Wailea, is the only legal dog park in Kihei so far.  It is a small dog park.

The approximate number of registered dogs in Kihei are _____________.  Currently, dog owners follow a Leash Law exercised by Maui County.  Dogs are walked along the sides of traffic . These  roadsides, paved or dirt covered, narrow or wide are not safe for the dogs or the dog walker.    Beaches are frequented by dog owners, but the freedom of dog swimmers are limited due to the Leash Law.  The  expensive  penalty fee  exercised,  should qualify a balance for our dog community.  What is the balance? For Maui County to assist with land and/or strong support to establish our community dog park.  Domestic dogs are Maui citizens as well!

A well-designed dog park should be a good substitute for dangerous roadside walk-ways because of speeding traffic.  The Leash Law is good for all safety situations.  But dogs do need to socialize with other dogs in an unleashed environment to allow free romping. The tendency for aggressiveness, and boldness  are more conducive with  leashed dogs.  The "pull" or hand-held leash "invites" the dog's desire to be more powerful and bold.  Once the dog is unleashed, their naturalness to romp  and have fun, is delightful!
The following areas are required for research:
Land
Submitting Proposal
Water
Dog Park Entrance/Exit
Dog Park Gates
Ground Surface
Separation of Large Dogs From Small
Drinking Water
Restroom Accommodations
Ample Shade
Benches
Fences
Accessible Telephone
Hours Of Use
Pooper Scooper
Dog Management
Dog Limit
Dog Park Shape
Dog Training Sessions 
Finances

This is CanineVisions Misson!

We are currently brainstorming the important points.  Anyone interested?
Contact:   CanineVisions@clearwire.net
.

\



We want a Kihei Dog Park!









Wednesday, May 4, 2011

DOG EXPRESSIONS



 Dogs Are As Smart. . .  As Their Owners !



Ha,HA,Ha!
You make me LAUGH!
I'm very happy resting here!
Ask Churchill Graham to pull the skateboard!
I KNOW, when to rest my paws!
HA, ha...Ha!


  
Our Dog's facial, and body expressions convey  ideas!   We enjoy inventing from our dogs' expressions, to create a reality between us.
 We believe our dogs  understand what we say.
  We want to get-along and know each other's ways.  It is natural for us, and important as well, to conjure-up a vision, or contemplate in the imagination with them.  Why?
We're best friends!
We want to tell the world, "we know each other well."  We convey, "... hey! this is really so..."  We believe it, and give ourselves free rein to let our imagination "run-away" with a believable experience.
Guess What!  It's perfectly all right!
Our ingenious conceptualization
enters a belief system for our dog, who upon our concept, repeatedly act upon it with praises and approval, and after repetitive impromptu scenarios,  it becomes real for each other. 


A good example is the photo of Francesca le Bon Bon.
We identified the vision as our "laughing dog."
Now, every time we see this photo, we think that.  Every time we see our dog with this expression,  we believe she's laughing heartily.  We continue to react with our dog with this belief.
Whether Francesca le Bon Bon believes it or not, we do!  It becomes our reality.


Another example:  Early on as puppies, I had my dogs, Churchill Graham, and Francesca le Bon Bon,  sit,  before eating from their food bowls placed in full vision on their tables.  As they  sit, I prayed, and at the end, would say emphatically. . . AMEN.
Then, I would clap my hands, a signal permitting them to walk-up to their food bowls to eat their dinner.
Since then, they automatically EXPECT and do this behavior before dinner time.
Now,
they are been taught to raise one paw, while I am praying with them.  My repetitive insistence, has now made them understand they must sit & lift a paw
as we pray together,
 they immediately sense the word
Amen,
and their heads raise up 
knowing it is the end of prayer,
and will be walking -up to their food bowls to eat dinner!  This happens!
It's superb!
Teaches discipline, care, and certainly is loving.
For me, 
it's comforting to be thankful.
For the dogs,
they love been loyal to their "pack leader."
For the environment,
there is no grappling for their food,
but rather a calmness . . . good for all.


Yes . . . we do view with our mind's eye, what our dog may be seeing, thinking and saying to us.  Then, subconsciously repeat with approval responses.
After subsequent repetitive approvals, it becomes a reality!
To succeed with our dogs in this manner is humbling and "intellectually" comforting.
With our dogs,
we personally achieve,
and for our dogs,
they personally succeed to please .


Compassionate humans are a great match for dogs!  Dogs are privileged to have naturally imaginative owners.
Our endearing relationship
fulfill each other's 
comforting needs.