What's Making Your Dog or Cat Sick?

You know what it’s like to feel sick. You ate the wrong thing, or have a virus that wreaks havoc on your intestines.

Did you know your dog or cat can feel the same way? 

Our pet kids are important to us, but they can’t always tell us when they are sick. We need to be tuned in to their normal behavior and habits in order to know when something is “off” with them. When in doubt, call your veterinarian and take your canine or feline in for a checkup.

Giardia is a parasite that can live in your pet’s intestines. It usually happens more in puppies than older dogs, but can happen to any dog or cat. This parasite is picked up by drinking water or something else that has been contaminated with feces. If they have this parasite and becomes sick from it, the disease is called giardiasis, resulting in diarrhea, weight loss, poor condition and potentially death if not treated.

If your pet does have giardiasis, your vet will probably prescribe medication and a follow-up appointment will be necessary. When the medication is finished, you’ll want to take the following precautions:

• ·         Bathe & rinse your pet (wear gloves & do the hind end last)
• ·         Disinfect food bowls and toys
• ·         Steam clean upholstery and carpeting
• ·         Disinfect hard surfaces

Because a dog is contagious while they have Giardia, even as they are going through treatment, you will want to limit your pet’s contact with other dogs and humans. If your pet attends a group play environment such as dog daycare or dog parks it may be necessary to keep them home for a few weeks so other dogs are not at risk. 

You’ll also want to make sure your other pets, if you have them, do not also have the parasite.

With proper diagnosis and treatment, your dog or cat should be feeling better in a couple of weeks and can resume all social activities. 

Share or Not Share Your Bed with Your Dog?

Pets are part of the family. But does that mean all family members should share the same bed?

The AKC found that 21% of dog owners let their dogs sleep with them to help keep them warm. They also learned that those who do let their dogs sleep with them have less room in bed for themselves because the dog takes up more space.

While it can be fun and comforting to cuddle with your pet, if your dog is taking up more space than you are, you might not be getting as good a night’s sleep as you should. You also need to be sure that your dog isn’t carrying any fleas or ticks, or that a small dog won’t be injured. Train your dog early on whether you want them to sleep with you or not ... otherwise they just might start telling you where YOU are going to sleep. 

If you decide against letting your dog sleep with you, you can teach your dog to stay off and go to their own bed. This will take some time, patience, and plenty of treats. You’ll need to lure your dog to his bed into a down position, give the bed a name, such as bed, and reward the dog when he lies down. You can get the detailed instructions from the AKC. This can be helpful in keeping your dog off of other furniture, as well.

Make sure though, that your dog’s bed is special for him, comfortable, and warm, with some great toys, so that he’ll want to go there.

Prepare Your Dog for July 4th

Grilled hot dogs and hamburgers. Potato chips. Cold drinks. Red, white and blue décor. You’ve been busy getting ready for a long 4^th of July weekend, but in all the food and event planning, you may have forgotten one thing: your dog.

While we humans love seeing fireworks explode in the sky and their bright colors trickle down, our pets are not always so happy about them. While there may be the occasional dog who tries to chase after them, many dogs are fearful of fireworks.

As much as we treat our dogs like family, they are not human after all, and don’t have the understanding that we do about the temporary nature of fireworks. Some people think it’s just like a thunderstorm to dogs, that’s not actually the case. There are weather changes prior to a storm that can clue a dog in that something different is happening. With fireworks, it’s very sudden and sporadic.

If you haven’t acclimated your dog to loud noises when he or she was a puppy, not all is lost. There are a few things you can try in order to keep your dog comfortable during fireworks:   

• Play loud noises in the days and weeks leading up to the fireworks.

• Act normal with them when they are afraid to show them they don’t have to stay afraid.

• Keep the dog inside with the TV on to minimize outside noise.

• Play with your dog during the fireworks.

• Let them go to an area of your home where they already feel safe and secure.

• Bring them to Morris Animal Inn for lodging.

Whichever you choose, have a safe and happy fourth of July!