Pet Adoption? Yup, there's an app for that.

I know the title of this blog says it's to help keep you pet healthy at home, but I thought this was such a great use of technology I just had to share. There are so many sweet, cute, funny, adoptable pets at local shelters in cities across America that need a home and this Iphone App is helping the cause.



They're still fine tuning some of the details, but if you love to look at pictures of dogs and cats and were thinking about adopting, this is a great little tool.

Download the App from the iTunes store:

Hot, Hot, Hot!

Sultry summertime is in full swing. The forecast is for consistent 90 degree days for the next week here in Denver. As you apply your sunscreen and head out for some fun take a few minutes to assess how you'll care for your sweet dog that's going along on the adventure.

A dog's temperature can be considered normal in the range of 100 to 102.5 degrees. Temperatures above that range are leading into dangerous territory. Dogs don't sweat so helping your pet stay cool is important.

Suggestions for keeping your canine cool:

1. Shade – a 90 degree day can feel very different if you're spending it in the shade instead of the sun. Make sure the shade doesn't change to sunny as the sun moves toward the west.
2. Ice cubes in the water dish – Everyone likes an ice cold drink of water. Your dogs do as well, plus it will be very fun to watch him try to get the cubes in his mouth. Or, if you’re planning a hike, freeze an extra water bottle for "Lucky".
3. Kiddie pool – fill a hard sided kiddie pool with water and let your big dogs frolic. Of course the little ones may have a hard time getting in and out so you'll need a size appropriate pool. Change the water once a day to keep it clean.
4. Get out the hose – some dogs go nuts when you turn on the hose, snapping and barking at the stream of water, it's pretty fun to watch. Just be sure to get out of the way of the spray when it's time to shake.
5. AM or PM – plan your active play or walks for the cooler parts of the day. Early morning and evening are much better times for engaging "Lucky" in a game of Frisbee or taking him on a long walk. Plus it's easier on his paws – the pavement and gravel gets very hot. And avoid places like the dog park between noon and 4 pm when the temperatures are high.

Know the Signs of Overheating:

    Symptoms your pet is overheated include:

        * Excessive panting
        * Difficulty breathing
        * Elevated body temperature (over 104 degrees)
        * Increased heart rate and respiration
        * Drooling
        * Weakness or collapse
        * Seizures
        * Diarrhea and vomiting

If you have an older pet, one that is overweight or obese, an animal with a heart or lung condition, or a dog or cat with a flat face, the very best thing you can do during hot summer days is keep your pet inside in the air conditioning, with plenty of cool, fresh water to drink

The moral of the story...if you're feeling hot, hot, hot, so is your dog, so get him cooled down.

Mmmm...Grass!!

Have you ever watched your dog or cat nibbling on grass and wondered what it meant?  You are certainly  not alone in your curiosity.  There have been many theories and olde wives tales about the reasons for the behavior.  There are two theories that are the most common, the first is that the animal is sick and eats the grass to make himself vomit.  The second is that the animal must have something missing from his diet and needs the grass as a supplement to his food.  But according to research conducted by Benjamin Hart, DVM, PhD, both theories are false. 

The University of California-Davis vet students took part in the study and found that their pets, like the other 1500 dogs, were predominately eating grass simply for pleasure.  Only 9% of the pet owners reported that their dog appeared to be feeling ill before eating grass. And less than one in four vomited afterward.  The results of the study also showed that lack of fiber or poor diet had no impact on the dogs' desire to eat more grass.

So then, why do dogs eat grass?  Dr. Hart concluded that ancestry was the clue.  Wild dogs, wolves, foxes all eat grass either by purposely grazing or inadvertently ingesting the grass in the stomach or intestine of their prey.  And, similar to wild canine, young animals seemed to eat grass more often than older animals.


So rest assured that your grass eating pet is fairly normal and the behavior should not cause undue alarm.  However, there are a couple precautions.  We actually had a dog come in for a food bloat because of eating too much grass.  They can still get too much of a good thing.  Be alert to whether the grass being ingested may have been treated with insecticides or chemicals that could be toxic.  Also, be aware of the poisonous plants in your house or yard.  Be sure to get your pet to a veterinary hospital right away if you witness a potential toxic ingestion.  Otherwise, bon apetite!

Big Dog vs. Little Dog

There seems to be an epidemic of large egos in the dog world lately.  We've seen a lot of big dog vs. little dog staking territory conflicts.  Most of the time the big dog wins, but occasionally a particularly feisty little dog inflicts great damage to a larger canine.

Several types of wounds can be inflicted in a dog fight which is why a trip to your family veterinarian is prudent to check for injuries.

Bite wounds, lacerations, and skin tears to or on the surface are easier to see and most likely easier to repair.  The other injuries are those that are not as readily apparent like head trauma, fractured ribs, internal hemorrhage, internal organ damage, or wounds that extend into the chest or abdominal cavity.  Unfortunately, we have seen all of these types of injuries, but fortunately, not all on the same dog. 

All of these injuries can be life threatening and require veterinary care.  So even if there doesn't seem to be a serious wound on the outside that requires immediate attention you should watch your animal for the following signs.

• Differences in pupil size
• Rigid limbs
• Uncoordinated movement
• Unusual eye movement
• Bleeding from the nostrils
• Bleeding from the ear canal
• Seizures
• Head tilt
• Difficulty breathing
• Pale gums
• Hard belly
• Collapse
• Vomiting

Blood tests, x-rays, ultrasound, neurological exams, abdominocentesis (a needle in inserted into the abdomen to see if fluid can be withdrawn) and many other diagnostic tests may be needed to determine the type and severity of injury your animal may have received.  From these diagnostic tests a treatment plan is established to support your animal and provide the care necessary for healing.  Pain medication and IV fluids will be administered as necessary to keep your animal comfortable and help aid the healing process.

If you are witness to the dog fight do not place yourself between the fighting animals.  Avoid getting bit by learning how to break up a dog fight. Here are a couple websites with some good ideas.
http://tinyurl.com/m2d4mz;
http://leerburg.com/pdf/howtobreakupdogfight.pdf (kind of lengthy);
http://www.howtoguides365.com/how-to/dog-fight/

The moral of the story...the bite is always way worse than the bark.

Abscess - No fun for Dogs or Cats

Have you experienced an abscess on your cat or dog?  If you have, then you know that they can kind of sneak up on you.  One day "Lucky" is playing and energetic and the next he's lethargic, lame, and seems almost depressed.  When you start running your hand over his body you might find a area that is raised and warm; and when touched your pet will pull away or look at you funny like he's saying "hey, that hurts!"

One of the possible reasons for the swelling is an abscess - a pocket of pus that has built up in defense of bacteria from a puncture wound, foreign material, insect bite, or parasite under the skin.  As a defense mechanism your animal's body produces lots of white blood cells to fight the bacteria.  As the white blood cells die off the pus forms.  Eventually the skin becomes thin and ruptures allowing the pus to disperse and healing to start in the area.  But that doesn't always happen.  The abscess can get large and very painful and will need treatment from a veterinarian.

Cats are especially prone to abscesses.  During a cat fight if a deep scratch or bite wound is inflicted on your cat the outside of the wound will tend to form a scab quickly.  Unfortunately, the scab seals in the bacteria and sets up the perfect conditions for an abscess.

Abscesses need to be drained in order to heal.  A trip to the veterinarian is the safest for a couple reasons.  First, the abscess can be evaluated to determine the extent of the infection and whether surgery is necessary to remove dead tissue and place multiple drains to allow the wound to heal.  Secondly, antibiotics will most likely be necessary to get rid of the bacterial infection.  Once the abscess is drained your pet will start feeling better very quickly since the pressure has been relieved and the infection cleaned out.  To keep "Lucky" from scratching or licking the area an Elizabethan collar may be required, depending on the location of the wound.

If your cat has been in a fight, examine him thoroughly from head to toe to locate any puncture wounds or deep scratches as these usually require antibiotics from your veterinarian to alleviate possible infection.  At home you will be instructed to clean the wounds and watch for any signs of infection. Place warm compresses on these areas 10-15 minutes 3-4 times per day to decrease the chances of an abscess forming.  The compresses increase blood flow to the area which increases the immune response.  If an abscess is immediately adjacent to the eye, the anus, or the genitals, or inside the ear don't try to treat at home.  Get your pet to the veterinary hospital right away.

The moral of the story...a drained abscess equals relief.

Rattle and Hum

Summer in the west brings wonderful long days of sun and fun. But with that sun, comes some unfriendly fellows - namely the rattlesnake.

Colorado's species include:

• Prairie Rattlesnake:  (Crotalus viridis viridis) western 2/3 of the state.
• Midget Faded Rattlesnake:  (Crotalus oreganus concolor) Western of the continental divide.
• Massasauga:  Western Massasauga (Integrade between S.c. edwardsii and S.c.tergemimus) 
• Western Diamondback Rattlesnake:  (Crotalus atrox), isolated population may occur in southeast Colorado, unverified. 

Listen the to the sound a Western Rattlesnake rattle.

Most North American snakes are timid and will avoid you and your pets.  Bites usually occur because the snake was harassed or surprised. If you see a snake that sees you, remember that a snake can strike only a distance of half its body length. Give the snake time to just go away. Snakes are not looking to interact with people or pets, either defensively or aggressively.

You can minimize your pet's exposure to snakes by staying on cleared, open paths while hiking.  Keep your dog on a leash and do not allow your pet to dig under rocks, logs, or explore holes.  Many species of snakes, particularly rattlesnakes, are more active at night.  You should avoid evening hikes in areas where these animals are prevalent.

If you dog or cat is bitten by a rattlesnake it is best to get your animal to your veterinarian as quickly as possible.  Carry your pet to your vehicle and try to keep him/her as quite and calm as possible.  Do not ice the area.  Do not try to cut or suck the venom out of the bite - neither are beneficial for the animal.

The venom in rattlesnake bites contains a digestive enzyme that starts to break down the tissue surrounding the bite.  The amount of swelling, pain and complications depend on the amount of venom released.  Expect swelling at the bite site with increased swelling and bruising that will spread over the area.  There are very few fatalities from rattlesnake bites.

Outcomes are best for those animals that start treatment right away.  Treatment will include IV fluids and medications to control pain and nausea. Antibiotics are also necessary to control any infection from the bite.  Some dogs are also treated with antivenin, but a vial of antivenin can range from $400 to $800 and is subject to supply restrictions.

Some veterinary experts recommend training your dog to avoid snakes.  This type of training could be very useful, but, like many training regimens, the dog will need refresher courses routinely.


The moral of story...back away from the snake or, if bitten, get "Lucky" to the vet immediately.

Barbecue Blues

I always feel like Memorial Day is the official start of summer and barbecue season.  Although in our house we barbecue all year round.  Still, there's nothing like steak and burgers on the grill, the sun sinking low on the horizon, a gentle breeze, some soothing tunes and a refreshing drink or two.  Can you smell the aroma?

So can your favorite four legged friend and she's about to grab the steak off the grill!

As with all events that involve every member of the family there are some aspects about the beautiful picture I painted above that could cause the evening to have a very different ending. As you think about that perfect barbecue you might also notice a grease bucket under the grill, perhaps a rack of ribs on a plate covered by aluminum foil, and some corn on the cob.  For me, each of those items have names and faces of patients attached to them because of visits to our ER.  What?  You may think that's crazy, but give me a little latitude and I'll describe for you the reasons.

First, aluminum foil, which was covering those delectably marinated ribs was simple irresistible to "Lucky" and had to be stolen off the counter or out of the trash.  The outcome is somewhat dependent on the size of the animal and the amount of aluminum foil actually ingested.  Most likely the foil will pass in the next couple days and other than strange looking piles in the backyard, nothing will come of the eating indiscretion.  However, you should watch your pet (dog or cat, both have been known to be equally silly) for vomiting, diarrhea, bloody stools, or nothing coming out at all.  These could be signs that the aluminum foil has caused an obstruction somewhere along the digestive path and needs to be surgically removed.

The same is true of corn cobs.  We have a sweet dog in the hospital tonight for inhaling a corn cob in the few seconds left unattended.  Fortunately the surgeon successfully removed the cob and some other items and he's recovering well.

Remember that rack of ribs?  Where did they go?  "Lucky" did you get into the ribs?  "Lucky"!!!  Has this scene ever happened at your barbecue?

Many dog owners don't hesitate to give their dog the discarded bones from the rack of ribs.  Unfortunately, cooked, brittle bones are more likely to splinter which may cause fractured teeth and possible perforation of the intestine or throat either on the way down or on the way back up if the dog vomits. Cooked or uncooked, small bones or those broken or gnawed down small enough can be gulped down either choking the dog or blocking its digestive tract.  Some bones don't need to splinter to have sharp points.  Any bone that the dog can break up is dangerous.  If you dog does get hold of a bone and you're worried about fragments feed him some bread.  The hope is that the sharp fragments will get embedded in the bread and not cause any danger as it passes through the digestive tract.  Again, watch for vomiting, diarrhea, bloody stools, lack of appetite, a depressed state, or change in behavior.  If you see any of these signs quickly get your dog to your veterinarian or head for the animal ER.  The fragments could be causing a blockage or might have punctured the intestines.

Last, but certainly not least, the grease trap.  Remember that small can or bucket under your grill to catch the grease from getting all over your patio?  Fortunately many new grills have a built-in system that catches the grease inside the grill, but there are plenty of the cans still around.  Dogs find themselves drooling like crazy and licking their lips when they smell all that grease.  Unfortunately, their pancreas is not as excited.  Pancreatitis or excessive vomiting leading to dehydration are risks of animals ingesting lots of fat.  Pet Education.com has a great article on pancreatitis in dogs.

So....before you put your feet up, make sure the offending items have found a safe home, out of the reach of your curious dog or cat.  Then freshen up your favorite beverage and enjoy the sunset.