Pet Auto Safety

Maya the Easter Puppy says, “Keep your dog safe this Easter,”

and, “Just because I am so cute doesn’t mean I should get Easter candy.”

With Easter coming on, it is time to review some dog Easter safety tips for your dog.  Check out this post we wrote on our American Dog Blog, titled “Easter Candy Safety for Your Dogs”.

While we love to spoil our dogs while we are spoiling ourselves this Thanksgiving Holiday, let’s be a little careful about the kind of food we give our dogs. Some Thanksgiving food can be high in fat. And while a little bit may be okay, it could still upset your dog’s tummy. Dogs who are used to eating dog food with no salt, seasonings, preservatives, or other additives, might have very upset stomachs from eating our Thanksgiving food. An upset stomach can be painful for a dog. And it could cause unpleasant diarrhea or vomiting.

Some fatty foods include the skin from the turkey, gravy, candy and other sweets, or anything buttered. Foods which can be harmful for your dog include raisins or grapes, macadamia nuts, onions, potatoes, and dark chocolate. Be sure to ask your veterinarian for a list of more foods which are not good for your dog. Some of these foods could even be deadly.

Another important thing to remember is to not give your dog turkey bones - not even the big and thick drumstick. The bones of the turkey splinter easily and can get caught in your dog’s throat or puncture their intestines. The damage of a turkey bone could cause a lot of pain for your dog, and possibly even death. And it could cost you a lot of money and heartbreak.

Be safe this Thanksgiving Holiday. Give your dog lots of dog treats if you wish to spoil them over the holidays. If you think about it, most dogs don’t even take the time to taste their food, so they probably won’t even know the difference!

To anyone living in Frederick County, Maryland, please keep an eye out for a small black and brown dog which escape from their SUV after the owner got into a car accident.  Unfortunately, the owner dies of her injuries.  The dog could also be seriously injured and may need medical assistance as well.  To get more information on this car accident, visit http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?storyID=96795.

As much as we want to take all our loved ones with us when we celebrate our country’s Independence Day, we should really leave our pets at home. Unless we can take them back home before the fireworks, your pet would have a lot less anxiety at home by themselves than they would with the fireworks display.

As spectacular as the big sparkly lights in the sky are, dogs just can’t appreciate the awesomeness of it all. The sounds terrify them and seeing the beautiful resulting display does nothing to appease their fears.

Out of terrifying fear, dogs will try to bolt and run. And if they take you by surprise, you might find your pet’s leash jerked right out of your hand. Hindered by fear, your dog will run far and fast. And they probably won’t pay any attention when crossing streets with oncoming cars.

So please, leave your pet at home this holiday night, and have a safe and happy 4th of July!

Audrey Frederick has the benefit of experience and wisdom when it comes to taking care of pets. She has written a wonderful article which can help you help your dog overcome separation anxiety. Please read this wonderful article below.

Separation Anxiety in Dogs!
By: Audrey Frederick

Also check out her cat and dog website at http://www.cats-and-dogs-on-the-web.com.

Poor Maya burned her paw the other day. When we went to the dog park, Maya was so excited that she burst out of the car as soon as I took off her dog car seat belt, but before I was able to put on her leash. I have learned to put on the leash before taking off her seat belt, but only after Maya burned her paw while running around on the hot asphalt pavement of the parking lot. One of her feet blistered and some padding came off. I took her to the vet, but the only recommendation they had was to give her some pain medicine and not let her walk around too much. She limped for three days.

Before you take your dog out this season, be aware that the black asphalt pavement is very hot and can burn your dog’s feet. Try to avoid the black asphalt pavements or try to park in a shaded area. Maya’s injuries were very minor and limted to only one of her paws, but could have been much worse.

Whose Maya?  Check out her profile on the Pet Pals page of Pet Auto Safety.com.

Sephi is seven years old now. I assumed that she slept a lot due to her age so I didn’t think much of it. It’s too bad I disregarded it because worse issues began to develop. Some time last spring, I noticed her skin was flaking more than usual. It wasn’t very bad and I assumed it was just the weather. But over time, it kept getting worse and worse. She began to develop balding spots on her stomach. I took her to the vet and they gave her medicine. The medicine didn’t work so the vet gave something else. That didn’t work either so they sent Sephi to a dermatologist. The Dermatologist gave her some very powerful medicine. After a couple of weeks on the medicine Sephi stopped eating. I was very concerned because Sephi loves food. The only way she would stop eating would be if she wasn’t feeling well. After three days of not eating, I took her back to the vet. They determined that she was having liver problems and that the problems were most likely due to the medication she was on. They kept her overnight and within a couple days after her vet visit, she was eating again. Her skin, however, was still a problem and it was spreading from her stomach to her legs and tail. The vet gave her yet another medication. We stuck to it pretty well, but there were still no changes in her skin. So far I had spent over $1,000.00 on vet bills for Sephi and nothing was working.

Finally, on what seemed like our millionth visit to the vet, the veterinarian came up with what seemed like the most logical reason for Sephi’s problem, and the solution. She suspected that Sephi had Hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism in dogs can develop in their middle-age or senior years. Certain breeds can be even more susceptible. The symptoms for hypothyroidism in dogs are as follows:

When I thought Sephi was just being sleepy all the time because she was getting old was actually hypothyroidism in dogs. Sephi didn’t have the aggression, weight gain, constipation, weakness, pale gums, or stiffness, but all the other symptoms applied. The vet gave her medicine to help the hypothyroidism in dogs and within a week or so, Sephi’s energy level increased and her skin was doing noticeably better. Now, four weeks later, her skin is almost completely better and her hair is growing back on the bald spots.

So if your dog is middle-aged, look out for the symptoms for hypothyroidism in dogs. Don’t assume that the extra fatigue or reoccurring skin issues are due to you dog’s aging. Have your vet test for hypothyroidism in dogs. It would be a much less expensive route than the one I took.

Sephi will need to be on medication for the rest of her life. And she will have to be periodically tested to see if the thyroid hormone levels need to be adjusted with more or less medication. But at least she is back to normal!

Check out the following website for more information on hypothyroidism in dogs:

Hypothyroidism in Dogs from PetEducation.com