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Don’t worry – he’s friendly

August 25th, 2010

Friend or Foe? by Janet Tobiassen Crosby DVM

Where I live, most dogs run or walk freely with their people. We don’t have sidewalks or dog parks, and everyone knows the neighbor down the road. But when we travel, we take the dogs with us whenever we can. And, for not getting a lot of “practice,” both Sophie and Argos do very well with people, skateboarders, bikers and other dogs on busy city sidewalks.

Poor Petiquette
What continually surprises me (but shouldn’t) are the number of dogs running freely and out of range of their human’s grasp or recall. Dogs of all ages and sizes run full speed up to my two, and while the other person yells “oh, don’t worry – he’s friendly!” I grapple with leashes, poop bags, and dogs sniffing around and around each other and me. I am now the Dog Grinch, with my dogs leashed, and the other dogs having way more fun. How could I be so stodgy?

I do allow Sophie off-leash when appropriate, but she has a horrible tendency to sneak snacks quicker than I can keep track of. And on the beach there are lots of snacks. ugh. I love it when my dogs get to meet-and-greet just like the next person, but this dog-running-up-to-us-at-full-speed scenario always irritates me. I want to say “hello my dogs aren’t friendly, so beware!”

This doesn’t work of course – my dogs are friendly, but… Sophie is my alert dog and she has raised her hackles a few times until she gets things figured out. What if she decided to snap out? Argos, on the other hand, is very docile, but… as a retired racing Greyhound, he was trained since he was a pup to go after small moving items. The small yapping dogs circling around him put him on hyper-alert, and I have to pay attention and hold him back. If he was off-leash and innocently decided to give chase, I am afraid he would be all over the small dog before I could do a thing. (shudder)

And sometimes the rushing dogs aren’t friendly. Sophie was outright attacked last year, with me perilously in the middle of lots of teeth and lots of leash. That person must have known that her dog had this tendency, because she started running toward us, grabbed her dog, mumbled a “sorry” and quickly departed. But why was the dog off leash, running up to other dogs and people in the first place?

It’s Not All Bad
Then there are the people who ask first if they can pet your dog. The people who keep their dog nearby and ask if the dogs can meet. The people who notice that at least one of my dogs is leashed (Argos has to be), so they should take a little extra precaution when approaching. We have made some great friends this way. The dogs recognize each other at a distance, and we do let them off-leash to zoom up and say hello on repeat visits. A much more fun way to interact.

Playing It Safe
I’ll continue to be the Dog Grinch. I have treated many dog fight victims and it isn’t pretty. Humans get hurt, too. Things happen quickly and its scary. And -hard to believe- not everyone likes dogs. (gasp!) I keep my dogs near me out of respect for those who don’t appreciate a wet stinky dog running up to them, tongue lolling. People who want to pet Sophie and Argos always let us know, sometimes they even ask to take their photo. Kids reaching out, sticky with bits of food, are a bonus.

More About Dog Bites

• Any Dog Can Bite – bite prevention brouchure from the AVMA
• Dog Bite Prevention – statistics and tips from the CDC

For more (and better) tips on dog training, please visit:

• The Positively Well-Behaved Dog Blog by K9Cuisine’s own Susan McCollough

Related: Sophie and Argos – Beach Duty

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Yay – Let’s All Go To… The Vet’s!

August 17th, 2010

I realize that this post’s title is probably way more cheery than pets or people ever think about a vet visit, but August 16-22, 2010 is National Take Your Cat To The Vet Week.

Wait. What about the dogs? Why is this week just focused on cats? Two reasons: number one is that this event was founded by Feline Pine cat litter. Reason number two is the simple fact that pet cats don’t visit the vet as often as their canine counterparts. Even though pet cats outnumber dogs by over 15 million in the US.

Dogs, Cats and Vet Visits – Let’s Compare

• Our dogs often accompany us in the car – to the park, on vacations and other dog-friendly errands (although should never be left in a parked car on a warm day!).
  Cats do not.
• Most dogs love a chance to meet and greet other dogs and humans, sniff stuff, and get treats from friendly veterinary hospital receptionists.
  Cats do not.
• Dogs often let us know when something hurts, their stomach is upset, or they aren’t their normal perky self.
  Cats do not.
• While some dogs may be nervous at the veterinary office, many of them (not all) overcome that apprehension with treats, lots of pets from friendly staff, or finally being able to walk out the front door. Living in the moment, blessed with short memories.
  Cats do not.

The above list is oversimplified, but the point is that cats, cars and veterinary visits are not high up on many people’s list of Fun Things To Do With Your Cat. The sad thing is, many cats are quite good at “hiding” illnesses. Are they less active? That may be hard to tell when they don’t go for daily walks and sleep a lot of the day anyway. I wrote about veterinary reasons why you should take your cat to the vet on About.com with tips for finding a vet that will work with your cats. Now some fun stuff.

The Fun Stuff

As part of the Take Your Cat To The Vet Week awareness campaign, there are are couple of fun ways to be involved and help spread the word.

1) Funny Cat Stories: In honor of National Take Your Cat to the Vet Week, Feline Pine is asking people to submit their funniest vet stories via the contest tab on Feline Pine’s Facebook page.

There are prizes, too! Five selected winners (one chosen each day, August 16-22, 2010) will receive six months of Feline Pine cat litter and a $75 Visa gift card, good towards their next vet visit.

2) Romeo The Cat’s Survey Results: Romeo is one of my all-time favorite felines. To date, he and his human “staff” Caroline Golon have raised over $32,000 since Februrary 2009.Wow – a serious amount of money to help animals in shelters and rescues all over the US.

Romeo has a very funny blog and the “Wake Up Tactic” posts are not to be missed. In honor of Take Your Cat to the Vet Week, Romeo conducted a survey of cats and vets.

When going to the vet, please describe your cat’s behavior (you may choose more than one)

Somehow knows what’s up and runs to hide before we even leave – 43%
Won’t get into the cat carrier – 60.2%
Won’t come out of the cat carrier once at the V-E-T – 44.3%
Yowls and complains the whole way to the V-E-T – 67%
No problem, my cat loves the V-E-T – 10.2%

What does the staff at the vet’s office usually say about your cat?

What a loverboy/lovergirl! 31%
Hi Handsome/Beautiful 76.2%
I better get some back up 17.9%
We had to sedate him/her 8.3%
I’ve never seen such a ______________cat! 28.6%

Funny answers: Interesting, fat, feisty, big, neurotic, relaxed (actually paralyzed with
fear), vocal, chubby, unique, loving, exotic, interestingly named, well dressed, terrified,
pitiful, crazy.

Read more: Quick survey of Romeo’s cat staff friends

Photo: On the way to the vet office by Janet Tobiassen Crosby DVM

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Dogs In Hot Cars – Your Calls Count

August 12th, 2010

It seems obvious… sit in a car, even on a moderately warm day, and only crack the windows one inch. Too hot! And we can wear cool clothes and sweat. Still too hot. For dogs, add to that barking, excitement and stress, and it’s even hotter. For overweight, senior, and short-nosed dogs, even more risks due to increased temperatures.

In the news daily
Pets, mostly dogs, are still dying in parked cars. So sad. Such a preventable death. I write about this every year on about.com and feel like a broken record on this subject. Getting the word out about this very common and real danger was my “Blog The Change” project for July. Dogs still die. Even if the errand is “just a few minutes.” Heatstroke can kill in minutes.

Not just cars
From this newspaper article:

“While hot cars are the most extreme mistreatment, but owners can also be cited for leaving pets tied up in the backyard without access to water or shade, or in the back of a pickup truck where the truck bed can heat up, causing second and third-degree burns on paw pads.”

Increased  awareness helps
Progress seems slow, but I have seen a turn in the last few years. That turn is “bystander awareness” – people stepping up to notify store employees or animal control to report animals in distress. And animal control officials getting the word out via TV news, newspapers and radio ads. They want to be alerted.

DrV of pawcurious posted a comment on my “Blog The Change” post that included a link to the Sonoma Humane Car interior Temperature – a web site that shows the “live” temperature outside and in a car.

More people are taking action
Getting the word out has helped. My friends have called in animals that have been locked in cars. Calls that might not have been made before. More people are putting in their local animal control numbers in their cell phones. Cell phone photos help, too.

Another great resource is MyDogIsCool.com. One of my favorite sites, you will find lots of information here about just how quickly cars heat up, what you can do to help, and print out free flyers to promote awareness.

Have you helped?
I have had people say “mind your own business,” “I know what’s best for my dog,” and “it was only a few minutes, it isn’t that hot out” and more. But I’ll take that if it saves even one dog. Please share your story and tips for promoting awareness about dogs left in cars.

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What’s In Your First Aid Kit?

August 4th, 2010

I have been interested in first aid since I was given my first “doctor kit” when I was 5. I bandaged up toy animals (and patient real ones) to practice my craft. Later on, I took swimming lessons in lifesaving and CPR classes in college. More recently, my colleague and I taught “wilderness first aid for pets” classes at an outdoor gear store. Will all of that, I should have a perfectly assembled, everything-in-its-place first aid kit; ready to assist whoever, whenever.

Ha. I wish.

I have tried. I have assembled various kits over the years, the contents becoming outdated or misplaced over time. I now have a loosely assembled “dog bag” with medical stuff that will do for many situations, but it isn’t a true first aid kit. I have been trying to get myself more organized. Just in case.

Many of the items in a pet first aid kit will work for all pets – scissors, antiseptics, bandages, tape, and so on. It is important to realize that each pet should have their own specialized part of the first aid kit as needed. For example, traveling with my Greyhound Argos has prioritized the need for probiotics (stress gut) and bandaging materials just in case. (Greyhounds have thin skin and sometimes-too-quick reflexes.) As Sophie has inched up in years, I travel with some anti-inflammatory pain relief to use as needed after long hikes. The Thundershirt, while not typical “first aid,” also travels with us when some calm is called for.

First Aid Kits For Pets
There are many, many choices for first aid kits for pets, as seen in this Google search. What kit is the “right” kit for your pet? There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Look for ones that contain most of what you are looking for and add to it. Or build your own. I always add sterile eye wash (not the contact lens cleaner and not medicated in any way), just in case of a foreign body or liquid contamination of they eye. Nail clippers are handy if dealing with a torn toenail. Your veterinarian will also be able to provide pet-specific advice if you have questions.

It is also a good idea to check into pet first aid classes. Having a spiffy new first aid kit is no good if you don’t know how to use it. Check your local veterinary clinics, Red Cross, or retailers such as Petco, now offering online pet first aid classes. You can even learn first aid tips and techniques on your phone.

A Good Thing To Have In The Car
An all-purpose first aid kit is good to have in the car in case you find an injured animal on the road or witness an accident. A muzzle is a necessary kit item (or make one) when dealing with injured and frightened animals.

Do You Have A Pet First Aid Kit?
Did you purchase or make your kit? Please share your tips for making and using a pet first aid kit.

Photo: First Aid Kit by marvinxsteadfast on Flickr

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