Dogs Diseases

The Green Dog could have chosen a title for this post that would have been more attractive, that would have had more punch. But in truth, there is no punch to diseases that are threatening our best friends. It's not because they can't tell us what is wrong with them that it means they can't be sick.
Dogs can get sick the same way we can. Their diseases and/or sickness are as real, and sometimes as fatal, as ours. Most of their diseases can be avoided by prevention, by giving our dogs their yearly shots.

The diseases that are preventable are (this list is only a quick resume) :

RABIES
 Rabies are a FATAL viral infection that can be transmitted to other animals (not necessary other dogs) and to humans. A simple yearly shot can prevent the disease. Most towns/cities are requesting the rabies shot for all dogs. In 2009, the World Organization for Animal Health released a statement, emphasizing the importance of rabies vaccination in dogs."Rabies is a neglected and severely under-reported zoonotic disease in developing countries, killing each year worldwide an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 people, mostly children with terrible suffering and a much higher number of animals...  Eliminating rabies in dogs is the optimal control method for preventing spread of the disease." They also say:
"Dog vaccination and stray dog population control are more efficient and cost effective that post bite treatment in humans."(source)

LYME disease

The Lyme disease is transmitted by ticks. A dog can't transmit the disease to his humans, but a tick can change its mean of transportation from a dog to a human. Can be avoid with a collar, a pill or an ointment.





PARVOVIRUS

The canine parvovirus is a highly dangerous and contagious disease. It is transmitted with a contact, direct or indirect, with infected feces. Can be prevented by vaccination. 91% mortality in untreated cases. With aggressive therapy, survival rates may approach 80-95%. (source)




KENNEL COUGH
Highly contagious. Upper respiratory system infection. Transmitted by air. See article Did you say kennel cough ? .

HEART WORMS

Which result in various pulmanory infections. Transmitted by mosquitoes bites. Symptoms includes : severe weight loss, fainting, coughing up blood and death. Preventable with pills.

But there is other diseases your dog can suffer from, aside from the bacterial and viral ones.

Our homes are filled with plants and/or food that are a hazard waiting to happens if we are not careful enough.

Amongst the food that are dangerous :
- Chocolate                     - Grapes
- Fat trimmings                - Milk and/or dairy product
- Garlic/Onion                 - Yeast dough
- Mushroom                    - etc.

If you are uncertain about certain food, do some researches. I have found that the website  www.peteducation.com  is a good source of information.

Amongst the plants/flowers that we keep because they smell good or because they look good :
As per the ASPCA.org website, here is a non exhaustive list of poisonous plants for dogs :
- Aloe Vera                    - Poinsettia
- Daisies                         - Amarylis
- English Ivy                   - Begonia
- English holly                 - etc.

If you are uncertain about which plant/flowers that are/can be dangerous, visit the ASPCA.org website. They have a very extensive section about which plants/flowers and the symptoms of poisoning.

Next time you buy plants/flowers, ask the store if they have a list of plants that are/can be dangerous for your dog. When I choose my front yard plants last year, a nursery store in Burlington, Vermont, had such a list on hand. It made my choice so much easier and I am now a very loyal customer to  their store.

When adopting a dog, it quickly become clear that a dog is not a part time job. When loving our dog, it is OUR responsibilities to make sure they are safe.

A HEALTHY DOG IS A HAPPY DOG

   

Did you say kennel cough? What’s that?

If you live in America and have used a kennel or doggie day care facility, you know that you have to make sure that your dog received his kennel cough “shot”.

WHAT IS KENNEL COUGH

The canine tracheobronchitis, also known as the kennel cough, is a highly infectious disease of the upper respiratory system of your dog. Its agents travel by air (thus it’s highly contagious state) and can come from various sources. The Bordatella bronchiseptica is the most common source of the disease.

SYMPTOMS

The symptoms of the disease are easily recognizable. A dry hacking sound that can be sometimes followed by some retching (a little bit like the whooping cough with the humans) and a watery nasal discharge. If left untreated, the kennel cough can cause lethargy, fever, loss of appetite, pneumonia and/or death. The symptoms last usually between 14 and 20 days.

TREATMENT

After a diagnosis by the symptoms by a vet (blood works are also sometimes used), a treatment by antibiotics might be prescribed. The vet might also decide to let the disease run its course if the symptoms are mild. In case of pneumonia, it might be necessary to keep your dog under supervision with IV antibiotics at the vet.

It is also important to note that even after the disappearance of the symptoms, a dog can still infect other dogs because the disease can last from 6 to 14 weeks.

HOW CAN I PROTECT MY DOG?

By asking your vet to administered the spray shot at the same time as the yearly shots, should you have an active life with your dog or not.

NOTE – GOING ON VACATIONS

Before you go on vacations and leave your dog in a kennel facility or a doggie day care, call them ahead and ask for their acceptance criteria’s. Be aware that in some cities, like New York City, your dog has to be immunized every 6 months. Most cities will ask that your dog be immunized once a year only.

Because the kennel cough is such a highly contagious disease with sometimes a sad ending, it is important to protect our dog against it. Dogs are part of your family and should be treated as such.

source : pets.webmd.com and peteducation.com

Once upon a time...

Once upon a time,

A family lived a happy and always clean life. The floors of their new house were always clean. There was no fighting for place on the couch when they were watching a movie. They went to bed when they wanted and woke up when they felt like it. They particularly loved weekends because they could sleep-in late and eat bacon in peace.

Then, one day in winter, after much thinking, they decided to adopt a puppy that they named Jake.

They immediately realized that a puppy was a lot of work. They couldn’t sleep-in anymore. They couldn’t forget their dirty socks on the floor anymore.

Puppy Jake and E... Love

What they got was love and trust. They though: Wow, I can live without sleeping late during the weekend if it means that I can nap in the afternoon with a little ball of love.

Jake with a super antler

Eventually, the now family of four created new routines and habits and, as Jake was getting older, they all started to sleep-in again.

Despite their new sleeping habits, the nice green backyard was no longer immaculate. The floors needed more mopping and they could no longer forget T-Bones on the kitchen countertop.

But after giving Jake a super elk antler, they could start watching TV again without a big brown head appearing before their eyes.

But all that didn’t matter. They were in love. And they were happy.

So you think the story ends there?

You are wrong.

Because the family was so happy and felt like they were missing something, they decided to open their heart and rescue a dog. They thought: “One dog is manageable. How bad can two dogs be?”

Obviously, ignorance is bliss.

Bella

After many months of researches, they were chosen by a dog named Bella. Bella was already a puppylescent and she was a little bit peticular. She didn’t like the mailman. Or car rides. She thought that her new family existed for the sole purpose of receiving her love and giving her love. Or food. Or that they were a piece of furniture where she could lie down on when she felt like it.

 

The new life of the family was now crazy and hectic. It was filled with floors cleaning, poop picking and yellow rings in the backyard.

But who cared about that? Their dogs gave them new priorities in life, a new direction and a sense of what was important and not.

Their house had become a home. Where love and loyalty always came first. Closely followed by dirty paw prints.

Bella and Jake

My favorites dogs commercials

It is well known that if marketer wants to get our attention, they use two things. Babies and Pets.
I want to share with you my favorites dogs commercials, only because they make me smile and make me happy.

So here is number 5:
Bud Light Superbowl Commercial : BAD DOG


I have a wicked sense of humor, what can I say!

Number 4:
Pedigree

So good ! This commercial was made with a Phantom camera at 1,000 fps (frames-per-second) to capture the dogs in action. The result, is amazing!

Number 3:
Canada Post

Funny Driving Dog Prank!!!! - For more funny movies, click here

This one is not a commercial, it is just a funny prank of a dog driving a Canada Post truck.

Number 2:
Kraft Single

Share, little boy, share !

Number 1:
Hair Straightener Philips

HOT MAMA! You would never guess that it is about a hair straightener!

Do you have a favorite dog commercial? Please share it!

Ref Number4: http://dailycontributor.com/pedigree-slow-motion-dogs-commercial/12363/#ixzz130x4wuO8
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Non-Commercial

Halloween is fun and dangerous

Halloween is one of the most popular holidays of the year. We get to costume ourselves and we let go (a little bit) of our inhibition.

Although it is a fun family time, it has the potential to turn ugly, fast and in an expensive way. Our furry-family members are often forgotten, as our attention is focused on our little ones and or the trick-o-treaters.

The dangers are real. With all the door openings-closings, it is easy for a four legged friend to escape or to get anxious as he sees the Halloween guests.

Candy Bowl

But the risks don’t end at the door. The candy bowl that you keep by your door, for the little monsters? The content of the bowl is a disaster waiting to happen.

Candies are bad for your furry companions. Chocolate is known to be very toxic for dogs. The side effect goes from vomiting and diarrhea to seizures and death. The risks are not to be taken lightly. Recent researches have shown that not all chocolate can be lethal to dogs. But why take any chances? Place your candies bowl out of reach of your dog because in this case, it is better to be safe than sorry. And there is not only the chocolate that can be dangerous. The candy wrapping can be dangerous too. These wrappings can easily get stucked in a dog’s stomach and air-pipes, chocked him. Both cases (the chocolate/candy-wrappings) can force you to a visit with your dog worst enemy, the vet. Your dog won’t like the vet’s treatment – who can go as far as a surgery to eliminate the wrapping – and your wallet can get lighter fast, very fast. When you take in consideration that a “surprise, unplanned visit” to the vet plus treatment can easily reach a few thousand dollars.

No, that is not Jake... yet!

Can I costume my dog?

Absolutely. Please do so. Dogs are so cute and funny as a lion or a hot dog or a superhero. If they let you, that is. But please, before you buy the costume, check if it is safe. Buttons, ribbons, plastic pieces and anything else that can be ripped from a costume are all items that you should be on the lookout for.

The danger lies also with our own costumes. Just imagine losing your fake plastic (and surely) toxic witch nose... it wouldn’t last long enough on the floor for you to pick it up.

Ding Dong

On Halloween night, how many times will you open/close your front door? Some popular neighborhood will see more than 100 kids / door. Each time your door opens, it is one more chance your dog is given to run away. The best way to avoid having to spend the night calling the animals shelters, is not to let your dog on the loose inside. Keep him on his leash and keep him busy with an antler. Also, ALWAYS make sure that your dog wears his medals, that identify him by name, with your phone number.

Darth Vader might (will) scare your dog

Even a good, behaving dog can get surprised on Halloween’s night. You think not? What if you open your door to Darth Vader? Or to a kid that would wear something that would set your dog off? The last thing you need, on Halloween night, is an anxious, scared and excited dog that might bite one of the children.

What can you do?

To make sure your pooch is in a good state of mind on Halloween night, take a long, long, very long walk in the afternoon. By tiring your dog, at least 50 % of your worries will be gone. Of course, that doesn’t mean you should lower your guard. You should always be aware of what your dog is doing and how is his state of mind in order to try to diffuse any potential and dangerous situation.

In the kitchen, the dogs can still see who is at the door.

If you can, try to have your dog in a room that is closed by a child gate (life and furniture saver for the Green Dog’s human parents) so he can see and smell what is happening or, have somebody keep him on his leash. Another solution, is to keep the dog in his kennel, one the safest place for your dog. 

And also, don’t forget to keep him busy with an antler! A busy dog is a good dog!

Whatever solution you find, make sure you are comfortable with it.

And...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

BOUH!

Ref: What can happen if you dog ingest chocolate :
http://www.petmd.com

Ref: What makes chocolate toxic to your dog?

http://vetmedicine.about.com 

What is A LOT of antlers ?

We recently got more antlers and I took pictures of them. Check out our Petite, Medium, Large and X-Large antlers. Oh, and order one quickly if you want your antler in time to keep your dog busy while you answer the door to little monsters on Halloween night !

MEDIUM Take a look at the different shapes. Some have "knobs" and other don't.

X-LARGE This antler might not have been long, but it is quite large, which is why it is an X-Large

LARGE

A bunch of LARGE antler. Again, they have different shapes and forms. Another thing to note : the one before last still has the "velvet" (it is still hairy!)

PETITE Sorry about this one. I didn't think of putting a pen so you could judge of the size. FYI, they are all between 1 and 3 inches long.

What happened after we adopted Jake?

For those who read our post about how we adopted Jake, here is an article I wrote in June 2009.

You see, when you adopt a puppy, life doesn't just come easy. A puppy is A LOT of work. And when you have mastered the house broken stage and your life is finally more settled, your puppy goes from puppy to ... puppylescent. Yup. Just like an adolescent.

Here is what could be considered like a Part II of a puppy story :

Being a new pet owner, I wanted to share my experiences with a teenage dog.

 

Jake just ate his second dog-bed

As the new teeth were coming out, Jake’s behavior started to change. And not in a good way.

Oh no. It did not. 

He started to bark when I was spending time on the computer or, worse, when I was telling NO and DON’T (don’t chew, don’t jump, don’t steal my socks or any kind of underwear). He started to run, to be a turbo puppy. Outside or inside, it made no difference to him, with his behind almost touching the ground while he was running, his ears in the back of his head and his tongue hanging out on the side of his mouth.

A puppylescent without appropriate training

Crazy dog.

His hygiene habits started to regress. For those who don’t know, carpet is now the new grass.

Some of the frustrations I was going through with those changes sounded awfully familiar to me. So I made a short list of my puppy’s newly acquired behaviors.

1. Unexpected burst of energy, followed by a nap that is like a mommy’s sleep: nothing can wake him up.
2. An order is followed by nagging, barking and running away from me.
3. When mommy’s busy, it means that it is okay to go in her bedroom to steal what he wants. It is also okay to let mommy know when he is not happy by barking. This, lately, happens a lot.
4.  If daddy gives him more treats than mommy, his loyalty goes to daddy and vice versa.
5. Have the ability to destroy what he wants. With his teeth.

After reading this, something in my mind clicked. It did sound exactly like what I know about teenagers.

Does that mean that…

My dog, acting like a teenager ?

No way! But the more I was reading about it, the more I was talking about it to professionals, the more all the fingers were pointing toward the only possible conclusion.

Adolescence 

I also learned that from 0 to 5-6 months, a dog was going through puppyhood. Adulthood comes only at around three years old. Quick calculation. That’s means that teenage years last about… two and a half years.

In order to make life easier, my puppylescent is going to start obedience lessons. Oh, yeah.

Jake, a.k.a Buster Brown, you are going to learn how to fetch, drop, sit, lie down, heel and all those other commands that somehow, you and I have not been able to work out. I will do what is necessary for you to become a responsible teenager. Because I have every intentions to keep you for a very long time.

And I intend to keep my shoes a very long time too.

The original article can be found here : http://gomestic.com/pets/my-dog-is-a-teenager/2/

Product Review - Rubbermaid Reveal Mop (RRM)

As a new dog owner, I quickly discovered that clean floors and dogs don’t necessary make a good match. From the end of September to May, everyday, I have to wipe my dogs’s paws in order to have a “simili” clean kitchen floor. 

One backyard and two dogs

One Kitchen Floor

Equals one dirty Swiffer WetJet pad VERY dirty !

As a thumb of rule, during the day, I keep the dogs with me in the kitchen while I work on my laptop. This way, if I feel like not wiping their paws ten times a day, well, the mess is under control, in one room. Of course, I get the evil eye from my spoiled Lab Jake, who would prefer to lie down on the couch or on DD’s bed. 

I usually use the Swiffer Wet Jet (SWJ) to clean my floor, at least 3 times a day. But lately, as everything gets more and more expensive, I was starting to look at another avenue to clean my floors. Something more eco-friendly and cheaper. 

I found the new Rubbermaid Reveal Mop as I was shopping at Price Shopper and I got it. I had it for a week now and I love it ! The RRM uses MY OWN cleaning solution and uses washable pads, which is a huge economy for us. 

Let’s see the maths behind my decision :

Swiffer Wet Jet			Rubbermaid Reveal
Starter kits	19.97		Starter	24.99 (Price Shopper)
Cleaning solution Refills (2 bottles)	8.74 x 8 to 10		Cleaning Solution Refills (Mr. Clean Powerful Multi-Surface Cleaner)	3.38 x 4
Pads Refills (24 ct)	11.97 x 365		Pads Refills (1 pad is good will last for 100 washes)	3.99 x 4
Annual Total	289.41		Annual Total	54.47

I made the calculation this way : 

I clean my floor every day. More than once. But let’s take an easy number, to simplify the whole process.

1 washes / day = 365 washes = 365 Swiffer Pads = $15.96 RR and $182.04 SWJ

At least 8-10 bottles SWJ / year = 34.96 / 87.40

At least 4 bottles of Mr. Clean RR = 13.52

I also have to add that I went on WalMart.com, to find the prices. It is possible to find all of these items cheaper on the web. The only item that is not from WalMart, is the RR Mop, that I found at Price Shopper, for 24.99.

After seeing these numbers, it is quite easy to see why I made the change. It is a very cool feeling to not have to depend on a product that can, or not, go on sale when you need it. And if you are like me, you can even use some green solution, that is 100% biodegradable. 

So, are you ready to make the change, dogs lovers ?