Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Importance of Puppy 101

Have you looked at your puppy and said if you would just do what I ask?  Puppy 101 teaches you how to communicate with your Puppy to get the results you are asking, if what you are asking is in the realm of what your puppy can do.  We are taught everything we know from our parents and what we absorb from the world around us.  Our pets are no different.  We take our puppies away from Mom at about 8 weeks old, the most important time of impression in a puppies life is from 8-16 weeks.  It is our responsibility as pet parents to provide for our puppies during this critical time.  

What can you do for your pup during this critical time?  First get the pup to your favorite White House Animal Hospital Veterinarian to make sure all puppy vaccinations are up to date, the pup is healthy, and to start the socialization process.  Socialization starts with the members of your household and then the outside world  At White House Animal Hospital you can get the right start for your pup with Puppy gentling a technique that teaches your pup to trust you and look to you for direction in life.  This is an important step in creating a lasting bond between you and your pup.  We can also help in the do's and don'ts of house training.  There is a lot of bad and misinformation available in book and internet format that can lead to problems down the road.  Getting good and accurate information from and industry specialist is important in getting your pup off to the right start.  

White House Animal Hospital offers Puppy 101 and Puppy Play Tuesdays.  Puppy Play Tuesdays are a short half hour session of puppy socialization with an important Puppy Lesson that are held in the winter months.  Puppy 101 is and Introduction to basic dog obedience and White House Animal Hospital has 4 separate classes scheduled for the 2016 calendar year.  Puppy 101 is important in building a long and trusting relationship with your pup at an early age.  Puppy 101 is for puppies under 1 year of age to learn the basics of sit, stay, leave it, loose leash walking, prevent and stop jumping, pulling, and biting.  We will explore the world of puppy ownership and responsibility as a a pup parent is proving a high quality of life for your pup.  Another benefit of Puppy 101 at White House Animal Hospital is that the Puppy 101 test is the AKC STAR Puppy Test.  For more information please visit our Facebook Events page for upcoming classes.  https://www.facebook.com/pethospital/events

Kristi May, MS, CVPM, LVMT, AHT, BSA, ABCDT 
White House Animal Hospital 615-672-0357
https://www.facebook.com/pethospital/

Monday, November 9, 2015

Are you Overfeeding your Pet?

Pet Caloric Requirements and RER

Pets’ energy (Calorie) intake needs to maintain a healthy weight for their life stage and depends upon several factors. First, the energy to perform essential body functions like digestion, respiration, heart functions, brain functions, etc. (Resting Energy Requirements or RER), which can be calculated by multiplying the animal’s body weight in kilograms raised to the ¾ power by 70, for example, a 10kg (22lb) adult neutered dog of healthy weight needs RER = 70(10kg)3/4 ≈ 400 Calories/day. One also can use the charts below to estimate resting calorie needs.


Table 1. Known life stages and corresponding factors used to estimate daily energy needs for dogs.
Neutered adult
=1.6 x RER
Intact adult
=1.8 x RER
Inactive/obese prone
=1.2-1.4 x RER
Weight loss
=1.0 x RER for ideal weight
Weight gain
=1.2-1.8 x RER for ideal weight
Active, working dogs
=2.0-5.0 x RER
Puppy 0-4 months
=3.0 x RER
Puppy 4 months to adult
= 2.0 x RER
Source: http://vet.osu.edu/vmc/companion/our-services/nutrition-support-service/basic-calorie-calculator

Determining How Much Food to Feed

Richard H. Pitcairn, DVM, PhD, author of Dr. Pitcairn’s Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats, believes the most reliable approach is to feed what seems to be a reasonable amount and monitor his body weight.
“You should be able to feel your pet’s ribs easily as you slide your hand over his sides,” Pitcairn says. “If you can’t, he’s probably too heavy, so begin to feed a smaller quantity.”
If you’re using a commercial pet food, beware of the “feeding guidelines” on the bag or box. It lists different weights and the corresponding amount of food to feed your dog to maintain that weight, and should be used only as a rough guideline.
Many dogs are overweight because their families closely followed the directions on the label, which often indicates portion sizes that are too large. Dr. Link recommends that as a rule of thumb, unless the dog is over one hundred pounds, then do not feed more than 4 cups of food daily.
Starting at the low end of the suggested guidelines and then monitoring your dog for hunger and body condition is a good way to proceed.  If you are having difficulty finding the right diet or amount please contact White House Animal Hospital at http://www.whitehousevet.com/contactus.html

Treats Count as Calories

When feeding treats in a diet it is important to calculate them into the daily caloric intake, they are calories!  Most of us are guilty of sneaking a tasty table scrap to our pets during or after dinner. While there is not anything inherently wrong with giving your pet an occasional morsel left on your plate, there are some very good reasons to limit your handouts to treats made for dogs. Giving dogs a bit of leftover lean meat, non-buttered vegetables, and a little rice will not cause problems, but unfortunately, many people do not stop there.

Here are charts of common pet treats from Royal Canin to help you determine if you are over feeding with treats.




Overview of Pet Feeding

Choose a high-quality food and look at the recommendations on the label. Remember, these feeding recommendations are simply guidelines, not absolutes. There is often a wide range listed and there is little consistency in feeding guidelines between brands. You must consider the following, and adjust the food amount accordingly:
  • The actual calorie content of the food
  • Your pet's weight (and projected target weight if necessary). Ask your veterinarian if you're not sure about an ideal weight for your pet
  • Your pet's activity level
  • Other environmental variables (temperature)
  • Any additional calories from treats or table foods
  • Remember, most pets are overfed and under-exercised - so, if in doubt about how much to feed initially, feed a little less
After you have started feeding your pet an appropriate amount of food, weigh your pet at least once a month to determine if you (and your pet) are on the right track. If necessary, increase or decrease the amount of food slightly until the pet stays at his ideal weight. You can easily weigh your small dog or cat on your bathroom scale - simply weigh yourself while you hold your pet, then weigh yourself without your pet and subtract the difference. Larger dogs can usually be weighed at your veterinarian's office just stop on in and use our scale at White House Animal Hospital, no appointment necessary. Remember, most pets are overfed and under-exercised - so, if in doubt about how much to feed initially, feed a little less. 

Kristi May, MS, CVPM, LVT, AHT, BS, ABCDT 
White House Animal Hospital 615-672-0357
https://www.facebook.com/pethospital/



Friday, November 6, 2015

10 Fall Pet Safety Tips


1. Beware of anti-freeze! Ingesting antifreeze is lethal. Unfortunately both cats and dogs have been known to lick this sweet tasting substance. Make sure to check your car for leaks and make sure all bottles are stored far away from your pets.

2. Don’t leave your pets outside for prolonged periods of time. It doesn’t have to be Winter for it to get cold--especially for puppies, senior pets and smaller animals.

3. Beware of ticks. It’s still tick season and playing in the cool autumn leaves is one of the many ways your pooch could get them. 
  
4. Let em’ have their fur coat. If you have a dog that you shave during the summer, let him start growing his coat back in the fall. Just like you need your Fall/Winter coat he’ll needs his too.

5. The changing of seasons is great time to check your pet ID tags and microchip. Just take 5 minutes to make sure all your pet’s information is up to date and in proper order.

6. Make holiday arrangements with your dog walker, pet sitter or doggy day care NOW. As the holidays approach, most of us will get busier and possibly have to travel. Take time out and plan ahead so you can make the holidays easier on your pets.

7. Fall celebrations such as Thanksgiving and Halloween, often mean people coming over to visit your home. If you have a pet that has special needs or is wary of new people, be sure to tell your guests about your pet before they come over.

8. Make sure your pets can’t escape through the main entrance of your home. This is especially important if you plan on having several guests in and out of the house this holiday season. It may be worth investing in a baby gate or creating some kind of barrier between the door and your pet. Especially if you have pet that’s known for bolting.

9. Be careful with holiday treats. Aside from known hazards such as chocolate,  cooked bones, raw bread dough and many fruits and vegetables can also be life threatening to pets.

10. Be careful with decorations. Many shiny new decorations look like really fun toys to your pets. Make sure decorations are out of reach because many of them contain toxic metals and can become choking hazards.

Kristi May, MS, CVPM, LVMT, AHT, BSA, ABCDT 
White House Animal Hospital 615-672-0357
https://www.facebook.com/pethospital/

Canine Diabetes

Canine Diabetes

Your dog has diabetes mellitus. You're not alone, an estimated 1 in 500 dogs has canine diabetes.

Normal Glucose Metabolism

During digestion, food is broken down into components that can be used by the body. Carbohydrates (starches) are converted into sugars, including glucose. Glucose is absorbed from the intestines into the blood and provides the body cells with energy.
Glucose can only enter most cells if the hormone insulin is present. Insulin is produced by specific cells in the pancreas, a special gland situated near the intestines.

What is diabetes mellitus?

Diabetes mellitus or “sugar diabetes” is caused by a lack of available insulin.
Diabetes occurs when your dog pancreas stops creating enough insulin to properly utilize digested sugars, fats and proteins, leaving blood sugar levels uncontrolled, or when the body’s cells no longer respond to normal levels of insulin. During digestion, food is broken down into many different components that your pet’s body can use. One of these components is glucose (derived from carbohydrates – or starches). The role of glucose is very important because it provides energy to your pet’s body cells. However, glucose can only enter those cells if the proper amount of the hormone insulin is present, and if the cells respond to it properly.

Diabetes is caused by:
  • Insufficient insulin production by the pancreas
  • Failure of the body cells to respond to insulin
The results are:
  • The cells cannot absorb enough glucose
  • Blood glucose concentrations are too high

What are the symptoms?


Two of the most common signs that your dog or cat may have developed diabetes includes: 1) a new insatiable thirst
2) a significant increase in hunger and eating (even where weight loss may be present). 

Without sufficient insulin, or with cells that cannot absorb and use glucose, excess sugar accumulates in the blood and then spills into the urine. Sugar in the urine causes the animal to pass large amounts of urine and then to subsequently develop an unusual thirst for water. 

Also, without sufficient glucose entering the cells, the brain becomes sugar-deprived and the animal becomes constantly hungry, yet may still lose weight because the ingested food is no longer being properly metabolized. A significant increase in eating -- combined with weight loss -- is an almost sure sign of diabetes. Two of the most common signs that your dog or cat may have developed diabetes includes: 1) a new insatiable thirst; and 2) a significant increase in hunger and eating (even where weight loss may be present). 

Without sufficient insulin, or with cells that cannot absorb and use glucose, excess sugar accumulates in the blood and then spills into the urine. Sugar in the urine causes the animal to pass large amounts of urine and then to subsequently develop an unusual thirst for water. 

Also, without sufficient glucose entering the cells, the brain becomes sugar-deprived and the animal becomes constantly hungry, yet may still lose weight because the ingested food is no longer being properly metabolized. A significant increase in eating -- combined with weight loss -- is an almost sure sign of diabetes. 

Dogs and cats with untreated diabetes may develop infections; most commonly, bladder, kidney or skin infections. Diabetic dogs -- and less frequently cats -- can also develop cataracts which may ultimately lead to blindness. Less common signs of diabetes are weakness in the back legs and an unsteady gait due to impaired nerve or muscle malfunction. Diabetes can -- if left untreated too long -- lead to death.

How do we test?

Samples of blood and urine from a canine or feline suspected of having diabetes will show large amounts of sugar. Your veterinarian may also do a blood screen of other organs to look for changes in the liver, kidney and pancreas. A urine sample may also be cultured to check for infection of the kidneys or bladder.  For the Month of November in 2015, White House Animal Hospital is offering 10% of In-house Blood Glucose Testing.  Book your pets Diabetes testing and exam online any time! http://www.whitehousevet.com/contactus.html


Are all dogs susceptible to diabetes?

Diabetes most typically occurs in middle aged to older dogs.
The following dog breeds appear to have an increased risk of developing diabetes:
  • Keeshond
  • Poodles
  • Samoyed
  • Daschund
  • Alaskan malamute
  • Miniature schnauzer
  • Chow chow
  • Beagle
  • Doberman
  • Labrador retriever
  • Hungarian puli
  • Golden retriever
  • Miniature pinscher
  • Old English sheepdog
  • Springer spaniel
  • Schipperke
  • Finnish spitz
  • West Highland white terrier
  • Cairn terrier
These are dog breeds in which veterinarians most commonly diagnose diabetes. Reports may be biased due to breed popularity. Pedigree analysis has, however, identified a genetic predisposition in Keeshonds and Samoyeds.

(Always consult with your veterinarian to properly diagnose any health problems. Misdiagnosis and/or mistreatment -- including OTC and/or homeopathic products -- can lead to dangerous complications.

Kristi May, MS, CVPM, LVMT, AHT, BS, ABCDT 
White House Animal Hospital 615-672-0357
Book your appointment online at http://www.whitehousevet.com/contactus.html
https://www.facebook.com/pethospital/