Last weekend, I returned from a well-deserved vacation in Acapulco back to my home in Illinois.  It was an entirely relaxing and stress-free week.  However, once we began our journey back home, we ran into several problems.  The difficulties ranged from misplaced entry documents to lost tickets, lost wallets and lost luggage.  But none of these problems phased me like the one I came upon while claiming my baggage at O’Hare Airport.  Passengers on our flight had been misinformed as to the baggage claim carousel where we would pick up our luggage.  After about 10 minutes of waiting at the wrong carousel, a representative from American Airlines informed us we could find our bags several carousels down from the one we were at.  When we got there, not only was the carousel broken but our luggage was strewn all about the floor.

We spent a good 10 minutes walking through the mess and rifling luggage tags (of similar) to find the ones that belonged to our group.  Even though we knew all 8 pieces made it on the flight, we were short one big bag.

While two from our group were standing with our recovered luggage they noticed a sad sight at the “over-sized” baggage claim; a small dog crate with an 8-week old puppy sat unattended.  One of our group members called out to me, ” . . . look at that dog crate over there!  That poor puppy is scared half to death!  They’re throwing bags on top of his crate! . . .”  I immediately went into action and removed the golf clubs and skis from the top of his crate.

My next step was to softly speak to the puppy.  He was  scared and cowered in the corner of his small crate.  Taped to the top of his crate was his shipping information, a water bottle and a small bag of kibble.  Upon reading his shipping information, I realized that he had not only been sitting there a while, but hadn’t had water (or food) for over 8 hours!  TSA be damned; I ripped the water bottle from the tape, opened the spout and squirted some water into his bowl.  Such happiness erupted in this small little creature!  He lapped it up and looked for more, which I gladly gave him.  “Don’t worry little one, help is here . . .”, I consoled him.  This poor guy had been on a delayed flight and missed his connection to his new home.  He was traveling alone.

Aussies in Crate

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We all take care to make sure we brush our teeth daily, as well as floss and perhaps use a  mouthwash and/or scrape our tongues.  Many also add to that regimen, whitening their teeth several times a year.  After-all, a healthy, beautiful smile is our goal isn’t it?  But do you take the same care with your dog’s teeth?  February is Pet Dental Month.  Take this month as a time to begin or continue proper pet dental care.

We often dismiss doggy breath as just that, something that is inherent to dogs.  Or maybe you chaulk it up to their food?  Truth be known, bad breath in a dog may indicate periodontal disease, one of the most common diseases in dogs.  Periodontal disease is no laughing matter.  Left untreated, the plaque and tartar can cause severe inflammation of their gums, which in turn can lead to bleeding gums and ultimately tooth loss.

Prevention is so easy; all you need to do is practice good oral hygiene with your dog by regularly brushing and cleaning your dog’s mouth and gums.  Include with this, regular visits to your vet and dental cleanings as advised.  An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!  Both you and your dog will be smiling.

Last summer (7/31/09), Representative Thaddeus G. McCotter (R-MI) introduced in to legislation an amendment to the Internal Revenue Code (Bill Number, H.R. 3501) to allow a deduction of up to $3500 for veterinary and other pet care expenses for qualified pets (defined as “legally owned, domesticated, live animals”).  This Act is called  the ‘Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years (HAPPY) Act’.  As described in the act, Qualified Pet Care Expenses means amounts paid in connection with providing care (including veterinary care) for a qualified pet (legally owned, domesticated, live animal. It does not include any animal used for research or owned or utilized in conjunction with a trade or business or with respect to which the taxpayer has claimed a deduction under section 162 or 213 in any of te preceding 3 taxable years.)  http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h3501/text

The ASPCA supports this bill, as it reminds us, “Pet care can be expensive—and in these trying economic times, families all over the country have been forced to give up their pets because of financial hardship. The HAPPY Act is important because it will help Americans provide their pets with the medical attention and quality of life they deserve, while also ensuring that more pets get to remain in their loving homes and don’t wind up on the streets or in the already overburdened shelter system.” https://secure2.convio.net/aspca/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=2605

You can help pass the HAPPY Act, H.R. 3501 by contacting your U.S. representative found here and urging him or her to co-sponsor or vote yes for this bill!

Fatal allergic reactions to food are rare in dogs.  But, your dog can suddenly develop an allergic reaction to his everyday food.  Yes, food that he has been eating steadily for years.  You see, it takes time for an allergy to develop in your dog.  His immune system, over time, becomes sensitive to the allergen and his immune system will gradually develop a defense against that allergen.  So, he can be a healthy dog one day, and a itching mess the next.

If your dog suddenly develops pruritis, pollens, mold and house dust are usually the cause (approximately 90% of the time).  But the other 10% of the time, his food is most likely the culprit.  This itchy skin condition can result in loss of hair and skin wounds with an increased chance of bacterial infection.  (Symptoms include chewing and licking their feet, rash in the armpit or groin area.  Also they may have itchy areas around their muzzle or eyes which causes them to rub their faces on things.) Your dog may also become victim to gastrointestinal problems such as vomiting, soft stools with blood/mucus and weight loss.  (Suffering from both pruritis and gastrointestinal problems are rare signs of food allergies.)  Some dogs are thought to be more susceptible to food allergens though this hasn’t been proven.  But age and gender do appear to have a correlation.

If you suspect that your dog may have developed an allergy to his diet, consult your veterinarian.  He can run diagnostic tests to rule out other causes of the skin eruptions.  Other such causes run from medications, inhalants (pollen, mold) or flea bites (a very common cause of allergic reactions in dogs).  Your vet will also be able to determine if the cause is due to how he metabolizes certain substances (lactose for example).

That being said, most dogs that exhibit allergy symptoms to food are allergic to the protein source (Kathryn Michel, DVM, assistant professor of nutrition at the Univ of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine). To find the culprit, the dog should be put on an elimination diet, often referred to as a “hypoallergenic” diet (available only from a veterinarian & can be expensive), for a period of 4 to 6 weeks.  If your dog is allergic to something in its usual diet, the allergic signs will gradually come to an end.  After the symptoms have disappeared, pieces of their original diet are reintroduced, one at a time.  For example, if their food contained lamb and chicken, you may reintroduce lamb to their diet and if the allergy doesn’t return after several weeks, you can assume it isn’t the offending protein.  Then you add chicken, and if the allergy erupts again, you can assume that chicken is causing the allergy.  (Please note that this elimination diet should be conducted under the supervision of your vet.)