Treats! Treats! (The Wonderful Fruit.)

Dear Fellow Pet Lovers,

 

As many of you have learned, I am not a big pet treat fan for several reasons, but I do understand that many of you are.

 

You may remember the discussions about Chicken Jerky treats causing real problems up to death in thousands of dogs since 2006. The problems occurred most often in treats that, though from American companies, were actually produced in China. To this day, we do not know the entire problem with the treats.

 

A recent report indicated that the problem with chicken jerky treats for dogs has reduced dramatically, though there still are cases. Not all the cases were from Chinese product, and, again, we never totally discovered the cause of the problem.

 

So, I recommend that you never feed chicken jerky treats to your canine friends in any case.

 

If you are a real pet treater, and feel you must treat…

 

– Use a product, preferably one made in the US that is known to be safe.

– Do not feed large quantities of treats, as they are often rich and cause upset stomach and sometimes diarrhea.

– Avoid “tipping,” meaning giving your dog a treat every time he does what he is supposed to anyway.

– Use lots of attention and petting and talking to in lieu of large amounts of treats, and your dog will be happier and lighter.

 

So, there you have it. My take on treats….

 

See? Something CAN be done about preventing pet illness.

 

 

That is all.

 

 

Dr. John Emerson, Pet Emergency Clinic

Make Memorial Day 2016 a Good Memory

Dear Fellow Pet Lovers,

 

Memorial Day 2016 will be here very soon. This important holiday, which informally marks the start of the summer season, was established to honor all Americans who died while serving in the military. It was originally called “Decoration Day” and was first observed in 1868.

 

Every year, we all get together to celebrate, be together, maybe cook delicious food, and enjoy ourselves. And every year, we, as loving pet owners, determine to share “just a little treat” with begging Fideaux of the big sad eyes!

 

And every year, we at Pet Emergency Clinic treat a large number of those “begging Phydeauxs of the big sad eyes” for vomiting and diarrhea. Never fails.

 

So, why am I combining Memorial Day with diarrhea? Because they seem to go together as regards pets. That’s why!

 

Well, what can you do…???? I thought you would never ask!!

 

1- Do not feed your pet ANY new food during this time. Rather, give the pet lots of love and attention in lieu of diarrhea-causing treats and people food.

 

2- Keep your pet contained this holiday. The next most popular holiday fare at the ER is “Big Dog- Little Dog” fights and wounds.

 

 

Memorial Day is an important day on which we honor our American heroes. Do 1 and 2 above so the focus may stay on the heroes rather than the pets we have maybe made ill.

 

 

See? Something CAN be done about preventing pet illness.

 

 

That is all.

 

 

Dr. John Emerson, Pet Emergency Clinic

Peanut Butter Poisoning?

Dear Fellow Pet Lovers,

You may have seen in the news that some peanut butters may be toxic to dogs because they contain the sweetener Xylitol. Xylitol is a natural sweetener that is fine for people and is most often found in sugar-free gums.

But, in dogs, the product radically lowers the blood sugar to a point that could even be fatal. (This would be similar to a diabetic having an overdose of insulin) Do understand that the severity of the problem is usually related to just how much your dog got. That is, a tiny amount may be zero problems but a large amount may be a big problem.

So, if, like many pet owners, you give your pet pills in peanut butter, avoid any that are sweetened with Xylitol.

Some brands that use xylitol include: “Go Nuts,” “Hank’s Protein Plus Peanut Butter,” “Krush Nutrition,” “Nuts n More,” and “P28.”

There are several other names used for xylitol that include anhydroxylitol, birch bark extract, xylite, xylitylglucoside, and zylatol.

We have seen xylitol poisonings at the ER related to ingesting sugar-free gums, but so far no peanut butter problems.

As always, preventing problems with superior knowledge and planning trumps treating problems every time!

And finally,” Choosy Mothers Choose Non-xylitol-sweetened Peanut Butters.” So true!

That is all.

Dr. John Emerson, Pet Emergency Clinic

WHAT’S THE BEST PET??? SURVEY SAYS!!!!!? …

Dear Fellow Pet Lovers,
I often am asked what is the very best possible pet. (This is similar to being asked what is the best car, best spouse ,the best whatever). There is only ONE correct answer. It DEPENDS.
It really depends on what your needs are. And it also depends on what your WANTS are.
I so often see people with pets (and with cars and with other things) that I believe are impractical and may not make sense for them. But they have the pet and are happy, so why should I criticize ?
When you are getting a pet, it is very smart to get one that suits your lifestyle as well as your wants. For example, having a Great Dane and a Mastiff inside a small apartment when your work schedule involves 18 hour shifts would not make sense. Maybe a cat or smaller dog with a pet sitter would.
Some people get a breed to achieve a certain “look.” The avid young sportsman may feel that a Labrador helps with the right look, and it may be the right pet. But the young sportsman should be aware that Labradors (great breed) are energetic, need lots of exercise, and can be a handful if they are not well-trained.
Many people just love the English Bulldog breed and want to have one as a family pet. Yes, Bulldogs are wonderful, friendly, goofy pets that will make you laugh out loud. But they are also fragile animals that are cursed with many health problems. The potential owner should be prepared for all of this and for sometimes costly medical bills.
When the Chinese Shar-Pei first became popular in the 1980’s everybody wanted one of those “hairless, wrinkled, dogs. ” But the breed at first had severe medical problems and sometimes personality problems, making them a difficult pet. Good to know ahead of time.

So, what am I saying?

1- Make sure that you are able to physically house the type of pet that you are interested in. (Pretty basic)

2- Make sure that you are aware of the possible medical problems this type pet may get. Can you deal with the expense and the heartache that sometimes occurs?

3- Make sure how getting a certain breed will affect your homeowners insurance. Many breeds that are considered aggressive will cause a large increase in premiums or in some cases cancellation of your insurance. (I am not addressing whether these dogs in fact really deserve this; rather just what does happen.)

4- Be sure that you are able to spend time with your pet. This is more important than anything else. When you spend the needed amount of time, your pet can become a dream. And when you cannot, it may be a nightmare.

5- Consider the cost of medical care, high quality food, heartworm prevention, etc. which are in addition to the purchase price, if any. Does it fit your budget?

In my career, I have seen many people who could scrounge together $2000 to $3000 to purchase a fancy pet, but then they became frustrated because they could not afford the ongoing maintenance of such a pet. Consider adopting from the shelter, where, for a pretty low price, your new pet is updated on preventive care and not very costly. Now your $2000 can go a pretty long way towards pet maintenance.

Whatever happens, and whatever pet you choose, consult your DVM. For preliminary advice and for medical matters. And if these medical matters occur after hours, call Pet Emergency Clinic at 337-562-0400.

That is all.

Dr. John Emerson, Pet Emergency Clinic

BEWARE THE 4TH OF JULY

Dear Fellow Pet Lovers, 

On July 4, 1776 the Declaration of Independence announced separation from Great Britain, and the self-proclaimed United States of America was published. (I suppose that it took at least several weeks for Great Britain to learn of her rebellious colonies and to mount a response, since they weren’t able to “tweet” during that time). 

In any case, the day is a now huge holiday here in the US, including: parades, picnics, and, inevitably, fireworks. So, what has this got to do with a pet owner blog? Glad you asked!!!
Many of our pet animals have serious problems around holidays, especially July 4th. The two most common problems we deal with at the Pet ER are:

a- Eating the wrong food and the resultant vomiting and diarrhea. 

b- Terror and stress caused by the noise and sometimes the sight of fireworks. 
On the food front, you can probably recite my advice better than I can, and it goes like this: “Do not feed your pet treats or snacks of any kind on a holiday, just feed his normal diet.” The lack of drama will be really nice and you can enjoy your holiday.
On the fireworks front, it is really nice to be able to avoid the problem. If you can keep your pet in an inside room in your home that muffles the sounds and sights, it may help. 

Some pets get so stressed from fireworks noise that they have a seizure. Sometimes, giving a mild tranquilizer before the noise starts may head off or at least reduce the problem.
Oh, and I just thought of another common problem. Many people consider the leash laws optional or just sort of suggestions. Your well-controlled pet may then be attacked by some such “thug” pet, despite your responsible behavior. So be very wary of loose animals at this time of year too.

So if, on July 4, your pet experiences vomiting, diarrhea, fireworks anxiety that you are afraid may lead to seizure, attacks by another pet, or ANYTHING else, Pet Emergency Clinic will be open to help. Just show up. We will see you. 

That is all.

Dr. John Emerson, Pet Emergency Clinic