Tag: cats

Does Your Dog Have a Favorite Spot?

We may think we are the masters of our animal companions but, time and again, we see that they are the decision makers. We buy designer crates for our dogs and multi-level perches with hidden nests for our cats. We try to protect old joints with orthopedic pet mattresses. But our resident cats and dogs have their own ideas of the perfect resting spot.

Even on a restaurant patio, Poppy will scoot under the table.

Dog Caves

We have always had terriers – dogs designed to “go to ground.” One residual behavior for this inbred trait is the desire to be under things. Each of our dogs figured out a spot where she could happily nest away from pesky people. For Poppy it’s Ed's desk or our dining table.

This desire to have a hiding spot is said to have come from their ancestors who, as wild animals, would rest or hide in a den. It’s the reason crate training can work so well for dogs. If not overused, the time spent in a crate can be restful and calming. A crate can be a dog’s place of safety and security.

And, for the human side of the equation, today’s crates have come a long way from the wire cages that you see at dog shows, animal hospitals, and grooming shops. Some are designed to blend into your living room. You can have a wooden crate that looks like an end table in a mahogany finish; a Mid-Century modern oval fiberglass crate; or a sleek, shiny, steel circular one that can double as a cocktail table.

But, even if you succeed in training your dog to love his crate, don’t be surprised if he finds another spot around the house that he claims as the best and most wonderful place in the world.

Poppy also loves to snuggle into the corner of our sofa.

Cozy or Cool

For other animals, it is the lure of warmth or cold that directs their instincts to a favorite place. One friend has a cat who loves the bathroom sink. In the hot weather, she’ll find him sprawled in and about that marble surface.

And we all know both cats and dogs who will follow a sunbeam across the floor basking in the warmth coming through a window.

If it's cold at the beach, Poppy loves to share a chair and a sleeping bag with Penny.

Home Away From Home

That bathroom sink cat also loves to lounge in his cat carrier. That’s fortunate because it makes him more comfortable in it, when the carrier is used to transport him somewhere.

We’ve always used a crate in the car and in hotel rooms when traveling with dogs. In the car, a sturdy crate keeps my dog safer and more secure if we’re involved in an accident. It also keeps the dog from distracting the driver.

In hotel rooms, a crate will protect your dog from escaping if a staff member should enter the room for some reason. And, if the crate is used at home and contains a favorite blanket or pillow, it will also lend a sense of security and hominess for your pal.

Yes, many companion animals would rather be on the sofa with you most of the time. But, if you think about the dogs and cats who have shared your life, I’ll bet you’ll smile as you name a favorite spot that each of them chose as their own.

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino

(Adapted for BostonZest from one of our City Paws newspaper columns.)

October 22, 2017
Keep it to Yourself, Don’t Spread Canine Diseases

Last summer as we approached Howie, one of our neighborhood’s sweetest, best-behaved dogs, his guardian stopped us from allowing our dog to get close to his. The gentleman told us he was keeping Howie away from others because the pup was being treated for kennel cough.

Naturally, we thanked him for being so proactive, considerate, and helpful. He is exactly the kind of person we all hope to have as part of our dog community. He has raised a dog to be a good citizen, he follows the rules that govern being out and about with a dog, and he is as careful with our dog as he is with his.

Happily, Howie made a quick recovery and our Poppy was able to have a sniff fest with him again.

It helped that Howie pays attention to his person when asked and we were able to slip by without contact.

Know What Is Contagious

You should not only know what is contagious among dogs, but also how the disease is spread and what you can do to prevent your dog from becoming sick. For example, Mary Fuller, DVM, writing about Kennel Cough for Vet Street wrote, “This extremely contagious respiratory disease, also known as canine infectious tracheobronchitis, isn’t always caused by a single organism.” Your dog can get it from inhaling the virus or bacteria left behind by a sick dog at places where dogs congregate.

Other highly contagious canine diseases include: distemper, adenovirus [hepatitis], parainfluenza, and parvovirus. These all have vaccines that your dog may have been given by your veterinarian. Once initial immunity is established, you can do titer testing for all but rabies to be sure your pup is protected from one year to the next.

Our cat friends should also be protected from contagious diseases. (photo courtesy of American Veterinary Medical Association)

You may be offered vaccinations for other contagious diseases including coronavirus, leptospirosis, bordetella, lyme disease, and canine influenza.

There are also parasites that one dog can pass to another. We know that fleas and ticks love to ride on one dog and jump over to another like subway riders switching from the Red Line to the Green.

Other unwanted guests like roundworms, hookworms, sarcoptic mange, and giardia can be transmitted via feces, on soil, or in standing water including shared bowls.

Puppies like this one plus elderly and frail dogs need special protection from contagious diseases.

Doing Your Part in Prevention

In general, it’s a good idea to keep your dog away from other dogs when he is not feeling well and ask your friends to return the favor when their dogs are a bit under the weather. Something that a very healthy pup can shake off could be a death sentence for a frail or elderly dog.

We are often alerted when some sort of canine gastrointestinal issue that may be contagious is going around the area. You just have to observe the smears on the sidewalk where people with the best intentions try to pick up after a sick dog.

While our little Poppy has been a very healthy girl, we did face more health issues with our last dog Maggie Mae. Because of this, we know how difficult it can be to clean-up after your dog if they are suffering from an upset tummy or diarrhea.

We found that slipping a newspaper or a couple of paper towels under her would often catch most of the what she released. We’d then deposit the mess in a plastic bag and take it to the trash.

Today we still carry small absorbent puppy pads to do this sort of job just in case we ever need one. We have used these at home and in rental places to keep from soiling furniture and carpets, just as when Maggie was ill.

Thanks to all who do their best to alert us to sick dogs and clean-up as best they can when out and about.

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino

(Adapted for BostonZest from one of our City Paws newspaper columns.)

October 15, 2017
Preventive Care for Your Dog Can Save Money and Decrease Stress

Are you doing all you can to keep your pets healthy and save money? Preventive care, early diagnosis, and good home health habits are a few ways to save both lives and money.

Dental Care

Daily dental care is one way to save substantial money over the course of your pal’s life. It can also help you avoid treatment for chronic illness that can come about from untreated dental problems. Brushing your cat or dog’s teeth once a day is a help. Twice a day is even better. Make it part of your morning and evening routines.

Poppy’s dental routine began the day she joined our family. She’s already a cooperative partner in her twice daily brushings.

Either your veterinarian or groomer can give you tips for gaining your animal’s cooperation with tooth brushing. There are videos and pages of tips on the internet and most pet care books cover this topic.

Here's one good example, so take 5 minutes to watch this video on how to do it.

An examination of the mouth and a report on its condition should be a routine part of veterinary care. When the time comes to have a professional dental cleaning performed, always ask about the price, shop around for the best value, and the most experienced team.

For example, Angell Animal Medical Center has a dedicated “Dentistry Specialty Service.” Because this team performs more procedures and has the resources of the teaching hospital at hand, they can even treat some high-anesthesia-risk patients. They take referrals from veterinarians or you can make an appointment yourself.

Feed High Quality Food

Just as junk food can have an impact on human health, poor quality food can cause health issues in animals. Over the past few years, we’ve heard horror stories about the pet food industry.

Food is one area where pet guardians need to educate themselves. Read about your options, make your best decision, and feed your dogs and cats the highest quality food possible. If you decide on a homemade diet, either cooked or raw, be sure to have the nutrition checked by a professional and add supplements if needed.

Careful selection also applies to treats and ingestible chews. Obesity is a major health risk for dogs and cats. While you may measure meals and keep track of that caloric intake, you should also add the calories from treats and chews.

Try giving fresh vegetables as treats. Our Poppy loves raw cauliflower. She’ll sit quietly gnawing at a piece and not move until she has cleaned up every tiny bit.

Yes, higher quality food with fewer strange ingredients costs more. But, if you pay more for food now, you may pay less in future veterinary bills.

Exercise for Physical and Mental Health

The other half of the “keeping healthy” equation is exercise. Not only is it good for your dog or cat to have a regular exercise routine, but it’s also good for you. Taking a dog for regular long walks or runs will benefit both of you.

Keeping a dog well socialized means that you are making contact with members of your community on a regular basis. Study after study shows that this is a healthy thing to do and it makes your dog happier.

Some robust playtime with your cat and the laughs you’ll have during that activity will lighten your mood and supply a big dose of healthy endorphins.

All of this does take time and effort, but that is part of the commitment you made when you adopted an animal. And the thought that doing things for and with your pal will save money should be an added incentive.

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino

(Adapted for BostonZest from one of our City Paws newspaper columns.)

Related articles

Getting Us Outside: Another Way Dogs Are Good for Us

August 13, 2017
Preventive Care for Your Dog Can Save Money and Decrease Stress

Are you doing all you can to keep your pets healthy and save money? Preventive care, early diagnosis, and good home health habits are a few ways to save both lives and money.

Dental Care

Daily dental care is one way to save substantial money over the course of your pal’s life. It can also help you avoid treatment for chronic illness that can come about from untreated dental problems. Brushing your cat or dog’s teeth once a day is a help. Twice a day is even better. Make it part of your morning and evening routines.

Poppy’s dental routine began the day she joined our family. She’s already a cooperative partner in her twice daily brushings.

Either your veterinarian or groomer can give you tips for gaining your animal’s cooperation with tooth brushing. There are videos and pages of tips on the internet and most pet care books cover this topic.

Here's one good example, so take 5 minutes to watch this video on how to do it.

An examination of the mouth and a report on its condition should be a routine part of veterinary care. When the time comes to have a professional dental cleaning performed, always ask about the price, shop around for the best value, and the most experienced team.

For example, Angell Animal Medical Center has a dedicated “Dentistry Specialty Service.” Because this team performs more procedures and has the resources of the teaching hospital at hand, they can even treat some high-anesthesia-risk patients. They take referrals from veterinarians or you can make an appointment yourself.

Feed High Quality Food

Just as junk food can have an impact on human health, poor quality food can cause health issues in animals. Over the past few years, we’ve heard horror stories about the pet food industry.

Food is one area where pet guardians need to educate themselves. Read about your options, make your best decision, and feed your dogs and cats the highest quality food possible. If you decide on a homemade diet, either cooked or raw, be sure to have the nutrition checked by a professional and add supplements if needed.

Careful selection also applies to treats and ingestible chews. Obesity is a major health risk for dogs and cats. While you may measure meals and keep track of that caloric intake, you should also add the calories from treats and chews.

Try giving fresh vegetables as treats. Our Poppy loves raw cauliflower. She’ll sit quietly gnawing at a piece and not move until she has cleaned up every tiny bit.

Yes, higher quality food with fewer strange ingredients costs more. But, if you pay more for food now, you may pay less in future veterinary bills.

Exercise for Physical and Mental Health

The other half of the “keeping healthy” equation is exercise. Not only is it good for your dog or cat to have a regular exercise routine, but it’s also good for you. Taking a dog for regular long walks or runs will benefit both of you.

Keeping a dog well socialized means that you are making contact with members of your community on a regular basis. Study after study shows that this is a healthy thing to do and it makes your dog happier.

Some robust playtime with your cat and the laughs you’ll have during that activity will lighten your mood and supply a big dose of healthy endorphins.

All of this does take time and effort, but that is part of the commitment you made when you adopted an animal. And the thought that doing things for and with your pal will save money should be an added incentive.

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino

(Adapted for BostonZest from one of our City Paws newspaper columns.)

Related articles

Getting Us Outside: Another Way Dogs Are Good for Us

August 13, 2017
Organize Your Furry Family Members

It’s amazing how much stuff a dog or cat requires. Food, treats, leashes, collars, halters, medications, shampoos, toys, travel crates, and other equipment can take over a good part of a small city home.

Whether you have an older dog or a young pup, organizing their stuff will make everyone’s life easier.

The Right Place

A neighbor noticed the hook on our front door that holds our Poppy’s halter and leash. Not only does this spot put these tethers where we use them on a routine basis, but they are also exactly where we would want them in an emergency.

A friend with cats once had to do a fast exit when an alarm sounded. That required finding her cat carriers and getting the cats into them. That experience made her rethink where she stored the bags between trips to the vet.

We have a travel toiletry kit that holds everything we need for routine dog care or first aid. It also holds Poppy’s heartworm and flea medications and a few items we like to have along when we travel. That bag goes with us when we hit the road.

At home, dog toys live within Poppy's reach in the bottom basket of a three-tier storage stand near Ed’s desk. The upper levels hold a supply of pick up bags and bottles of water that we grab to go on walks.

Nearby, a covered wicker basket holds a supply of oversized towels for when we arrive home with a wet dog or to put down to protect our furniture and rugs when Poppy enjoys a chew treat.

Food Storage

When you live in an urban setting, rodent control is a factor in many decisions. In city homes, consider storing dry dog and cat food in secure, rodent-proof containers. Most of our dog’s food is kept in our freezer, but treats and some freeze-dried food like her Dr Harvey's Veg-to-Bowl is kept in glass mason jars.

Paperwork

Our puppy paperwork is in two places. Paper copies of important documents are in a notebook we can take to a veterinary emergency hospital at a moment’s notice. A second set of documents and complete records of all her medical care is scanned and stored in the cloud so we can access it from our phones. This can be of great value if you ever have to visit a veterinary hospital other than the one that already has your records.

Take a look around and see if you're happy with the organization of your dog or cat supplies, food, and information. And, if you have a great idea on this topic you'd like to share, you can add it to the comments below or send it to us @BostonZest on Twitter.

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino

(Adapted for BostonZest from one of our City Paws newspaper columns.)

July 23, 2017
Organize Your Furry Family Members

It’s amazing how much stuff a dog or cat requires. Food, treats, leashes, collars, halters, medications, shampoos, toys, travel crates, and other equipment can take over a good part of a small city home.

Whether you have an older dog or a young pup, organizing their stuff will make everyone’s life easier.

The Right Place

A neighbor noticed the hook on our front door that holds our Poppy’s halter and leash. Not only does this spot put these tethers where we use them on a routine basis, but they are also exactly where we would want them in an emergency.

A friend with cats once had to do a fast exit when an alarm sounded. That required finding her cat carriers and getting the cats into them. That experience made her rethink where she stored the bags between trips to the vet.

We have a travel toiletry kit that holds everything we need for routine dog care or first aid. It also holds Poppy’s heartworm and flea medications and a few items we like to have along when we travel. That bag goes with us when we hit the road.

At home, dog toys live within Poppy's reach in the bottom basket of a three-tier storage stand near Ed’s desk. The upper levels hold a supply of pick up bags and bottles of water that we grab to go on walks.

Nearby, a covered wicker basket holds a supply of oversized towels for when we arrive home with a wet dog or to put down to protect our furniture and rugs when Poppy enjoys a chew treat.

Food Storage

When you live in an urban setting, rodent control is a factor in many decisions. In city homes, consider storing dry dog and cat food in secure, rodent-proof containers. Most of our dog’s food is kept in our freezer, but treats and some freeze-dried food like her Dr Harvey's Veg-to-Bowl is kept in glass mason jars.

Paperwork

Our puppy paperwork is in two places. Paper copies of important documents are in a notebook we can take to a veterinary emergency hospital at a moment’s notice. A second set of documents and complete records of all her medical care is scanned and stored in the cloud so we can access it from our phones. This can be of great value if you ever have to visit a veterinary hospital other than the one that already has your records.

Take a look around and see if you're happy with the organization of your dog or cat supplies, food, and information. And, if you have a great idea on this topic you'd like to share, you can add it to the comments below or send it to us @BostonZest on Twitter.

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino

(Adapted for BostonZest from one of our City Paws newspaper columns.)

July 23, 2017
Calming Cues for All Sunday Dogs

Who knows more about calming stressed dogs and cats than those devoted people who work in animal shelters. Lately, some of these folks are helping researchers develop a soundtrack to reduce the stress of this living situation for their charges.

Emily Weiss, Ph.D, CAAB, Senior Director, Shelter Research & Development for the ASPCA reported the results of a recent study from Hartpury College in the United Kingdom. “They examined dogs’ behavior with regular kennel sounds (control condition), classical music, pop music, the psychoacoustically designed dog music and audiobooks. And what they found was pretty cool: Dogs spent more time resting and less time in vigilant behaviors when listening to audiobooks vs. any other condition!” Pop music brought on the most barking in this study.

A Colorado State study, reported, “Results suggest that classical music leads to kenneled dogs spending more time sleeping and less time vocalizing than when exposed to other music types or no music.” The loser is this study was heavy metal music which increased body shaking, a behavior suggestive of nervousness.

Our Westie Poppy has her own calming music collection, loaded onto an old iPod, that keeps her company when she’s home alone.

Taking It Home

We have used music with all three of our dogs and some fosters. Our first Westie Sassy had a seizure disorder. We found that playing soft classical music seemed to help her during the recovery phase of her seizures.

We used the same CD of piano concertos when we fostered a wild boy Westie named Cooper. He was less excitable when we played the music. We even made a gift of that CD to his adoptive family, but soon found ourselves buying another copy for our Maggie Mae as she aged.

Maggie had very specific taste in music. She adored March of the Toreadors from the Opera Carmen. And whistling was always her thing. Any whistler could win her heart. When we left her behind at home or in a strange place, we would always leave music for her. Not only does familiar music soothe a dog, but it also helps to mask outside sounds that might cause the pup to bark.

Poppy, our third Westie, loves anyone who speaks with an accent. She is especially fond of Scandinavian and British-accented English. She’ll sit totally transfixed if we watch TV’s New Scandinavian Cooking. And, in a nod to the first study mentioned, audiobooks with British accents are among Poppy’s favorites.

Your Soundtrack

With this information at hand, you might want to see what sounds, music, voices, or genres calm your dog or cat. Are there times when you should don your headphones rather than expose your companion to your favorite heavy metal band or a violent movie filled with explosions and gunshots?

Can you prepare a mix of music or download an audiobook that will run on a loop and keep your animal company when you are away? There are recordings that are designed for calming dogs, but they did not test as better than classical music or audiobooks.

In addition to music, you might take a look at other parts of the soundtrack of your home. Dogs react to loud voices, fans, vacuum cleaners, banging doors, and so on. There may be other ways you can lessen stress for your animals by addressing some of these issues.

We know that sound causes stress for people, too. Examining and adapting the soundscape of your life may not only mean a happier dog or cat, but also a less stressed you.

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: Hism master's voice from Google images licensed for reuse. Poppy sleeping ©2017 Penny Cherubino

(Adapted for BostonZest from one of our City Paws newspaper columns.)

May 14, 2017
Calming Cues for All Sunday Dogs

Who knows more about calming stressed dogs and cats than those devoted people who work in animal shelters. Lately, some of these folks are helping researchers develop a soundtrack to reduce the stress of this living situation for their charges.

Emily Weiss, Ph.D, CAAB, Senior Director, Shelter Research & Development for the ASPCA reported the results of a recent study from Hartpury College in the United Kingdom. “They examined dogs’ behavior with regular kennel sounds (control condition), classical music, pop music, the psychoacoustically designed dog music and audiobooks. And what they found was pretty cool: Dogs spent more time resting and less time in vigilant behaviors when listening to audiobooks vs. any other condition!” Pop music brought on the most barking in this study.

A Colorado State study, reported, “Results suggest that classical music leads to kenneled dogs spending more time sleeping and less time vocalizing than when exposed to other music types or no music.” The loser is this study was heavy metal music which increased body shaking, a behavior suggestive of nervousness.

Our Westie Poppy has her own calming music collection, loaded onto an old iPod, that keeps her company when she’s home alone.

Taking It Home

We have used music with all three of our dogs and some fosters. Our first Westie Sassy had a seizure disorder. We found that playing soft classical music seemed to help her during the recovery phase of her seizures.

We used the same CD of piano concertos when we fostered a wild boy Westie named Cooper. He was less excitable when we played the music. We even made a gift of that CD to his adoptive family, but soon found ourselves buying another copy for our Maggie Mae as she aged.

Maggie had very specific taste in music. She adored March of the Toreadors from the Opera Carmen. And whistling was always her thing. Any whistler could win her heart. When we left her behind at home or in a strange place, we would always leave music for her. Not only does familiar music soothe a dog, but it also helps to mask outside sounds that might cause the pup to bark.

Poppy, our third Westie, loves anyone who speaks with an accent. She is especially fond of Scandinavian and British-accented English. She’ll sit totally transfixed if we watch TV’s New Scandinavian Cooking. And, in a nod to the first study mentioned, audiobooks with British accents are among Poppy’s favorites.

Your Soundtrack

With this information at hand, you might want to see what sounds, music, voices, or genres calm your dog or cat. Are there times when you should don your headphones rather than expose your companion to your favorite heavy metal band or a violent movie filled with explosions and gunshots?

Can you prepare a mix of music or download an audiobook that will run on a loop and keep your animal company when you are away? There are recordings that are designed for calming dogs, but they did not test as better than classical music or audiobooks.

In addition to music, you might take a look at other parts of the soundtrack of your home. Dogs react to loud voices, fans, vacuum cleaners, banging doors, and so on. There may be other ways you can lessen stress for your animals by addressing some of these issues.

We know that sound causes stress for people, too. Examining and adapting the soundscape of your life may not only mean a happier dog or cat, but also a less stressed you.

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: Hism master's voice from Google images licensed for reuse. Poppy sleeping ©2017 Penny Cherubino

(Adapted for BostonZest from one of our City Paws newspaper columns.)

May 14, 2017
Dog Lovers, Use Your Phone for More than Photos

We bet you have a large collection of photos of your dogs and cats on your phone. We certainly do. A far more important use of our phones was sparked when Penny reviewed a study on dogs who were doing a lot of licking. She learned how you can use your phone to provide your veterinary team with vital information to help them with a diagnosis.

Take a Video of the Problem

The next time your dog or cat is limping, licking, gagging, or showing any other visible symptom that makes you think about a trip to the vet, take a video of the symptom or behavior. Upload the video to an Internet-based site and you can send a link to your vet or play it during your visit.

We all laugh about the number of times a symptom magically disappears when the cat or dog is on the examination table. If that occurs, you can present the video as a part of your report to the doctor.

Take Progressive Photos

In some cases, a close-up photo might work better to help you determine if an issue is getting worse or getting better. Taking a photo-a-day of an injury or problem can be a sure way for you and your vet to assess progress.

We did this recently when Poppy was under treatment for an irritated paw. Each day, after we cleaned and treated her paw, Ed would hold it as open as he could while Penny photographed the area. Looking at the photos together assured us the treatment was working and her paw was healing. You could do the same thing with videos if that works better.

About that Licking Study

I mentioned a study on dogs who were licking as a symptom of various problems. What I learned is that any odd licking should be reported to your vet the same way you would report a change in unusual eating or elimination symptoms. The study reported that 74% of dogs with excessive licking of surfaces had some form of a gastrointestinal disease. As a part of this study, the researchers had people take videos of the licking behavior.

Next Sunday, we'll share some tips for these photos and videos.

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino

(Adapted for BostonZest from one of our City Paws newspaper columns.)

Related articles

Canine Travel Alert for Our Sunday Dog Lovers

Tips and Links for Dealing with Allergy Season

A Sunday Beach Dog Playing on the Tidal Flats

April 9, 2017
Dog Lovers, Use Your Phone for More than Photos

We bet you have a large collection of photos of your dogs and cats on your phone. We certainly do. A far more important use of our phones was sparked when Penny reviewed a study on dogs who were doing a lot of licking. She learned how you can use your phone to provide your veterinary team with vital information to help them with a diagnosis.

Take a Video of the Problem

The next time your dog or cat is limping, licking, gagging, or showing any other visible symptom that makes you think about a trip to the vet, take a video of the symptom or behavior. Upload the video to an Internet-based site and you can send a link to your vet or play it during your visit.

We all laugh about the number of times a symptom magically disappears when the cat or dog is on the examination table. If that occurs, you can present the video as a part of your report to the doctor.

Take Progressive Photos

In some cases, a close-up photo might work better to help you determine if an issue is getting worse or getting better. Taking a photo-a-day of an injury or problem can be a sure way for you and your vet to assess progress.

We did this recently when Poppy was under treatment for an irritated paw. Each day, after we cleaned and treated her paw, Ed would hold it as open as he could while Penny photographed the area. Looking at the photos together assured us the treatment was working and her paw was healing. You could do the same thing with videos if that works better.

About that Licking Study

I mentioned a study on dogs who were licking as a symptom of various problems. What I learned is that any odd licking should be reported to your vet the same way you would report a change in unusual eating or elimination symptoms. The study reported that 74% of dogs with excessive licking of surfaces had some form of a gastrointestinal disease. As a part of this study, the researchers had people take videos of the licking behavior.

Next Sunday, we'll share some tips for these photos and videos.

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino

(Adapted for BostonZest from one of our City Paws newspaper columns.)

Related articles

Canine Travel Alert for Our Sunday Dog Lovers

Tips and Links for Dealing with Allergy Season

A Sunday Beach Dog Playing on the Tidal Flats

April 9, 2017