Pet Goddess

Flea bite dermatitis

When a flea bites your dog, proteins (antigens) in the insect’s saliva can cause an immune system reaction — the release of immunoglobulin that in turn causes itching.

Depending on the type of cell involved (mast cells, basophils, or T-lymphocytes in the blood) and the type of chemicals released, the irritation can begin immediately, in five-to-six hours or in 24-48 hours or a combination of the three — all from a single bite.

Small red raised bumps on the base of the tail and along the outside of the back legs, self-induced scratches, and thickened skin on the base of the tail are all signs of chronic flea allergy. The diagnosis can be confirmed with an intradermal skin allergy test at your vet’s.

Again, use your own judgement. You know your pet best, and should always be on the lookout for changes in skin, coat, or behavior. If you also have seen fleas, then chances are your dog has a flea allergy.

Posted July 30, 2008 Comments(0)

Signs of infestation

Fleas are masters of their universe. They can hide in a forest of pet hairs, especially on long-coated or double-coated dogs, and can zig-zag among and between hair shafts faster than an Olympic skier on a slalom course.

And then there’s the leap. Now you see a black speck with legs, and now you don’t. They can hop 150 times their own length.

So, don’t depend on seeing the flea to know if he’s there. Instead, look for clues.

If Fido scratches, he may have been bitten, but he may also have dry skin, an allergy, or mange mites.

If he bites at his rear end especially around his tail or the inside or outside of his thighs, fleas are a possibility. If you find tiny black particles that turn red when dropped on a damp paper towel, voila! That is flea feces, the damning evidence that there are fleas in your house. If you’re not sure, drop a bit of water on a suspect black speck.

While your may be slightly bothered by a flea or two, or may play host to a dozen or more without serious consequences, your cat may be the unlucky recipient of a tapeworm infestation courtesy of mama flea if they happen to eat one.

The tapeworm infestation, if left untreated, can lead to malnutrition and even stunted growth in the case of a puppy or kitten.

Your pets may be allergic to flea saliva when bitten, and develop mild to severe skin reactions to even a single bite. The tapeworm or the skin bumps may be the only signs that the fleas are present.

Posted July 28, 2008 Comments(0)

In the Midwest, the flea life cycle (adult flea to egg to larva to pupa to adult flea) takes about 35-40 days in early spring and 17-21 days in mid-summer. They thrive on warm weather, from about 70 70 to 80 degrees, and an environment of about 70% humidity.

By late summer, the heat has helped them thrive, and so September and October if there is an Indian summer, can help them thrive.

Fleas virtually shut down between November and March in most places, except the far south.

In southern and Gulf Coast states, fleas complete their cycles in 20 days or less for most of the year and only slow down a bit in mid-winter.

Humidity is critical to flea survival. Eggs need relative humidity of 70-75 percent to hatch, and larvae need at least 50 percent humidity to survive. In humid areas, about 20 percent of the eggs survive to adulthood; in arid areas, less than five percent complete the cycle.

All bets are off when your pet brings fleas in for the winter. Household warmth can keep the cocooned larvae alive until conditions are ripe for emergence of the adults, and may even allow life cycles to continue at a snail’s pace. They can wrap themselves in the fibers of your household fabrics, and the flea in the pupa stage is almost invulnerable to attack from chemicals.

Posted July 26, 2008 Comments(0)

Is that itch an itch, or a flea?

Ah, warm weather at last.

And with the warmer weather, longer days, budding trees and shrubs, bright-colored flowers come . . . and fleas.

By late spring, fleas begin to emerge from their pupae as adults and migrate to the nearest dog or cat for blood meals. An adult flea mates shortly after emergence, and begins laying eggs within 36 hours. In her brief 50-day lifespan, a single female flea can lay more than 2000 eggs.

Fleas are marvelously adapted for survival. The female lays eggs on the host animal, but the eggs fall to the ground, carpet, sofa, dog bed, owner’s bed, or easy chair where they hatch in two-to-five days.

The flea larva feeds on organic debris in the environment. Within a week or two, depending on temperature and humidity, the larva spins a pupa (or cocoon) to protect it during metamorphosis to the adulthood.

In the hard-shelled pupa, the larva transforms from a tiny maggot-like creature into a six-legged, blood-thirsty super-jumper able to leap 150 times its own body length, and the cycle begins anew.

Posted July 24, 2008 Comments(0)

Tick Season:

Now that the weather is improving and we are spending more time outdoors, you need to think about tick protection for your pet and your family.

 Ticks can carry diseases, including heartworm and Lyme, and jump from one host to another.

 You will want to use a tick prevention product from your vet; we list the main ones below. (Always follow instructions for maximum protection)

Make sure you inspect your pet daily for any unusual lumps or nodules on his body-especially if they like to spend time in tall grass.  You can easily spot the tick on the pets body if you part the fur.

  How to remove a tick from your cat or dog:

Removing a tick is easy if you just follow these simple steps.

To remove an attached tick, use a pair of fine-tipped tweezers or special tick removal instruments. These special devices allow one to remove the tick without squeezing the tick body.

This is important, as you do not want to crush the tick and force harmful bacteria to leave the tick and enter your pet’s bloodstream.

1. Grab the tick by the head or mouth parts right where they enter the skin. Do not grasp the tick by the body.
2. Without jerking, pull firmly and steadily directly outward. Do not twist the tick as you are pulling.
3. Using methods such as applying petroleum jelly, a hot match, or alcohol will NOT cause the tick to ‘back out.’ In fact, these irritants may cause the tick to deposit more disease-carrying saliva in the wound.
4. After removing the tick, place it in a jar of alcohol to kill it. Ticks are NOT killed by flushing them down the toilet.
5. Clean the bite wound with a disinfectant. If you want to, apply a small amount of a triple antibiotic ointment like Bacitracin to the wound.
6. Wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.

NEVER use your fingers to remove or dispose of the tick. The contents of the tick can transmit disease if you squeeze the body.

Once an embedded tick is manually removed, it is not uncommon for a welt and skin reaction to occur. A little hydrocortisone spray will help alleviate the irritation, but it may take a week or more for healing to take place.

In some cases, the tick bite may permanently scar leaving a hairless area. This skin irritation is due to a reaction to the tick’s saliva.

Many people are concerned about the tick head staying the body, but this is rare.

Make sure your pet is protected with one of the following against tick (and some protect against fleas as well):

Frontline® Plus

K9 Advantix®

bioSpot SPOT ON®

Preventic Tick Collar

Posted July 22, 2008 Comments(0)

It seems that a day does not go by where we do not see ads for Depends, Tena and other adult incontinence products.

 But what about for dogs?

 The good news is that senior dogs do not have to cause problems in your household, when there are aids that can help them.

We had a 10 year old male bichon we found wandering in the street who was covered with urine burns on his FRONT legs, and was all yellow all over all 4 legs, that was how much he was leaking all the time. We looked on line and found a seamstress who actually made custom made belly bands for male dogs.

Fortunately, they have now become mainstream in the past 10 years, so you can buy them easily at Drs. Foster and Smith, http://www.drsfostersmith.com.

For females there a bloomers, which can also be used for when she is in season. They cover fecal incontinence as well, so all you need is a pad inside the belly bad or bloomer to absorb liquid, and your pet is good to go.

We have tried every pad-take our word for it, the Poise pads are the best product of its kind, so you get what you pay for. Is your dog is medium sized, to save money, you can get the longest length of Poise pad, and then cut them in half. They absorb many, many ounces of urine without any problem.

 
Occasionally if you don’t put it on securely, it might slip off, or the weight of the pee in the pad will make it come off, but most days my girl is clean, dry and happy.

It is also good for animals who are very houseproud but might have an accident if you are away longer than you expect, and get upset.

They are also great if you are concerned about little accidents in the car and elsewhere. They open and close easily with velcro and are easy to wash and dry.

When I go visiting, I put them on my pet before we go into our friend’s houses, and then she is an elderly but welcome guest. I even take my pet to the office with me, and she also sleeps here on a pee pad.  

They can be a good training aid, and a godsend if you have to leave them at home while you head off to work.

 So remember, Poise pads are not just for humans, they are for your senior pet as well, along with a bloomer or belly band!

Posted July 20, 2008 Comments(1)

As we have discussed at this site, we believe that a crate is an essential part of dog training, and a way to ensure a happy and well-balanced pet. Dogs are den animals, so they love a crate.
But there is no need to break the bank to buy one!

Big Dog Crate – It’s Huge – 54″x35″x45″ – Just $124.99 – Only at MuttMart – Everything for your dog for less!

(Also available in other sizes)

Posted July 18, 2008 Comments(0)

Let’s face it, barking is a bother for you, and everyone near you.
If your boy is a barker, there are a number of safe, healthy barking solutions.
Citronella is good because it not only discourages barking, it is a natural insect repellent and also discourages chewing.

Got a barking problem? The Citronella Anti-Bark Collar – Just $47.98 – Only at MuttMart – Everything for your dog for less!

Posted July 16, 2008 Comments(0)

Canine bloat, or gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV), is the number-one cause of death for several large and giant breeds of dogs. It is a life-threatening disorder and if left untreated, can result in death.

Bloat occurs when the stomach fills with food, water and/or gas. This results in increased pressure that enlarges and compresses the stomach, and eventually causes the stomach to rotate or twist into an abnormal position.

When the stomach twists, it actually clamps off the inflow and outflow of the stomach’s contents, and the blood which passes to and from the stomach to keep the tissues alive and pass nutrients.

When the blood supply to the organ is cut off, the organ starts to die, and it can cause a cascade of events that will eventually lead to death if the dog does not get help in time.
Approximately 30 percent of dogs that develop bloat die, or have to be euthanized.

Common signs of “bloat” include excessive drooling, and the motions of vomiting but with nothing coming out.

Be especially vigilant about your dog’s diet, to stop gassiness, and especially in summer, whether their drooling is heat-related, or something more sinister.

Breeds at most risk include breeds with deep narrow chests and large or giant breed dogs such as the Akita, bloodhound, collie, Great Dane, Irish setter, Irish wolfhound, Newfoundland, rottweiler, Saint Bernard, standard poodle and Weimaraner.

If you have a large or giant breed dog, make sure that you are familiar with the risks and signs of bloat. Any change in a dog’s attitude and mood, or unexplained eating, drinking or bowel habits (that is, not caused by, say, a change in food or lifestyle) are usually a sign that something is going on that needs to be investigate. Early identification and prompt treatment of bloat is essential, and can save your dog’s life. Beware of Bloat, and help protect your large breed dog.

Posted July 15, 2008 Comments(0)

If therapy for your pet’s glaucoma fails, understand that vision loss is not life threatening, and the vast majority of animals adjust very well to impaired vision or blindness. It is all a question of whether you as their human is able to adjust.

As with many diseases, pet glaucoma is not preventable, but it is highly treatable if caught in its early stages, so make sure you take your pet for regular check ups, and observe any changes in the appearance of the eye, behavior (bumping into things, shaking the head, not responding to you) or mood (agitated or lethargic and seemingly uninterested in things it would normally pay attention to).

You are your pet’s first line of defense against disease, so take time every day to bond with your pet with brushing or petting and look at their eyes every day. And who can resist them anyway!

Posted July 14, 2008 Comments(0)