Pet Goddess

 The advantage of getting one from a shelter is that they are often put through many tests to determine their character and temperament, so you will know a lot about them prior to adopting them.  

Are they good with kids? Cats? Other dogs? Lots of people and activity in the house?  This will not be like getting a puppy and having no idea what its personality will be.  

The humane society shelters puppies that are waiting for you to give them a good home.  You may even find a purebred amongst the group. Choose carefully.   

Don’t choose a large breed puppy because he gives you the “sad eye” and then later find out that he barks all night to your neighbors’ dismay and your own misery. 

Posted November 4, 2008 Comments(0)

 Many puppies are dropped off by owners at the humane society.  The humane society has gotten a bad rap as a place for unwell strays and difficult dogs.   

This is NOT always so.  Many puppies end up at humane societies because their previous owner didn’t take their decision to have a pet seriously.   

Again, they go for dogs based on looks rather than personality and how they will fit in with everyone’s generally busy lifestyle. 

Many times it’s something as simple as the previous owner has become sick and can no longer care for the animal properly. Otherwise the animal is healthy and was well cared for and loved prior being taken to the humane society.   

There can be many other reasons a puppy may end up in a humane society, so be sure to ask lots of questions about any puppy you may be considering getting. 

Posted November 2, 2008 Comments(0)

Here is a great article from PetPlace.com  on this topic.

Medicines dangerous to dogs 

Posted October 28, 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)

What You Can Do for Your Pet if they have Glaucoma

Optimal treatment for your pet requires a combination of home and professional veterinary care. Follow-up will be critical. You should:

·  Understand the symptoms of glaucoma so that you can catch an increase of pressure in the eye right away. Frequently this applies most to a pet on medical therapy, in which you are trying to maintain some vision in a diseased eye.

It also applies when the first eye lost vision very quickly due to glaucoma and you are trying to protect the second eye. Saving vision in an eye with high pressure can be a race against the clock so the symptoms to look out for listed above are very important.

·  Because time is of the essence with this disease, YOU are  the front line of defense when there is a problem until you can get to your veterinarian or veterinary ophthalmologist. If you wouldn’t delay in seeking treatment for glaucoma for yourself, don’t let your pet wait, because it could cost him or her its vision.

·  Understand what medications your pet is on and why, and administer them as prescribed by your vet.

·  Be certain to alert your veterinarian if you are experiencing problems treating your pet. Frequent trips to your veterinarian may be necessary.

Medications are frequently adjusted to maintain comfort and/or protect the vision of your pet, or to monitor a visual eye if the other eye has gone blind from glaucoma.

·  Despite treatment, most dogs with glaucoma will be blind in that eye within 36 to 48 months and, if predisposed to glaucoma, will likely fall victim to the condition in their other eye as well.

Medications may delay that process, but they must be strictly adhered to. Surgical removal of a blind eye is recommended once all treatment has ended.

Posted July 13, 2008 Comments(0)

Getting Treatment for Pet Glaucoma

If you suspect that your pet has an increase in pressure in an eye, it is best to treat the problem quickly, because glaucoma can cause severe damage in a short amount of time.

After taking a complete medical history and doing a physical exam, your vet or veterinary ophthalmologist may diagnose whether your pet in fact suffers from glaucoma through tests that include a complete eye exam; a check of the pressure inside of the eye (called tonometry); gonioscopy, a test that evaluates the drainage pathway; and eye ultrasound, which can help identify lenses or tumors that are out of place in the eye, if the doctor can’t determine this through a normal eye exam.

Treatment for glaucoma is generally aimed at decreasing the production of fluid inside the eye, increasing the flow of fluid out of the eye and controlling any inflammation inside the eye. Topical medications (drops and ointments placed directly on the eye) and systemic medications (pills or injections) are available.

Surgery may also be recommended. This can include trying to “kill” some of the cells that produce fluid inside of the eye by laser or deep-freeze; trying to create a different drainage pathway; removing the eye; placing a prosthesis in the “shell” of the eye; or injecting a medication into the eye to “kill” the fluid producing cells.

Posted July 12, 2008 Comments(0)

It is essential to evaluate the pupil in a red, squinty, teary eye with or without the cloudy surface appearance.

The pupil is the black hole in the center of the eye formed by the iris, which is the colored part of the eye.

If the pupil is widely dilated (a large black spot with minimally colored parts visible) and it doesn’t contract (get smaller) in response to a bright light, glaucoma is highly possible.

When checking the pupil response, don’t be confused by the normal reflection of bluish/green or yellowish/orange that is frequently seen shining through the black hole of the pupil (like red eye in a bad photo)

Assessing your pet’s vision can be difficult, but is very helpful. Your pet should blink to a bright light shown into the eye. Without creating airflow or touching any whiskers, see if your pet blinks when you wave your hand in front of the eye (known as the “menace test” because your pet is responding to a menacing gesture).

You can also throw objects like cotton balls (anything that won’t make a sound when it lands) in front of your pet to see if s/he follows the object.

 Setting up mazes can also be helpful; move chairs or garbage cans around in a room that is familiar to your pet, and then see if they can navigate across the room. This type of test will be less effective if only one eye is affected, but will still give you some indication as to how well your dog (especially senior ones) can see.

Posted July 11, 2008 Comments(1)

The fluid outflow pathway in the eye is commonly known as the drainage angle. For proper outflow, the angle needs to be open in a way that the fluid will flow through small holes, as in a sieve.

In breeds predisposed to glaucoma, there is usually a narrow angle or inadequate holes in the sieve (known as goniodysgenesis).

Symptoms of Glaucoma in Pets to look out for.

·  A red eye

·  A very squinty and painful eye

·  A lot of tearing

·  A dilated pupil that doesn’t react to light

·  A cloudy (whitish/blue) cornea (front surface of the eye)

·  A big, bulging eye (a condition known as buphthalmia)

·  Vision loss

Be especially vigilant during allergy season. If the redness persists more than a day or two, definitely take your pet to the vet.

Glaucoma generally only affects one eye initially. Depending on the cause, the other eye may be at risk for developing glaucoma in the future.

Many diseases can cause a red, squinty, teary and cloudy eye, but glaucoma should always be considered as a cause.

Frequently, when the pressure is high, pets are in a lot of pain and hold the eye closed or keep the third eyelid (a pink/red membrane) up over the eye, making it difficult to assess. (The third eyelid showing is often referred to as cherry eye)

Posted July 10, 2008 Comments(0)

What Causes Glaucoma?

There are primary and secondary causes of glaucoma:

·  Primary glaucoma involves a problem in the way that the eyeball developed. Cases of primary glaucoma generally occur in breeds that are genetically predisposed to suffering from the condition, particularly breeds with bulging eyes or large eyes proportional to the skull.

·  Primary glaucoma is much more common in dogs than in cats.

·  Secondary glaucoma encompasses many causes, including inflammation that scars the eye and blocks fluid drainage; tumors that fill up the drainage pathway; an accident to the eye that causes it to fill with blood, that blocks and scars the drainage pathway; and lens luxation, a shift in the lens that can block a drainage pathway.

Inflammation inside the eye has many causes. In dogs, they include infectious diseases such as fungal disease and tick-transmitted disease and cataracts.

For cats, chronic anterior uveitis, an inflammation of the front of the eye, often leads to glaucoma.

With glaucoma, one or both eyes can eventually be affected depending on the cause of inflammation.

Posted July 9, 2008 Comments(0)