Choosing a Vet for your puppy

Once you pick your puppy, one of the first things you need to do is to pick a veterinarian.  It's best if you do this before you even get a puppy if possible.

So, how do you find a vet? Ask friends, family and neighbors for recommendations. You can also call your local SPCA to see who they would suggest. They often know the area vets.

When you have a list of vets to consider, call for an interview.  It's not that uncommon so don't worry about it appearing strange. When you get to the veterinarian's office,  notice if the place looks clean. The staff should be friendly and knowledgeable. When talking to the vet, you should not feel rushed. The vet should actually listen to you and answer your questions in English, not medicalese.  Does the vet give you advice and tips on caring for your puppy? If you are able to see how the vet interacts with animals, notice how gentle he is with them.

You do want to find a vet that is reasonably close to you. But proximity isn't the only thing to consider.

Do you want a small 1 person practice or a large clinic? There are advantages and disadvantages to both. Small practices are more personable, know your pet more intimately and are often more flexible.  But they may be limited on the hours and days they are open.

Larger clinics mean more options both in the times available and probably have more services available too. But you may never see the same vet twice. He/she has little chance to get to know you or your pet.

Does the vet offer Boarding services or overnight after surgery care should your pet need it?  How about grooming services? These thngs may or may not be important to you but it's good to know either way.

Find out where your vet stands on vaccinations. Some feel the dog needs every vaccine that is available. But more and more of them are going he "less is more" route and only give the vaccines that are absolutely necessary. I always ask for the 3 year vaccines whenever possible. Does your vet offer these?

Once you have found a vet and you take your puppy to her first visit, make sure to bring the puppy's medical records that you obtained from the breeder, shelter ot prior owner. The vet may also ask you to bring in a stool sample from your puppy too. Bring a list of questions that you have.

The first visit is the real test. You don't want to "vet hop" but if you feel uncomfortable with the vet during this visit, you can always find another if you need to.  Of course you need to ask yourself if you are uncomfortable because something seems "off" or because it's hard to see your fur baby getting poked and prodded.

You and your puppy will have a long term relationship with your veterinarian and his staff.  Do your part to make it a pleasant experience for all of you!

A Dog's Diet Influences Oral Health

Our dogs are our companions, our best friends, even part of our family. Dogs give us unconditional love. I know my crew waits for me at the door with their tails wagging. We want to do the best for our dogs. One way to take care of them that you might not have thought of is to take care of their teeth.

Something you may not be aware of is that their diet can have an affect on their oral health. Recent research has shown a definite link between poor dental health and a higher risk of heart disease. To help keep your dog's mouth healthy, it's important to brush his teeth to reduce plaque and tartar. If your dog won't let you do that (one of mine won't) at least wipe his gums with a damp cloth. Diet can also have an impact on your dog's oral health.

The type of food you feed, the treats you give him; all these can affect his oral health. Feeding a high quality dog food will help your dog's over all health including his mouth. Dry food gives his teeth a better work out and causes less plaque than canned dog food. People tend to not pay attention to the snacks they are eating and sometimes, this carries over to what treats they are feeding their pets too. We need to pay attention to anything we give our dogs to eat. If you give your dogs chewies, greenies, hard biscuits or rawhides, look for ones that help reduce the plaque. Your vet will have some good recommendations. And always supervise your dog while eating these things to avoid choking. Go for hard snacks over soft snacks.

Here's a great video on how to brush your dog's teeth:

5 Tips for Helping your Blind Dog

Hi, Joey here. No question this week but I do have an article I want to share with you. As an "elderly" gentleman, I am having some trouble losing my hearing and eyesight. So I asked Momma to write an article about how pet parents can help their dogs who are blind.

5 Tips for Helping your Blind Dog

Often as our canine companions age, their eyesight diminishes. Sometimes it can happen at any age due to illness or injury. Just as newly blind people adjust, dogs can too. There are things we can do to help them in their transition.

1 -Have strangers speak to him and avoid physical contact until your dog is comfortable with them and approaches them.  Sudden touches from people who's voices and smell are unfamiliar, can be very frightening to a dog who can not see.

2 -Keep him safe by putting up fences and barriers around dangers such as stairs, pools, ponds, and balconies. This is vital for a dog who's vision has diminished.

3 -Keep him on a leash and close to you in public. You don't want to take the chance of him wandering off and losing you or becoming startled and running out in traffic.

4 -Keep furniture in the same place and don't move things around as it will confuse him. He will become accustomed to where everything is and become quite adept at finding his way around the house.

5 -Keep his personal items (food and water bowls, bed and toys) close together. The fewer areas he has to wander around to find things, the better. It will be less confusing and more comforting.

Bonus Tip-Help him develop his other senses by talking to him and petting him often, give him squeeky toys and scented toys, give him things that are fun to chew on. By stimulating his other senses, you will help him to develop them faster and make his adjustment much easier.

Ask Joey-Does my dog have Epilepsy

Dear Joey,

I'm in 5th grade and my sister Cara is in 7th. We finally got a dog from the dog pound after begging for one forever. Today while playing with Pebbles, She started shaking really bad and foaming at the mouth. After a few minutes, she stopped.

My sister saw it too and said she has Epilepsy. She says she knows cos a kid in her class has it and acts the same way. She said not to tell my parents cos they might make us take the Pebble back to the pound. What should I do?

Randy E.

Dear Randy,

Epilepsy in dogs is something I am quite familiar with since I have it myself! The symptoms you describe do sound like Epilepsy but to be sure, Pebbles really needs to be checked out by a veterinarian.  It is really important for he to be seen by a doctor so they can figure out what is causing her seizures and help her to control them.

If it is Epilepsy, it may or may not need medication, depending on how often she has the seizures and how severe they are.  Really bad seizures can cause brain damage.

I am lucky in that my sezures only happen 3-4 times a year so I don't need to be on medication. My momma's friend has a little Beagle named Livvie who has to have medicine every day or she will have a seizure.

Here's a good article Momma found about Epilepsy in dogs: http://www.dogpro.com/canine-epilepsy.html

So please tell your parents so they can take Pebbles to a vet to get checked out.  Let them know how much you and your sister love Pebbles and how she needs your family's help now.  Good Luck!

How is Your Dog's Diet Effecting It's Health?

How is Your Dog's Diet Effecting It's Health

A balanced diet is somethign that everyone is concerned about, but what kind of diet should your dog be on if any? Here are a few answers to commonly asked questions about dog nutrition:

Does my dog need to have a nutritionally balanced diet like me? Dogs require a total of 39 nutrients in their daily diet, dosed in correct proportions. Some of these nutrients include: protein, fats, amino acids, vitamins and minerals. In addition to these nutrients in their food, water is also equally, if not more beneficial in a dog’s every day diet.

Should my dog have protein in their diet? Dogs are officially classified as omnivores. This means that they thrive on both meat and vegetable diets combined. Protein aids in the growth of bone and muscle in puppies, and keeps them strong as adults.

Should my dog have fiber in their diet? Fiber is beneficial to your pet’s digestive tract. It aids in constipation, weight loss, and helps keep their colon clean. However, too much fiber can be harmful to your pet by causing increased size and quantity of stool production, which can be painful or uncomfortable.

What about a fat-free diet for my dog? Dogs need fat. Fats provide more energy than carbohydrates and protein and they also make the food easier to eat and swallow. Fats also provide necessary fatty acids that help your pet’s skin to remain healthy as well as adding shine to their coat.

People sometimes need vitamin and mineral supplements. Does my dog need any? If you are giving your dog a balanced diet through their dog food, they should be getting all the proper vitamins and minerals they need. Because people need different levels of vitamins and minerals than dogs, supplements can actually be quite harmful to your pet. If you are concerned about your pet’s food and their vitamin and mineral intake, contact your veterinarian with any questions you may have.

How often should I feed my dog? Puppies should be fed two to three times a day, because they are rapidly growing and need the food to keep up with their energy and metabolism. Most owners feed adult dogs one or two times a day, depending on their personal preference, the recommendation of their vet, or on their dog’s activity level.

When considering food quantity, how much should I feed my dog? The best guide to go by is the instructions on the dog food packaging. Know your pet’s age, weight, activity level and size, and the instructions will tell you the proper amount of food to feed your pup.

As increased awareness about nutritional health makes its way through social circles, people begin to wonder about the nutritional health and needs of their pet. Remember, if you have any specific questions about your pet’s nutritional intake, make an appointment and ask your vet. They will be able to help you determine the best diet for your dog.

Provided by Jacob Humpfrey of www.pet-super-store.com: Where you can find amazing deals on Dog Steps and Dog Crates.