Patti's Pet Sitting Service, LLC

Important Articles and General Interest Items

Pet Sitter List of Recommended Readings . . . Six Essential Numbers for Every Pet Owner
Dog Food Recall--How Safe Are Our Best Friends?
Is Homemade Pet Food Safer Than Commercial Pet Food? 
Raw Meat Diets for Cats and Dogs
Symptoms of Pain and Illness in Dogs
Canine Heart Disease: A Silent Killer
What Do Pet Laboratory Tests Reveal?
Golden Retriever Finds New Home, New Purpose

Category: General

Six Essential Numbers for Every Pet Owner
By Dr. Olakunle Ayeni, DVM
This article was originally written for http://www.animalevent.com/ (which is no longer available).

Many times in life help is so near yet we often forget where to find it.  It is so near and oftentimes free, but we just don't remember where to access such vital information.  That is the case for many of us who are pet owners.  We know our vet and his or her emergency number, and that is it.  The internet is not helping either, with every Web site trying to lure us with "an online veterinarian on staff," but still we can't talk to a real person who will understand our problem and help with our need.  In particular, what should you do if there is a disaster, you lose Fido in an accident, your pet ingests a rare poison that your local vet and you do not know about, or your pet is lost or stolen?  "Well, I really don't know," someone once told me.

As I discovered, you can get help with a simple phone call from an old box invented by Mr. Bell.  I have pulled together pet resources and helpful phone numbers.  There are six important toll-free numbers every pet owner should have on their fridge at home.  This is a blueprint of vital information when you need one: free help for solving landlord-tenant issues, vet problems, neglect, and any form of abuse; where to call for emotional support when you have lost an animal friend; even where to spay your pet for little or nothing.  Your vet is great, but it doesn't hurt to save some money.  

These toll-free numbers are not only important, they can also help to save lives.

(1) National Pet Recovery Hotline: 1-800-252-7894
To report a lost or found pet, call AKC Companion Animal Recovery (AKC CAR) immediately.  AKC CAR is the nation's largest not-for-profit recovery service and has recovery coordinators standing by 24/7/365 to help reunite lost pets with their owners.  AKC CAR is dedicated to providing recovery services for pets with a microchip, tattoo, or AKC CAR collar tag.  Owners pay a nominal, one-time fee of $12.50 for the life of their pet.

AKC CAR, an affiliate of the American Kennel Club, was established in 1995.  AKC CAR enrolls all brands of microchips.  As a not-for-profit organization, AKC CAR funds veterinary student scholarships, canine search and rescue grants, and disaster relief efforts.  AKC CAR's primary goal is to help an owner stay connected for life with their companion animal.  AKC CAR has over 3.5 million animals enrolled in the service and has performed over 320,000 recoveries.  In addition to dogs, cats, horses, and birds, there are 31 other companion and exotic species enrolled.

In March, 2007 AKC CAR introduced the AKC CAR ID System™.  Consisting of microchips, scanners, and optional prepaid enrollments, and coupled with its recovery service, AKC CAR now offers a total and complete recovery system.  AKC CAR introduced the microchip in order to increase the number of lost pets that can be recovered.  The microchip contains a unique ID code that permanently links an owner to their pet, if ever the pet is lost.  For more information on the AKC CAR ID System™, call 1-800-252-7894 or go online to http://www.akccar.org/microchip/.

(2) Animal Legal Defense Fund Hotline: 1-800-555-6517
"I think my neighbors are abusing their pet.  Can I do anything to stop them?"  Here is the number to call.  The Animal Legal Defense Fund helps with landlord-tenant issues, vet problems, neglect, and any form of abuse.  If you want to know your rights and how to go about expressing your displeasure, this number is for you.  But try not to call because you don't like someone's method of training his or her dog.

(3) ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center Hotline: 1-888-426-4435
As the premier animal poison control center in North America, the APCC is your best resource for any animal poison-related emergency, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  If you think your pet may have ingested a potentially poisonous substance, make the call that can make all the difference.  A $55.00 consultation fee may be applied to your credit card.

Poison Prevention for Pet Owners
Ask the APCC: Okay or No Way? 
The experts at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center set the record straight on a variety of substances, from pomegranates to paint balls.

Keep Your Pet's Home Poison Safe
Memorize the list of foods and common household products that can be dangerous to pets.

Forbidden Flora
Is it true what they say about yew?  Are lovely lilies not so lovely for felines?  Check out the list of toxic plants, nontoxic plants, and the 10 most common poisonous plants.

(4) Emergency Disaster Hotline: 1-800-227-4645
In the last few years, the United States has experienced devastating hurricanes, wildfires, tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, and oil spills.  Many agencies have trained and prepared personnel to respond to the needs of the human victims of these tragedies.  But who helps the animals?  The American Humane Association does, and it has been helping animals and children since 1877.  In 1917, American Humane started the Emergency Animal Relief Red Star program as part of its expanded efforts during World War I.

The widespread and violently destructive disasters in recent years have kept the organization's response teams very busy.  When responding to an emergency, American Humane brings some of the best-trained animal rescuers in the country.  These individuals are prepared and trained to execute very technical maneuvers, from flood and swift water recoveries to low- and high-angle rescues.  The response teams work closely with different agencies in specific command structures effecting local, regional, and/or national coordinated disaster responses.

American Humane's multifaceted training curriculum is specifically designed for animal welfare professionals.  Other people may benefit from these offerings too, including lay advocates who want to make sure that animals will always be treated humanely.  The courses are taught by nationally recognized experts who use a variety of proven and effective adult learning techniques and methods.  Participant workshops cover a diversity of topics--for example, shelter operations, animal behavior, horse abuse investigation, and euthanasia by injection.  Contact American Humane for the current workshop schedule and registration information.

(5) Pet Loss Support Hotline: 1-888-478-7574
Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine provides a source for emotional support for those who are grieving over a lost animal friend or those who are anticipating the loss of their pet.  Veterinary students at the College staff this free service, a 24-hour touch-tone phone line where you can leave a message and someone will return your call.  The service operates seven days a week, 6:00-9:00 PM CST, May to August; and during the school year, September to April, contacts are made on Wednesdays and Fridays, 6:00-9:00 PM.  This free service is funded by the Iams Company and dedicated to the memory of Krista Rankin who organized the initial hotline.

(6) Spay Help Line: 1-800-248-SPAY
One way to prevent lovely but unwanted pets from ending up in shelters or being destroyed is to spay or neuter them.  Thousands of abandoned and unwanted pets are euthanized yearly due to irresponsible breeding and other factors.  So before you consider going to the vet for spaying or neutering, this organization can help you.  SPAY USA provides free or low cost services to all.  Call them to set up an appointment.  They have more than 1,000 sterilization programs and clinics nationwide.  Your local shelters also help in providing similar services.

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Dog Food Recall--How Safe Are Our Best Friends? 
By K. Coffey
This article appears on the Animal Pets and Friends Web site.

Recipes for homemade dog foods are popping up all over.  More and more pet owners are deciding to make their own homemade dog foods. The pet food recall list is growing by the week.  The food that you are feeding your beloved dog that is safe today may not be tomorrow.  Pet owners are in a panic trying to keep their best friends safe . . . and rightfully so.

The secrets of the pet food industry are coming to light.  The recent pet food recalls have left many of us asking about the safety as well as the quality of our pets' food.  Can the suppliers and manufacturers of pet foods be trusted or has that trust been broken?

Chinese suppliers of animal feed have admitted that for years they have been spiking shipments to pet food companies in the U.S. to make it appear as though the food was a high protein quality product.  Before melamine there was urea, another nitrogen-based chemical that was used until it started making animals sick.  Then it was quietly discontinued.

Guarding against contaminated imported products has become quite a problem.  According to the Commerce Department, the pet food industry now imports seven times the amount of animal feed it did in 2000.  Wheat gluten and rice protein come in the form of a powder, and chemicals like melamine can easily be mixed in (whether intentionally or unintentionally) and not be detected by the FDA because they are not included in its battery of tests.

The FDA oversees a trillion dollars worth of products annually; this includes about half of all imports.  The agency regulates about 25% of every dollar that is spent by American consumers annually, so it is impossible for the agency to inspect more than a fraction of all imports.  About 99% of all food imports are not inspected.

These massive pet food recalls have not only brought to light safety issues with our dog food supply but also quality issues.  Little was known about wheat gluten and rice protein until the recent pet food recalls.  Now they are everyday words.  People have been researching to find out just what they are . . . and the results are eye-opening.

The chunky bits that we thought were meat in our beloved dog's food we find out are actually wheat gluten, a totally meatless product.  Rice protein is another meatless additive to increase the protein levels in the pet foods.  This leads us to ask just how much meat are our carnivores getting.

A healthy dog's diet consists of 40% meat, 30% protein, and 30% starch.  It appears that the majority of the pet food products on the market today consist mostly of cheap cereal fillers.  Even many of the so-called "premium brands" were not immune from the pet food recalls, as they also contained wheat gluten and rice protein.

The meat by-products that are used in these commercial recipes are animal scraps that the FDA has deemed "unfit for human consumption."  These include heads, feet, intestines, lungs, spleens, ligaments, and other scary parts.  Even when the recipe consists of meat, for the most part it is scrap meat like backs and necks.

Several companies that got their pet food from one of the manufacturers said the rice protein that was included in the recipes for their dog food was there without their knowledge or consent.  [The manufacturer has denied this.]  How do we know who's telling the truth?  Many of us were under the assumption that all of the ingredients for the recipe had to be listed on the package.  What else is in the commercial dog food recipes that we don't know about?

Lawmakers are hurrying to change things but everyone knows that takes time.  So in the meantime what should you do?  The choice is one that each of us is going to have to make.  You can take your chances; you can turn to an even higher-priced organic or natural pet food; or you can turn to your own kitchen and use recipes for homemade dog foods.  After all, how difficult can it be to feed your best friend a well-balanced diet?  We manage to do it for our children everyday.

K. Coffey is the owner of Pipelinebooks, an eBook store filled with books and software to improve your life.  For more information about the pet food recalls, visit the author's blog at http://petfoodrecall-dogs.blogspot.com/.

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Is Homemade Pet Food Safer Than Commercial Pet Food? 
By Amanda K. Jones, LVT
This article appears on the Animal Pets and Friends Web site.

Many pet owners are considering the option of feeding their pet a homemade diet.  This can be for many reasons, whether they feel guilty about feeding their pet out of a bag or are concerned about the quality and safety of commercial pet food.

Domesticated pets can become ill from ingesting contaminated food.  The source of the food can be from either commercial or home prepared diets.  Foodborne illnesses in dogs and cats can be caused by bacterial infection, bacterial toxins, mycotoxins, chemicals, metals, and other contaminants.

A mycotoxin is a toxin produced by a fungus, and estimates suggest that one-quarter of the world's annual food crop is affected by these tiny molds. In fact, mycotoxin litigation alone has cost the pet food industry an estimated $7 million since 1990.

It is important to distinguish the difference between food infections and food poisonings.  They are not the same thing despite the fact that some people use the two terms interchangeably.

Food infections result from the ingestion of infectious microbial cells (like salmonellae) that invade the pet's tissues and after a period of time reproduce to pathogenic levels.  Often clinical disease does not become evident until at least 12 to 24 hours after ingestion.

Food poisonings result from the ingestion of food that already contains a microbial toxin (like aflatoxin).  The signs of food poisonings usually appear rapidly, sometimes less than one hour after ingestion.  In a recent study by the American Association of Poison Control Centers, food poisonings accounted for only 1.7% of reported causes of poisonings in dogs and cats.  The most common causes of poisonings according to the study are (in descending order) drugs, insecticides, and plants.

While the risk of litigation and bad press encourages pet food manufacturers to be diligent in maintaining high product quality standards, there is always the chance of miscalculations and errors.  However, the same can also be said for manufacturers of human food products.

The USDA keeps a running tally of recalled human food products on its Food Safety and Inspection Service Web site.  The latest recalls involve 16,743 pounds of ground beef and 2.8 million pounds of chicken breast cuts and strips. 

Many health-conscious pet owners abandon commercial pet food products and prepare homemade diets for their pets.  While I applaud their efforts wholeheartedly, it must be understood that this has not eliminated the risk of their pet acquiring a foodborne illness.  In some cases, it may even increase the chances if the owner is not careful about food preparation, storage, and supplementation.  Nevertheless, it does put the owner in control of the pet's diet (for better or worse) which seems to offer some level of emotional comfort and bonding.

Amanda Jones is a licensed veterinary technician and eBook author.  She has had several articles published in professional veterinary journals and is a Tails, Inc. Magazine Furry Forum Expert.  If you are interested in feeding your pet a raw or homemade diet, or you need more information about basic pet food nutrition, check out Amanda's free eight-week course at The Pet Food Bible.

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Live Bird Markets: Posing a Deadly Threat
Live bird markets advertise freshly killed meat, but investigators from The Humane Society of the United States uncover the filthy conditions inside these markets--markets which could be operating in your neighborhood.
Watch the video.

Category: Canine

Raw Meat Diets for Cats and Dogs
By Karen Peak

In recent years, there has been a movement in the dog and cat world toward feeding raw meat diets.  There are many diets out there with the most popular being BARF by Dr. Ian Billinghurst.  But why the movement when there are so many brands of dog and cat food on the market?  The most popular explanation I have found concerns what is going into processed pet food.  Some brands of processed pet food are very low in "garbage" (excess additives, preservatives, and colors).  Other foods are full of sugars, colors, unnecessary additives, and potentially dangerous preservatives.  All processed foods need preserving but not all preservatives are great.  This article is not about reading pet food labels; it is about the benefits and the risks of a raw meat diet.

One of the benefits with a raw meat diet is you know exactly what is going into the animal.  However, a drawback is you also can end up with a malnourished pet!  Good nutrition is far more than feeding your animal enough to keep it from getting too thin.  Cats, for example, are far more carnivorous than dogs.  The type of raw diet you would use for a cat would not give a dog what it needs.  According to Give Your Dog a Bone by Dr. Ian Billinghurst, a raw diet for a dog consists of 60% raw meaty bones.  The other 40% is a variety of foods to balance: green vegetables, eggs, milk, and organ meats (liver, heart, kidneys, etc.).

Feeding a raw diet is far more than hitting your local grocery store and tossing hamburger or chicken your pet's way!  Proper nutrition involves knowing what your pet needs to be healthiest in regards to protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber, various vitamins and minerals, etc.  Deficiencies in any of these categories can lead to serious problems down the road.  For example, if a cat lacks taurine, he can end up with vision problems.  Some breeds of dogs are prone to bladder stones and some stones may have a protein-related basis.  Too much protein can be bad for these dogs.  If you wish to properly feed a raw diet, you need to take the time to understand the intricacies of animal nutrition based on species.  A good high-quality kibble takes care of the mystery of how much a dog or cat needs of what element.

If you can dedicate yourself to study and properly creating a balanced raw diet, this is a major concern out of the way.  In March, 2001 an article in JAVMA (Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association) compared raw diets to commercially prepared diets.  All the raw diets were not nutritionally complete.  Though the study was small, it gives pause for thought.  Can you ensure your dog or cat is getting a balanced diet?

What about bones?  We get bombarded with reasons why not to give bones to pets.  Yet many raw diets encourage the use of raw bones.  Bones are very controversial.  Baking and smoking bones changes their texture.  However, even raw bones can break and snap.  Raw bones can cause damage to the esophagus, stomach, and intestine.  But bones help scrape build-up off teeth, and raw bones may not be as brittle as bones dried out in a baking/smoking process.  It is argued that wild animals have been chewing bones without problems for thousands of years.  However, there has been no research done into the death rate of wild canines or felines from bone complications.

A wild canine or feline with a bone impaction would die quickly and never be seen by humans.  This is why we do not see wild canines or felines with bone impactions; they do not survive.  Bones have VERY LITTLE nutritional value for animals.  The bulk of the nutrition comes from what is on the bone.  However, GROUND bone meal can be a good source of calcium and other elements.  Please realize that raw bones do have risks like anything your pet can chew.

Now, let's consider the bacteria in raw meat.  Canine and feline digestive tracts are not the same as ours.  Supposedly, a healthy dog or cat should be able to handle the bacteria in meat better than humans can.  However, there has been concern raised regarding bacteria.  First, humans: we must practice safe meat handling and cleaning up after our pets eat.  The bacteria in raw meat can be fatal to a human who is young, elderly, or has a weakened immune system.  Some cats and dogs on raw diets have persistent diarrhea--this is not normal.  Chronic diarrhea can lead to dehydration and other problems.  Also it can be a sign that the animal is not handling the bacteria well.  The bacteria can be fatal in a pet with a weakened immune system or who is already sick.  Dr. Lisa Newman, a doctor of Naturopathy with a Ph.D. in holistic nutrition, has seen an increase of irritable bowel syndrome, digestive problems, and immuno-related weaknesses in animals fed a raw diet on a daily basis.

Are raw diets a fad or are they here to stay?  I think they are here to stay.  Honestly this scares me.  Please understand I am not fully opposed to the diets.  I feel for some animals they can be beneficial.  What worries me is the lack of education and knowledge the general person feeding a raw diet has.  Good quality processed foods contain everything a dog or cat needs to be healthy and little in the way of additives or unnecessary preservatives.  Are raw diets safer than a high-quality processed kibble?  Maybe they are or maybe not.  Should the average person try to make their raw diets?  No.  It takes time, dedication, lots of research, and fully understanding the pros and cons.

Karen Peak has been training and working with dogs in various capacities since 1982.  Along with her husband, she shares her home with two young children, four dogs, six cats, and various other critters.  Karen's future goals include obtaining her CPDT certification (when her children are older and she has the time to travel).  In 2000, Mrs. Peak opened West Wind Dog Training and followed soon after with The Safe Kids/Safe Dogs Project.  The Peak family resides in Virginia.  This article was reprinted with the author's permission.

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Symptoms of Pain and Illness in Dogs
By Jennifer Bryant
 This article appears on the Ahappypets.com Web site. 

Dog owners who recognize the early signs and symptoms of illness or pain in their dogs will not only relieve their loved ones' suffering, but they may also save themselves an expensive trip to the veterinarian.  Not only is it important to recognize these signs early to relieve pain and suffering, but it is more effective to treat an illness when it is detected at an early stage.

The dog owner should keep an accurate and detailed account of their dog's symptoms to help the veterinarian correctly diagnose and effectively treat the animal's illness or condition.  Most canine illnesses are detected by closely examining a combination of various signs and symptoms.

Temperature, Respiratory Rate, and Heart Rate
A newborn puppy will have a temperature of 94-97º Fahrenheit which will eventually reach the normal adult body temperature of 101.5º F at the age of four weeks old.  Use caution when trying to take your dog's or puppy's temperature as the thermometer can easily be broken off in the canine's rectum.  Also, any form of excitement can cause the temperature to rise by 2-3º F when the dog is actually in normal health.  If your dog's temperature reaches 105º F or above or 96º F or below, take him or her to the emergency veterinary clinic immediately!

An adult dog will have a respiratory rate of 15-20 breaths per minute (depending on such variables as size and weight) and a heart rate of 80-120 beats per minute.  You can feel your dog's heartbeat by placing your hand on his/her lower ribcage just behind the elbow.  Do not be alarmed if the heartbeat seems irregular compared to a human's heartbeat; it is irregular in many dogs.  Have your veterinarian check it out and get used to how it feels when it is normal.

Behavior Changes
Any behavior changes that are not associated with a change in the household atmosphere, such as jealousy over a new pet or child, may be an indication of an illness.  Signs of behavioral changes may include:

• depression
• anxiety
• fatigue
• sleepiness
• trembling
• falling or stumbling 

If your dog shows any of these signs, he or she needs to be kept under close watch for a few hours or even a few days until positive signs develop or he or she has returned to normal.  Do not try to exercise the dog or put the animal in any situation that may cause stress.  Most veterinarians will want you to keep track of when the symptoms first appeared, whether they are getting better or worse, and whether the symptoms are intermittent, continuous, or increasing in frequency.

Pain
Dogs experiencing pain will likely indicate they are suffering by giving you clues as to where the area of discomfort is.  For example, a dog that has abdominal pain will continually glance toward the belly, bite or lick the area, and will not want to leave his/her bed.  The dog may stand hunched over or take the prayer position (that is, when he or she gets down on his or her forelegs with the hind legs still standing) because of the pain in the abdomen area.

Dogs cannot tell you that they are hurting or cry real tears but they may vocalize their pain in a different way.  A dog that is hurt suddenly (such as being stepped on) will cry out or wimper in pain.  This also happens when an external injury or internal injury (with an organ) is touched.  Whining or vocalization that is unprovoked may be caused by an internal injury as well.  Some breeds of dogs, such as the American Pit Bull Terrier, have a higher pain threshold and need to be watched more closely for signs of pain.  Breeds with high pain tolerance are more likely to endure the pain without vocalization.

Another clue to pain is a change in temperament.  A dog that is in pain may show signs of aggression.  Please take note of this before concluding that a dog has become vicious.  Let your veterinarian know so that the correct treatment can be administered.  Also, females in general (and even humans!) have days when they are just in a bad mood for no obvious reason.  Record the days and number of times that these mood swings occur as well as any events that might have triggered them.

There are other signs that your dog may be sick.  They include the following:

•  Ears: discharge, debris, odor, scratching, crusted tips, twitching, or shaking;
•  Eyes: redness, swelling, or discharge;
•  Nose: runny, thickened or colored discharge, crusty;
•  Coughing, sneezing, vomiting, or gagging;
•  Shortness of breath, irregular breathing, or prolonged/heavy panting;
•  Evidence of parasites in the dog's stool, strange color of or blood in the stool, or lack of a bowel movement  (constipation); 
•  Loss of appetite or not drinking as much water as he or she normally would;
•  Weight loss;
•  Strange color of urine, small amount of urine, straining, dribbling, or not going as frequently as normal;
•  Bad odor coming from mouth, ears, or skin;
•  Hair loss, wounds, tumors, dander, or change of the skin's color; and
•  Biting the skin, parasites, scratching or licking the skin frequently.    

This article was written to educate you about the signs and symptoms of probable pain or sickness in your dog.  If any of these symptoms occur over a prolonged period of time, seek the help of a veterinarian.  I hope this article will stress the importance of keeping a watchful eye on your dog's health patterns and keeping an accurate, detailed health record for your veterinarian's convenience.

Jennifer Bryant is a lifelong lover of dogs.  She loves and breeds American Pit Bull Terriers in her North Georgia home while raising her two young children.  Jennifer's love of dogs has inspired her to create the Bryant's Red Devils Web site for herself (as well as for other dog breeders) to advertise their occasional litters of puppies and to educate the public with dog breed information and useful articles.

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Canine Heart Disease: A Silent Killer
By Susan McCullough

On a percentage basis, more dogs than people suffer from heart disease.  According to Novartis Animal Health, a Switzerland-based healthcare company, 25 percent of dogs over the age of seven have the most extreme form of heart disease--heart failure.  By contrast, the National Institutes of Health estimates that only 6.4 percent of men and 2.5 percent of women between the ages of 65 and 74 suffered from the same condition between 1998 and 2002 (the most recent period for which such data is available).

While both dogs and people can get heart disease, the reasons they acquire these conditions differ.  "With human beings, it's a matter of lifestyle--putting on weight, not eating properly and not exercising," explains Dr. Deborah Fine, assistant professor of cardiology at the University of Missouri-Columbia College of Veterinary Medicine.  "With dogs, what we see is mostly caused by genetics or breed susceptibility."

Common Canine Heart Diseases and Their Symptoms
The two most prevalent canine heart diseases--dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and mitral valve disease--are believed to be at least partially hereditary.

DCM and mitral valve disease cripple the heart in different ways.  DCM causes a swelling of one of the heart's lower chambers, which are called ventricles.  The left ventricle is affected more often than the right.  "The ventricle changes from a football shape to a basketball shape," explains Dr. Fine.  "This weakens the ability of the heart to pump blood.  The heart becomes large and flabby and beats weakly."

Mitral valve disease attacks the valves that serve as doorways between the heart's upper chambers, which are called atria, and the ventricles.  The valves deteriorate to the point that they don't close completely.  This failure to close allows some blood in the ventricle to flow back to the atrium instead of out from the heart to the rest of the body the way it's supposed to do.  Consequently, the heart must work harder than normal to pump enough blood to meet the dog's needs.

With either condition, a dog may not show outward symptoms for years.  Eventually, though, the dog shows signs that all is not well.  Those signs can include:

• Lethargy
• Appetite loss
• Coughing, especially during exercise or excitement
• Gasping for breath
• Fainting or collapsing
• Gradual abdominal swelling

Although these signs can signify the onset of heart failure, they also mimic other conditions. For example, if the left side of the heart fails, fluid backs up into the lungs, but other conditions can do that too. That's why a dog with these symptoms needs a thorough examination with appropriate testing. "You need a chest X-ray to confirm left-side heart failure," says Dr. Fine. "Fluid in the lungs could also be pneumonia, bronchitis or a fibrosis of the lungs."

At-Risk Breeds
Due to inherited genes and as a consequence of breeding, DCM usually affects large or giant breeds, especially:

• Doberman Pinschers
• Great Danes
• German Shepherds
• Irish Wolfhounds
• Mastiffs

Mitral valve disease, again due to genetics and breeding, affects a disproportionate number of small breeds, including:

• Cavalier King Charles Spaniels
• Chihuahuas
• Miniature Poodles
• Toy Poodles
• Maltese
• Bichon Frises
• Beagles
• West Highland White Terriers

Both diseases generally strike dogs in mid-life or later, except for the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, which can show signs of mitral valve disease at just 2 years of age.

Helping Your Dog
If your dog is one of the more susceptible breeds, expert monitoring from an early age is a good idea.  For example, some experts believe that every Doberman Pinscher over the age of one year should receive an annual electrocardiogram because DCM is especially prevalent in that breed. Similarly, other experts recommend that Cavalier King Charles Spaniels receive yearly screenings for mitral valve disease.  Such monitoring won't prevent either condition, but it can lead to earlier, more aggressive treatment that can improve a dog's quality of life, and may even lengthen it.  "With heart disease, it's not just about living longer, it's about living better," says Dr. Fine.

You can help your dog live better too.  In addition to aggressive monitoring for early detection, good home care can keep a dog comfortable longer. If heart failure hasn't occurred, "Keep your dog active, maintain a healthy diet and a healthy weight," suggests Dr. Fine.  "Excess weight makes the heart work harder."

Treatment Options
Once a dog has been diagnosed with heart failure, treatment focuses on controlling symptoms and the condition's progression.  A veterinarian may start treatment by prescribing a diuretic to reduce the dog's fluid level and an ACE inhibitor, which levels blood pressure, to help the diuretic work better.  A dog with right-side heart failure may also undergo abdominocentisis, a procedure in which the veterinarian inserts a needle into the abdomen to withdraw excess fluid.  A dog with DCM may be prescribed medications to help the heart contract more normally.

Because these conditions aren't curable, owners may question whether treatment is worthwhile.  Dr. Fine responds, "I always encourage people to try therapy (treatment) because the medications can help their dogs return to their old selves.  Give it a few weeks--the vast majority of dogs do much better."

Susan McCullough is the author of Housetraining for Dummies, Senior Dogs for Dummies and Beagles for Dummies.  This article was reprinted with permission from Studio One Networks.  Copyright © 2008 Studio One Networks.  All Rights Reserved.  www.studioonenetworks.com

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What Do Pet Laboratory Tests Reveal?
This pet health article is courtesy of http://www.pet-health.org/.

As a responsible dog owner, you should take your dog to the veterinarian at least once a year.  This is a good precautionary measure to keep your pet healthy for years and to guard against disease.  A yearly physical examination will consist of evaluating your dog's general attitude and appearance.  The eyes, nose, mouth, ears, and skin will be fully examined.  The vet will also check the musculoskeletal, respiratory, nervous, digestive, genitourinary, and circulatory systems.

Serum Chemistry Profile
Sometimes called a "chem scan," the Serum Chemistry Profile is an extensive battery of tests that provides a broad database of vital information to evaluate your dog's general health.  These tests confirm the results of the physical examination and will provide early warning signs of unsuspected problems.  Have your dog fast for at least 12 hours before this test to ensure the greatest accuracy.

Urinalysis
A urinalysis examines your dog's urine.  This test will reveal the health of the genitourinary system.  In addition, urinalysis results may also reflect a variety of disease processes that involve other organs of the body.

Fecal Analysis
Parasites can be detected through fecal analysis.  Also, this test is a sound one for detecting the presence of undigested food particles, an indicator that the dog's system is unable to break down and digest food the way it should.

Complete Blood Count
The Complete Blood Count, or CBC, is a very routine profile of tests used to describe both the quality and the quantity of cells in your dog's blood.

Normal Blood Test Results
As you make the yearly physical exam and blood chemistry tests a routine part of your dog's health care, they will provide valuable information for the future.  The tests help establish normal baseline levels for your dog.  If there is any deviation from those levels, your vet can easily initiate the necessary therapeutic regimen.

"Normal" levels are determined by the laboratory.  These values vary depending on what laboratory equipment is used.  Norms are established by analyzing the blood of a certain number of dogs, and then the average is used as a benchmark for current tests.  This is why it is important to stay with one clinic for as long as you can, preferably for your dog's entire lifetime.

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Golden Retriever Finds New Home, New Purpose

American Humane's therapy animals, many of whom were rescued, helped nearly 40,000 people in 2007.

As a rescued dog, Bailey knows what it's like to be scared and alone.  When she was three years old, her owners divorced and brought her to a rescue group for golden retrievers.  The stress of suddenly losing the family she loved and adjusting to life in a foster home made her so nervous her beautiful fur started falling out.

Luckily, Bailey was soon adopted.  She found a great new permanent home--and a new role that she loves.  For the past five years she has been working weekly as a therapy dog in two different treatment centers for children and adults who need her help--and the help of donors like you.

Whenever Bailey's handler takes out the special vest Bailey wears to work, the lovable retriever wags her tail and runs to the door.  She seems to know that soon she will be helping people who are as scared as she was before her adoption. 

Help Sustain the Power of Animal-Assisted Therapy

There is something about a dog's wagging tail, a cat's purr, or a guinea pig's gentle nudge that can touch even the most desperate heart.  The animal-assisted therapy work that Bailey and other registered therapy animals perform through American Humane is critical to people and to animals.

Part of our animals' success may be due to the fact that, like Bailey, about 30 of the 110 animals who participate in our program were rescued themselves.  The bonds these formerly homeless pets forge with people in need are incredibly powerful--from abused children learning to trust again to depressed adults recovering from suicide attempts, as well as injured people trying to speak or walk again.

Bailey and our other therapy animals take great pleasure in their work, and the people they help absolutely light up when the animals visit.  But American Humane can only continue its vital animal-assisted therapy program with donor support.  A donation is the perfect way to bring greater meaning to both animals' and other people's lives.

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Mission of the American Humane Association
". . . to prevent cruelty, abuse, neglect, and exploitation of children
and animals and to assure that their interests and well-being are fully,
effectively, and humanely guaranteed by an aware and caring society."