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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS);faqs.233 If the cutter is sharp, the nails won't crack if you cut at right angles to the nail. that is, hold it so that the blades are on the top and bottom of the nail, not to the sides of the nail. Do not cut below the quick. It will be painful to your dog and bleed everywhere. When in doubt, trim less of the nail. It will just mean trimming more often. Clip the portion above the quick for each nail and don't forget the dewclaws. Keep a styptic pencil on hand to staunch any blood flow. Flour or cornstarch will help in a pinch. Dewclaws are a "fifth" toe, positioned as a "thumb" to the rest of the nails and they do not touch the ground. Not all dogs have them, and they may be found on the front legs only or on all four legs. Many dogs have their dewclaws removed when they are puppies to prevent infection resulting from easily injured dewclaws. Some adult dogs that regularly tear their dewclaws should have them removed. While they take longer to heal than three-day old puppies that have had theirs removed do, the pain of periodically tearing them and going in to the vet to have them bandaged back up makes the surgery worth while. 2. Grinding The grinder avoids the potential problems of cutting the quick, nails cracking, and sharp edges afterwards. The nails can also be thinned, allowing the quick to recede, resulting in shorter nails and a tighter paw. RC Steele and other mail-order companies sell them for about $45. One model is the Oster Pet Nail Groomer, Model 129, with two speeds. Some dogs may be spooked by the noise. It may help to watch someone who knows how to use it first. 3. Filing You can use a wood rasp and file your dog's nails down. Also, if you clip them, using a plain file afterwards helps smooth the edges down and keep them neat. You can use "people files" or purchase files shaped for this purpose. D. Overheating. Dogs are not as good as people in shedding excess heat. You should take general care during hot and summer weather that your dog does not get too hot. Make sure shade and water is available and that there is some fresh air. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR DOG IN YOUR CAR on a hot day! Cars heat up much more quickly than you think and that one inch or so of open window will not help. If you park in the shade, the sun may move more quickly than you think. A water-filled pump sprayer can help keep your dog cool. Your best bet is to prevent overheating. To help a dog suffering from overheating, apply cold water to its genital and inner leg areas. Dipping each foot into cold water also helps. Pouring it over the dog's back is also good. You should consult the vet if your dog loses consciousness or has trouble with motor control. E. Neutering. If you are not planning to breed your pet or put it to stud service, or your dog's breeding days are over, you will want to neuter it. There are a number of health benefits associated with neutering, for either sex. Technically, the general term for either sex is neutering; bitches are spayed and dogs are castrated. However, general usage is that bitches are spayed or neutered and dogs are neutered. Neutering is *not* a solution to behavioral problems; training is. 1. Castration Dogs are castrated. A general anesthetic is administered, the testicles are removed (oriectomy) and several stitches are used to close it up. The scrotum swill shrink and soon disappear. You will want to neuter the dog around six months of age, although dogs can be neutered at any time after this. Stud dogs are typically neutered after they are too old to breed, and they suffer no ill effects. 2. Spaying Bitches are spayed; this is an ovario-hysterectomy (uterus and ovaries are removed). She must be put under general anesthesia. A large patch of fur will be shaved (to prevent later irritation of the incision) off the lower abdomen. You may have to take your bitch back in to remove the stitches. From a health point of view, the earlier the bitch is spayed, the better. Ideally, she should be spayed before her first heat, this reduces the risk of reproductive and related cancer (e.g., breast cancer) and later in life considerably. The risk rises in the first two heats before spaying, but does not rise further with more heats before spaying. 3. Post-op recovery You will need to watch to make sure your dog does not try to pull out its stitches, and consult your vet if it does. You might, in persistent cases, need to get an Elizabethan collar to prevent the animal from reaching the stitches. Puffiness, redness, or oozing around the stitches should be also reported to the vet. Some stitches "dissolve" on their own; others require a return to the vet for removal. For further information on how neutering may affect your dog, see the section on neutering in Assorted Topics. 4. Cost The cost can vary widely, depending on where you get it done. There are many pet-adoption places that will offer low-cost or even free neutering services, sometimes as a condition of adoption. Local animal clinics will often offer low-cost neutering. Be aware that spaying will always cost more than castrating at any given place since spaying is a more complex operation. Vets almost always charge more than clinics, partly because of overhead, but also because they often keep the animal overnight for observation and will do free followup on any later complications. Larger animals will cost more than smaller ones. 5. Effect on behavior There is an extensive discussion on the effect neutering has on a dog's behavior in the Assorted Topics chapter of the FAQ. F. Bathing. You may need to bathe your dog on occasion. The main thing to remember is that dogs' skin is more delicate than humans. It is much more prone to drying out when you wash it. Human based shampoos are formulated to remove all the oils. You need to get one formulated for dogs that will remove dirt but not the essential oils for the coat. Dogs that are frequently bathed may require some supplements (such as Linatone or vegetable oil) to keep their skin and coat healthy. A condition called impetigo may result from not rinsing all the soap out. Other general problems, such as fleas that prefer dried-out skin, may occur. 1. Procedure (summarized from Carlson & Giffin) First, groom your pet to rid its coat of any mats or knots. Bathing will not remove these and in fact will worsen them. Plug its ears with cotton to prevent water in the ears. To prevent soap-burn in the eye, smear the eye area with a little vaseline, or administer a drop of mineral oil in each eye. Wet your dog thoroughly. Using a nozzle and spray is much easier. Lather and rinse its head carefully, keeping soap and water out of its eyes and ears. Lather and rinse the rest of its body. Relather and rinse any other areas that had stubborn stains. Rinse your dog *thoroughly*, even beyond when you think you've got all the soap out. Try adding Alpha-Keri bath oil (one teaspoonful per quart water) to the final rinse for coat luster. Do NOT use vinegar, lemon, or bleach rinses; they are acidic and will damage the dog's coat and skin. Dry your dog gently with towels, and keep it indoors until it is completely dry to avoid chilling. 2. Dry shampoos Dogs with very oily coats my benefit from "dry-cleaning" in between baths. Calcium carbonate, talcum/baby powder, Fuller's earth, and cornstarch are all effective. They can be used frequently without fear of removing essential oils or damaging the coat and skin. Apply the powder, then brush out, against the lay of the hair, from the bottom up (toes to head) with a soft bristle brush. Then brush the whole dog normally to get all the powder out. 3. Tar Do not use petroleum solvents, which are extremely harmful, to remove the tar from your pet's skin. Instead, trim away excess coat containing tar where possible. Soak remaining tarry parts in vegetable oil overnight and then give your dog a complete bath. G. Skin Problems. Some preventive steps * Keep your dog properly fed to prevent dry skin * When bathing your dog, use dog-formulated shampoo to prevent dry skin * Groom your dog regularly; some problems are caused by matted hair providing breeding grounds for a variety of skin diseases, regular grooming also helps keep you aware of any incipient problems. * Keep your dog flea and parasite free * Check your dog regularly for foxtails, burrs, and other sharp objects it may pick up when outside 1. Relieving dry skin Some things to try: * Shampoos with lanolin. * A good soak in cool water. * Non-drying shampoo: eg, Hy-Lyt EFA is non-allergenic. * Medicated shampoos may help with allergy-induced problems. * Avon's Skin-So-Soft(tm) added to the rinse water. 2. Allergies followed by staph infections Once a dog has an allergic reaction, it is quite common to have a secondary staph infection. Many vets aren't familiar with this. The staph infection may stay around long after the allergy is gone. A vet that specializes in dermatology can be of great help in dealing with skin problems. See if your vet can refer you to such a person. Some studies on primrose and fish oil in helping relieve or cure secondary infections from allergies are documented in DM, March 1992. More information may also be obtained from writing to the RVC Dermatology Dept, Royal College St, London. NW1. 3. Summary table It is beyond the scope of this FAQ to examine any of these skin problems in great detail, but here is a summary table of possible problems. Summarized from the summary tables in Carlson & Giffin, pages 67-69. Itchy Skin Disorders: Name Symptoms ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scabies | *intense* itching, small red spots, typical crusty ear tips ------------+---------------------------------------------------------------- Walking | puppies 2-12wks, dry flakes move from head to neck to back, Dandruff | mild itchiness ------------+---------------------------------------------------------------- Fleas | itching/scratching on back, tail, hindquarters ------------+---------------------------------------------------------------- Lice | on poorly kept/matted coat dogs, uncommon, may have bald spots ------------+---------------------------------------------------------------- Ticks | irritation at site of bite, often beneath ear flaps or thin skin ------------+---------------------------------------------------------------- Damp Hay | severe itch from worm larvae, contacted from damp marsh hay Itch | (regional) ------------+---------------------------------------------------------------- Inhalation | severe itch, face rubbing, licking paws, seasonal Allergy | also regional ------------+---------------------------------------------------------------- Flea Allergy| scratching continues after fleas killed, pimple rash Dermatitis | ------------+---------------------------------------------------------------- Contact | itching/irritation at site of contact Dermatitis | ------------+---------------------------------------------------------------- Allergic | repeated or continuous contact (eg flea collar), Contact Derm. rash may spread ------------+---------------------------------------------------------------- Lick sores | "boredom sores", licking starts at wrists/ankles ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hormone-related Hair Loss or Poor Hair Growth: Name Symptoms ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thyroid | loss of hair Deficiency | (see Canine Ailments) ------------+---------------------------------------------------------------- Cortisone | hair loss in symmetrical pattern, esp. trunk, skin is thin Excess | may also be from steroid treatments ------------+---------------------------------------------------------------- Estrogen | greasy hair, hair loss in flanks/abdomen, wax in ears, loss of excess | hair around genitals, enlargened nipples, dry skin, brittle hair ------------+---------------------------------------------------------------- Estrogen | scanty hair growth, smooth soft skin deficiency | ------------+---------------------------------------------------------------- Acanthosis | hair loss in armpit folds, black thick greasy rancid skin Nigrans | ------------+---------------------------------------------------------------- Seborrhea | "dandruff", hair/skin oily, yellow brown scales on skin, | resembles ringworm ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other Hair Loss, etc: Name Symptoms ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Collie Nose | sunburn on lightly pigmented nose, loss of hair next to nose ------------+---------------------------------------------------------------- Ringworm | scaly/crusty/red circular patches .5-2in diameter w/hair loss | in center and red margin at edge (not from a worm) ------------+---------------------------------------------------------------- Demodectic | hair loss around eyelids, mouth, front leg, young dogs mange #1 | ------------+---------------------------------------------------------------- Demodectic | progression of #1, patches enlarge & coalesce, pyoderma mange #2 | complications, affects all ages ------------+---------------------------------------------------------------- Calluses, | gray/hairless/wrinkled skin over elbow, pressure points elbow sores | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- With Pus Drainage (Pyoderma): Name Symptoms ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Puppy | impetigo: pus filled blisters, crusty hairless skin Dermatitis | on abdomen, groin; acne: purple-red bumps on chin, lower lip ------------+---------------------------------------------------------------- Hair pore | pimple-like bumps on back, sometimes draining sinus, infection | hair loss ------------+---------------------------------------------------------------- Skin Wrinkle| inflamed skin, foul odor in lip fold, facial fold, Infection | vulvar fold, tail fold ------------+---------------------------------------------------------------- Hot Spots | in heavy coated dogs, painful inflamed patches of skin with | a wet, pus covered surface from which hair is lost ------------+---------------------------------------------------------------- Cellulitis | painful hot inflamed skin (wound infections, foreign bodies, | breaks in skin) ------------+---------------------------------------------------------------- Abscesses | pockets of pus beneath the skin, swells, comes to a head & drains ------------+---------------------------------------------------------------- Puppy | under 4mos, sudden painful swelling of lips, eyelids, Strangles | ears and face, draining sores, crusts, and sinus tracts | (prompt vet attention required, do not pop "acne") ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lumps or Bumps on/beneath Skin: (all lumps should be checked by vet even if not apparently painful) Name Symptoms ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Papillomas, | anywhere, including mouth, not painful Warts | can look like chewing gum stuck to skin ------------+---------------------------------------------------------------- Hematomas | (bruises) - esp. on ears, from trauma ------------+---------------------------------------------------------------- Tender Knots| esp. at site of shot or vaccination, painful ------------+---------------------------------------------------------------- Cysts | smooth lumps beneath skin, slow growth, possible cheesy | discharge, possible infection, otherwise not painful ------------+---------------------------------------------------------------- Possibly | rapid growth, hard & fixed to surrounding tissue, cancerous | any lump from a bone, starts to bleed, a mole that spreads or lump | ulcerates, open sores that do not heal (only way to tell for | sure is a biopsy) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Diagnosing Skin problems are not easy to diagnose and cure, but there is a lot of research going on. Something that can help is to keep a diary for the dog. Every day, record what the dog ate, what the weather was like, whether it is itching or not, and anything else that might be relevant (visitors, for instance, when it is bathed, and so forth). It's sometimes hard to recall all the variables that might be affecting the dog, but if you keep a diary, sometimes patterns become very clear. H. Vaccinations. 1. Regularly scheduled shots An indispensable part of keeping your dog healthy is to keep its vaccinations up-to-date. A table, lifted from Carlson & Giffin, shows all the major vaccinations (at minimum) that a dog in the US should have. Conditions in your area may necessitate additional shots; ask your vet about them as they may not always be routinely included in normal shot programs. DHLPP is a combination shot: Distemper, (Canine) Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, (Canine) Parainfluenza, (Canine) Parvovirus. Age Vaccine Recommended -------------------------------------------------------------- 5-8 wks | Distemper - measles - CPI ------------------+------------------------------------------- 14-16 wks | DHLPP, Rabies ------------------+------------------------------------------- 12 mos & annually | DHLPP ------------------+------------------------------------------- 12 mos & | Rabies 3 yr intervals | -------------------------------------------------------------- Vaccinations may fail under the following conditions: * vaccinations are improperly administered (should always be by or supervised by a vet) * the dog has some innate inability to respond * the dog has already been exposed to the disease in question * the puppy is too young for the vaccination to "take" 2. Other vaccines Not an exhaustive list: Other vaccines and preventives should also be given such as heartworm, Lyme disease, etc, when needed. Heartworm prevention should begin around 5 months, but then it depends on where you live. Those living in warmer, damper areas with higher concentration of heartworm may want to start earlier. Lyme disease vaccine instructions recommend giving it around 12 weeks; Bordatella vaccines (for Kennel cough) around 6 months or earlier depending on risk. 3. Vaccine overload? Be sure your dog is safe and vaccinated against everything you think the dog may be exposed to, however, don't overload its system! You can do more harm than good by vaccinating your dog for everything all at once than if you stagger the vaccinations and let the individual immunities build up gradually. 4. Up-to-date on shots? Do you know what it means when your vet tells you your dog has ALL its shots? Chances are, your dog isn't. Stay informed and read up in some of the dog literature about what types of vaccinations your dog should have. Then make sure your vet has administered vaccines for the appropriate things -- it's up to YOU to make sure your dog has *all* its shots, not your vet. For an interesting article on vaccinations, see the May 1992 issue of _Dog World_. I. Disease Transmission (Zoonoses). (summarized from Carlson & Giffin) Any worm infestation has the potential of causing problems in humans. Standard hygienic precautions will avoid most of these. Things to watch for: babies getting infected when playing near or on contaminated soil or feces, working in the garden without gloves. Rabies, toxoplasmosis, brucellosis, and tetanus (lockjaw) can all affect both dogs and humans. Again, simple hygienic precautions will avoid most problems. J. Worms. 1. Summary Worm Symptoms ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Roundworms | Pot belly, dull coat, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of weight ------------+---------------------------------------------------------------- Hookworms | Anemia, diarrhea, bloody stools (esp. puppies) ------------+---------------------------------------------------------------- Tapeworms | "Rice" on anal area or in stools, possible diarrhea/vomiting ------------+---------------------------------------------------------------- Whipworms | Loss of weight, some diarrhea, difficult to detect ------------+---------------------------------------------------------------- Threadworms | Profuse watery diarrhea, lung infection symptoms (esp. puppies) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Prevention (summarized from Carlson & Giffin.) Most worms have a lifecycle that makes it easy to reinfest dogs because only part of that lifecycle is on the dog. Steps you can take to control worms in general: * If you have a kennel, do not use dirt. A water tight surface that can be hosed down is best; gravel works also. Remove stools from pens daily. * Lawns should be kept short and watered only when necessary. Remove stools from the yard daily. * Control fleas, lice, and rodents, as all these pests can be intermediate hosts for tapeworms. * Do not let your dog roam, as it may ingest tainted meat. Any meat fed to your dog must be thoroughly cooked. 2. Puppies Most puppies have worms, as some immunity to worms only comes after six months of ages and the mother will infect them with her dormant worm larvae. Puppies should be wormed at 2-3 weeks and again at 4-6 weeks. You should be especially vigilant for worms while your puppy is still growing; a bad case of worms can seriously interfere with its development. Bring fresh fecal samples in regularly to the vet for analysis. K. Pills and Dosing. There are many devices to aid in dosing and pilling. Pill plungers are effective and available from RC Steele. A syringe with no needle is good for liquids. Ask your vet for some other ideas. 1. Pills (summarized from Carlson & Giffin) Open your dog's mouth and drop the pill down as far back as you can, on top of and in the center of the tongue. Close the dogs mouth and hold it shut while stroking the throat until your dog swallows. If it licks its nose, chances are that it swallowed the pill. Giving it a treat afterwards helps insure that the pill is swallowed. You can try hiding the pills in a treat, say cheese or peanut butter. Pill plungers work well, also. 2. Liquids (summarized from Carlson & Giffin) Tilt the chin up at 45 degrees, and place the neck of the bottle into the cheek pouch, between the molar teeth and the cheek. Seal the lips around it with your fingers and pour in the liquid. Large amounts can be given this way. Hold the muzzle firmly while the dog swallows. Bottles, syringes and eyedroppers can be used. Your vet can help you out here. L. Vomiting. One of the most common and non-specific symptoms that a dog can have. You must look at how and what it is vomiting. If your dog vomits once or twice and then seems its normal self, it is probably not serious. 1. Non-serious causes (summarized from Carlson & Giffin) Most commonly: overeating. Animals that gulp their food and immediately exercise (esp. puppies) are likely to vomit. This is not serious. Feeding in smaller portions more often helps eliminate this problem. In particular, if the vomit looks like a solid tube of partially or non digested food, your dog ate too fast. Eating grass or other indigestible material is also a common cause of vomiting. 2. Types of vomiting (summarized from Carlson & Giffin) Repeated vomiting: Its last meal is first vomited. Then a clear, frothy liquid. This suggests a stomach irritant. Grass, spoiled food, other indigestibles, and certain infectious illnesses (such as gastroenteritis) all cause irritation of the stomach lining. Sporadic vomiting: The dog vomits off and on, but not continuously. No relationship to meals, poor appetite. Haggard appearance and listlessness may indicate an internal organ disorder, a chronic illness, a heavy worm infestation, or diabetes. A thorough checkup is called for. Vomiting blood: Fresh blood indicates a break in the mucus lining somewhere between the mouth and the upper small bowel. Common causes are foreign bodies, tumors and ulcers. Material which looks like coffee grounds is old, partly digested blood -- the problem is somewhere in the stomach or duodenum. Vomiting blood is always serious and requires a trip to the vet. Fecal vomiting: If the vomit is foul and smells like feces, there is an obstruction somewhere in the intestinal tract. Blunt or penetrating abdominal trauma is another cause. The dog will become rapidly dehydrated with this type of vomiting and requires vet attention. Projectile vomiting: The vomit is forcefully expelled, sometimes for a distance of several feet. It is indicative of complete blockage in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Foreign bodies, hairballs, duodenal ulcers, tumors and strictures are possible causes. Intracranial pressure can also cause projectile vomiting, causes can be brain tumor, encephalitis, and blood clots. Take the dog to the vet. Vomiting foreign objects: Includes bone splinters, rubber balls, (pieces of) toys, sticks and stones. Sometimes worms. You may want to have the vet check your pet for any other foreign objects, although not all of these will show up readily on x-ray scans. Emotional vomiting: Sometimes excited or upset dogs vomit. Remove the dog from the source of distress. If it is something it will encounter often, you will have to train the dog to remain calm around the source. Motion sickness: Vomits in the car. Most dogs will outgrow this problem. Check with your vet if it does not. See Carsickness in Assorted Topics for further comments. M. Poisons. 1. Local Poison Control Centers Check the emergency room of the local hospital and ask for the number of the local Poison Control Center. You should have this number up on the refrigerator alongside the vet's number and the emergency care number. 2. National Animal Poison Control Center The NAPCC is a non-profit service of the University of Illinois and is the first animal-oriented poison center in the United States. Since 1978, it has provided advice to animal owners and conferred with veterinarians about poisoning exposures. The NAPCC's phones are answered by licensed veterinarians and board-certified veterinary toxicologists. The NAPCC is staffed with veterinary health professionals who are familiar with how different species respond to poisons and treatment protocols. They have specialized information that lets the experienced NAPCC staff make specific recommendations for your animals. Depending on which option is chosen, the charge is $2.75 per minute when using the 900-680-0000 number, or $25.00 per case (Visa, Mastercard, or American Express only) when using the 800-548-2423 number. With either access, the NAPCC will do as many follow-up calls as necessary in critical cases, and, if you wish, will consult with your veterinarian. Some clients of the NAPCC Animal Product Safety Service will absorb the cost of your call. When you call, be ready to provide: * Your name, address, and phone number; * The species, breed, age, sex, weight, and number of animals involved; * The poison your animals have been exposed to, if known; * Information concerning the poisoning (the amount of poison, the time since exposure, etc.); and * The problems your animals are experiencing. If you are unable to access the 900 number, call your telephone company for assistance or use the 800 number. When the 800 number is used, your credit card number will be required in addition to the above information. 2. Chocolate It is not chocolate itself that is poisonous to dogs, it is the ingredient theobromine. Theobromine causes different reactions to different dogs: dogs with health problems, especially epilepsy, are more affected by theobromine than healthy dogs. Theobromine can trigger epileptic seizures in dogs prone to or at risk of epilepsy. The size of the dog will also be a major factor: the smaller the dog, the more affected it is by the same amount than a larger dog.