Newsletter

If you own a pet, fleas and ticks are nothing new. In a special video report, Dr. Jim Humphries with the Veterinary News Network and PetDocsOnCall discusses the importance of flea and tick prevention and shares tips on how to keep pesky parasites away from your pet.

Periodontal disease is classified under two categories; gingivitis and periodontitis. Gingivitis is the more mild form of periodontal disease. With effective and timely teeth cleaning, gingivitis can be completely reversed.

Early Periodontitis

Periodontitis is a condition that may be controlled but not cured. It is often seen in pets that are over five years old. Most animals with periodontitis have bad breath, tooth mobility and bleeding gums. Severe inflammation of the gums, gum recession, alveolar bone loss (the bone that supports the tooth is "eaten away"), and pustular discharge are common signs of periodontitis.

Moderate-Advanced Periodontitis

Periodontitis is more serious than gingivitis and involves the loss of tooth support with permanent damage. At best, lesions of periodontitis are only partially reversible. Special (oral) surgical procedures are necessary in order to limit the progression of periodontitis.

Advanced Periodontitis

Advanced Periodontitis

Proper home dental care, along with regular veterinary dental checkups, will reduce the risk of periodontitis in your pets.

When cats encounter other cats, their meetings are often quite unpleasant. Here are some tips that may come in handy when dealing with these unpleasant encounters:

Sit out the minor battles - When cats meet, there will be a certain amount of hissing and posturing. In most case, this is their way of getting to know each other. If they do start arguing, chances are it will settle down in a few minutes.

Don't get in the middle of a fight - If the cats really do start to fight, stay out of it. In the heat of battle, they don't care what they bite or scratch - and that bite could well be you. Keep your hands clear.

Interrupt Correctly - If you see a fight brewing, try to stop it before it gets to a heated pitch. Interrupt the action with the deepest and loudest NO that you can muster. Cats associate a low-pitched voice with a threatening growl and will take it far more seriously than they will a, "Now, now, Fluffy—stop that, please."

Use Water - If you are lucky enough to have the fight occur near a water source, given them a blast with the hose. Even a pitcher of water or water pistol can do the trick. Hard to convince cats will take lots of water.

Think ahead - If you do want two cats, try to get them at the same time and as kittens. Cats that grow up together are less likely to squabble.

Provide an escape route - Make sure that when two cats meet for the first time that they have an easy way out. If they don't feel trapped, they will be less likely to fight.

Indoors vs. Outdoors - The safest place for your cat is inside where there is no chance of territorial fights. The average life span for an indoor cat is 12 to 14 years, for an outdoor cat it is 1 to 2 years.

Neuter your cat young - Cats that are neutered before they are six months old, may never develop the tendency to fight. Aggression is greatly reduced in males and even spayed females display a less quarrelsome disposition.

Preventive training means trying to prevent your dog from exhibiting inappropriate behavior by keeping an eye on him when he is with you, or by keeping him in his crate (or a puppy/dog-proofed area) when you cannot look after him.

The methodology behind this type of training is simple. If your dog does not get an opportunity to exhibit an unwanted behavior, you do not have to modify his behavior or use negative training methods. Preventive training requires more participation from the owner as far as constant supervision and consistency, but in the long run it is far less stressful on both owner and dog. This training method has two advantages: 1) it sets you up immediately as the pack leader and 2) it expedites the bonding between you and your new friend.

If you bring your new puppy home and just turn him loose in your house, in a matter of maybe five minutes, he will have carried off as much as he could stuff in his little mouth, and chewed up what he could not.

On the other hand, if you choose to train in a preventive manner, you would only allow your puppy or dog in the room you are in and you would have a supply of proper chew toys ready for him when the need arises. If you catch him chewing on something he should not have, such as your pillow, you would distract him by saying "NO" in a very firm tone of voice and then offer him a proper chew toy along with praise. This way, he associates the praise with the appropriate chew toy. Remember, dogs/puppies understand about three tones of voice along with body language and eye contact. Here are examples:

• High-pitched, excitable tones are effective for motivating your dog/puppy (for coming to you when he is called or for heeling properly). This tone reminds him of his litter mates (this is why children have a difficult time winning the respect of a dog/puppy, since they sound like equals).
• Matter-of-fact tones are excellent for giving commands to your dog/puppy (the same tone as a bark-calm, direct, no urgency).
• Lowered tones which would simulate a growl from mom (which means whatever it is you are doing, stop it now). Remember, yelling or striking your dog/puppy will only confuse him and cause him to mistrust and fear you.

Dogs/puppies do not understand being hit or grabbed. They only learn they cannot trust you or to fear you. They understand direct eye contact, tones in your voice or your body language, so use these to your advantage.

Direct eye contact can mean you are looking lovingly at your dog and he may exchange your glance. Or when giving a dog a good long stare in the eyes after he has just jumped on you and you have told him "OFF"—the stare means "I mean business."

What about body language? Do you have a puppy who cowers when you approach him, maybe even squats and urinates just a little? You do not hit him, so why does he do this? The way you move toward a dog can be a threat in itself. Are you a lot bigger than the dog? Do you move quickly? Do you bend towards him? Why not try to encourage the dog to come to you? Squat down on his level so you are not so threatening; use a piece of his dog food or a favorite toy to convince him to come closer. Pet him when he gets very near you (do not reach out), and make sure you praise him for showing courage.

All too often people console their dog/puppy when he shows signs of being frightened. This is a normal human reaction. However, to a dog/or puppy, this only confirms his fear. For example, your child drops a metal lid from a cooking pan onto the hard surface of the kitchen floor. Before you can blink an eye, your dog/puppy has thrown himself under the nearest piece of furniture shaking uncontrollably. Instead of pulling him out and consoling him (which would be the same as saying to your dog/puppy "It's okay to be afraid"), try enticing him out with a treat, laugh, and be positive. Your dog/puppy may pick up on your mood. Show him he has nothing to fear.

It is always a good idea to keep pets at a safe distance from wildlife. In general, wildlife will shy away from people and pets; however, conflicts with pets can and do occur. It is important to keep in mind that wild animals are looking to survive, and conflicts that occur with pets are often a result of wildlife simply trying to defend themselves, their young, or their territory. Listed below are some tips pet owners can take to proactively prevent conflicts between pets and wildlife from occurring.

Keep your dog leashed and close by at all times.

Keep your cats indoors.

The average life span of a cat kept indoors is more than double that of a cat allowed outside. In addition, there are many hazards that endanger the health and safety of outdoor cats, like automobiles, infectious diseases and parasites and predators. Non-neutered cats also contribute to the cat overpopulation problem.

There are a number of things you can do to help make the transition easier for your outdoor cat to move inside. Walking or exercising them on a leash, building a secure, covered outdoor pen, providing lots of toys and scratching posts, and planting edible cat grasses and plants inside are just a few.

Keep a basic pet and human first aid kit.

When hiking with your pet, only hike during daylight hours and stay alert!

Skunks do not see very well and often respond to abrupt or quick movements by spraying in self-defense. If your pet gets sprayed by a skunk, the following recipe can help diffuse the odor: combine 1 quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide, ¼ cup baking soda, and 1 teaspoon liquid laundry or dish soap. This recipe can be used on animals and clothing. If your pet gets sprayed in the eyes, flushing them with cold water can help ease the discomfort.

During hunting season, there are additional steps you can take to help protect people and pets. When walking or hiking in the woods with your pets in the fall and early winter seasons, it is important to take some precautions. Fall is one of the busiest times for wildlife, as many animals are on the move, actively foraging for food and shelter, mating before winter, and avoiding hunters. There are several things you can do to keep you, your family, and your pets safe and sound.

Be aware of state hunting and trapping regulations.

For hunting and trapping schedules and more information, contact your state division of Fisheries and Wildlife so you know when and where hunting activities are occurring.

Steer clear of areas where hunting is allowed.

When walking or hiking in the woods with your family and pets, be sure everybody wears brightly colored outerwear. Purchase a florescent orange dog coat or vest at your local pet-supply store.

Do not allow your dog to chase deer or other wildlife.

When walking in areas where hunting is permitted, talk loudly and make noise periodically to alert any hunters of your presence.

Know your route and stay on marked trails and pathways.

Ever wonder if Fido prefers a blue toy over a pink toy? Believe it or not, he doesn't. Man's best friend is colorblind, but fortunately, his survival does not depend upon the ability to see colors. His keen sense of smell compensates for his inability to see colors and enables him to differentiate between objects. Extensive scientific testing on dogs supports the conclusion that they live in a colorless world, though there is some evidence that they may be sensitive to blue and green light. The testing done has focused primarily on the dogs' responses to colors for food. The enlisted dogs were unable to tell the difference between the signal for food (one color) and that which was not for food (another color). The same tests were conducted on cats and, not surprisingly, our feline friends produced similar results.

Birds on the other hand have exceptional color vision, and it is widely believed that it may be better than our own. Up until the early 1970s, it was thought that birds had tri-chromatic (3 color) vision. After several studies, it has been accepted that the avian eye, not the human eye, is the quintessential color vision system.

Why is it that dogs and cats have such poor color vision and birds have such superior color vision, with humans (and monkeys!) somewhere in between? It has to do with the number of cones, or cells, that make up the retina of the eye. Dogs and cats only have two cones, leaving them with mostly monochromatic vision.

Birds, however, have four (or sometimes more) cones, allowing them to see not only more colors or hues, but more saturated color. We, as humans, fall into the middle with three cones, allowing us to see a variety of colors, but not quite as many as birds. So the next time you go shopping for a dog, cat or bird toy for your pet, remember that while Fido or Kitty may not have a preference, Polly may prefer something to match her feathers!

How Well Do You Know Our Presidents' Dogs?

Question 1:

What president had a dog who pulled off the French Ambassador's pants at a White House event?
Ulysses S. Grant
Teddy Roosevelt
Woodrow Wilson

Question 2:

What assassinated president had a dog who was murdered?
Abraham Lincoln
William McKinley
John F. Kennedy

Question 3:

What Cold War-era president housed four "pupniks" after his dog had a Soviet romance?
John F. Kennedy
Gerald Ford
Jimmy Carter

Question 4:

What president ordered a destroyer to retrace its route when he learned his dog had been left behind?
Harry S. Truman
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Dwight D. Eisenhower

Question 5:

What president caused an outcry when he picked up his beagle pups by the ears?
Theodore Roosevelt
Herbert Hoover
Lyndon B. Johnson

Question 6:

What president had a spaniel whose dog house was decorated with framed political photographs?
John F. Kennedy
Ronald Reagan
George H. W. Bush

Question 7:

What president said, "If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog"?
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Harry Truman
Bill Clinton

Question 8:

What president claimed his dog Checkers was the only campaign gift he accepted?
Calvin Coolidge
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Richard Nixon

Question 9:

What president had 36 dogs, but would not let his slaves keep dogs?
George Washington
John Adams
Thomas Jefferson

Question 10:

What president had a dog who sat in his own hand-carved chair during cabinet meetings?
James Buchanan
Rutherford B. Hayes
Warren Harding

How Well Do You Know Our Presidents' Dogs?

Answers To Questions

Question 1:

What president had a dog who pulled off the French Ambassador's pants at a White House event?
Ulysses S. Grant
Teddy Roosevelt
Woodrow Wilson

Correct answer: Teddy Roosevelt. Roosevelt's pit bull, Pete, horrified White House guests by tearing off the ambassador's pants with his teeth.

Question 2:

What assassinated president had a dog who was murdered?
Abraham Lincoln
William McKinley
John F. Kennedy

Correct answer: Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln's mutt, Fido, was stabbed to death by a drunk in the street a year after Lincoln was assassinated.

Question 3:

What Cold War-era president housed four "pupniks" after his dog had a Soviet romance?
John F. Kennedy
Gerald Ford
Jimmy Carter

Correct answer: John F. Kennedy. Kennedy's terrier, Charlie, mated with Pushinka, daughter of Sputnik dog-in-space Laika.

Question 4:

What president ordered a destroyer to retrace its route when he learned his dog had been left behind?
Harry S. Truman
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Dwight D. Eisenhower

Correct answer: Franklin D. Roosevelt. Roosevelt had a destroyer turned around to fetch his Scottie, Fala, from the Aleutian Islands. The rescue cost taxpayers an estimated $15,000.

Question 5:

What president caused public outcry when he picked up his beagle puppies by the ears?
Theodore Roosevelt
Herbert Hoover
Lyndon B. Johnson

Correct answer: Lyndon B. Johnson. A picture of Johnson lifting his beagles, Him and Her, by the ears was afront-page item in newspapers around the world. Johnson thought this was the correct way to pick up puppies.

Question 6:

What president had a spaniel whose dog house was decorated with framed political photographs?
John F. Kennedy
Ronald Reagan
George H. W. Bush

Correct answer: Ronald Reagan. Reagan's King Charles spaniel, Rex, had his own luxurious home.

Question 7:

What president said, "If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog"?
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Harry Truman
Bill Clinton

Correct answer: Harry Truman

Question 8:

What president claimed his dog Checkers was the only campaign gift he accepted?
Calvin Coolidge
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Richard Nixon

Correct answer: Richard Nixon. "The kids love the dog, and we're going to keep it," Nixon said of the black-and-white cocker spaniel.

Question 9:

What president had 36 dogs, but would not let his slaves keep dogs?
George Washington
John Adams
Thomas Jefferson

Correct answer: George Washington. Washington had 36 foxhounds, but feared that if his slaves had dogs, the slaves' dogs might harass his sheep.

Question 10:

What president had a dog who sat in his own hand-carved chair during cabinet meetings?
James Buchanan
Rutherford B. Hayes
Warren Harding

Correct answer: Warren Harding. Harding's Airedale Laddie Boy had not only his own chair, but his own valet.