Friends...... I have met so many. Some big, some small, even some without legs. One cool ride!

Petunia is my best friend.... she thinks Iris's are stupid! She has been very grumpy lately. When I try and get her to play she bites me in my jowl. It really hurts. Mom says she needs a checkup, that maybe her grumpiness is because she isn't feeling well. I think she was born that way.....

She has also gained some weight. Mom says she gets fat on air. I happen to know she sneaks the cat and my food when no one is looking. I'm scared of her so I don't tell. I try to explain to her that she is decreasing her life span by being overweight. Recent studies show that 30 to 40 percent of U.S. pets are overweight and 25 percent are obese. Obesity is one of the most common medical conditions for dogs and cats. Extra weight stresses legs and feet, and can cause other complications such as diabetes, heart disease and arthritis. Trust me, the last thing anyone in this house wants to do is have to treat Petunia on a daily basis.... grumpy.

Diet is so important for so many reasons. Some breeds of dogs are more prone to bladder stones, because genetically they produce higher levels of the mineral substances and waste products that make up the crystals that ultimately form the stone. Stones (uroliths) are more common in small breed dogs then large breed. this stone was discovered and removed from a very small Yorkshire Terrier, it is HUGE!.

Stones can become so large that they completely fill the bladder. Some common signs of stones in the bladder can be frequent urination (there is no room for urine, it's all STONE), sometimes with blood (the stones irritate the bladder wall rubbing against it),  straining to urinate, and general weakness. Diagnosing uroliths involves looking microscopically at a urine sample, identifying crystals and bacteria, radiographs, and even an ultrasound. Treatment involves either a dissolving diet that helps breakdown the stone, or surgery. Stones can come back so the vets will send the stone off for analysis, find out what makes up the stone, then recommend a diet to help prevent them from ever forming again.

Remember, diet is everything! You are what you eat (Petunia!) So many conditions can be prevented by eating the right stuff. This is Foxy, my little buddy. He barks a lot but never tries to bite me. Foxy and I hang alot when his owner is away. I like him. Well enjoy these nice warm days and TaTa for now!

you are what you eat?

Is it true what they say, "you are what you eat"? What exactly does this mean? Originally this phrase  ( 1826-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, Physiologie du Gout, ou Meditations de Gastronomie Transcendante) was meant  as statement that the food you eat has a bearing on what your state of mind is. Not until later (1942 EEnglish nutritionist Victor Lindlahr published, What You Eat: how to win and keep health with diet).  It is a common belief that if you eat badly you are much more susceptible to sickness. Now sometimes the line between healthy and not healthy is blurred by lots and lots of different views. For dogs some say the best diet is a brand name quality dog food that comes in a can or bag. But what about preservatives, I looked at my bag of food and it stays fresh (expiration date) for many, many months. Would my mom feed my human brothers and sisters food that stays fresh for years?

I Love Raw Eggs!

I love my food! Mom gets me Candidae, it is holistic, hypoallergenic and yummy. But if you read on the Internet with all the pet food recalls and such it makes you worry about the general health of the pet food industry! I know my mom and dad keep informed and with West Lebanon Feed and Supply next door to Stonecliff I have a never ending choice for dinner!
So this blog post is not for the squeamish! We are continuing to talk about things we pets will eat and not think twice about! One of the most common illness that the veterinary staff encounter at S.A.V.E.S. (Small Animal Veterinary Emergency Services in Lebanon, NH.) comes from our ability as pets to eat ANYTHING! Mom always says after a surgery to remove this or that from a pet's intestines, "can you imagine (she always emphasizes this word) swallowing this! So read on if you don't mind the site of gross stuff, remember, I warned you!

So we'll ease into this slowly, and please don't steal these photos from my mom. She doesn't know I am borrowing her food shots and she may get a little cranky if you take them and use them elsewhere since there copyrighted, what ever that means.
So last blog we talked about the evils of chocolate for us pets. Well I think we should all take a moment a think about all of the things we ingest in a day. This morning I ate horse poop, then cow poop, the squeaker to my new Christmas toy, part of my brother's sock, and some cat food! I am actually pretty proud of the score for the morning until I started thinking about my friends that I have met at the hospital.
A few days ago I met a dog that likes to eat sticks! Well so do I but I chew them up and spit them out! This guy swallows pieces of stick, like big pieces!

Well that took it's toll on this poor fellow. Unable to hold water or food down and a bad case of diarrhea, his people brought him into S.A.V.E.S. to find out what was wrong. Turns out a stick (pictured here) was lodged in his intestine. The only choice was to surgically remove the object and save the dogs life.

The surgeon (that's my dad!!) made an incision into the intestinal wall and removed the stick.

This poor fellow is going to be fine now. I hope he somehow realizes that dog food is for eating, sticks for chasing and the occasional chew. Not swallowing!

If you suspect your pet has an intestinal blockage timing is very important. If you pet is vomiting, not eating, and not passing stool or passing small amounts of watery diarrhea this may be a sign of an impaction or blockage. The longer the object remains in the bowel, the more damage can occur to the tissue. Don't wait, call your veterinarian right away.

 Leave you with something sweet. TaTa for now!