We Need Each Other, Please Stop!

"Much smoking kills live men and cures dead swine."
George Dennison Prentice

Humans never seem to be satisfied. They like variety, seek out thrills.... always want something bigger and better. Good is bad, bad is good. Simple moments ignored.... the smell of the neighbors barbecue, chasing the same ball for hours, eating the same food night after night, peeing on the same tree day after day, now this is good stuff. Us dogs, we like repetition. We are satisfied by a "good boy", long walks, chasing squirrels.......

Many humans like to bring fire to their face.... what the heck!? The smoke rolls in and out without a cough, while we (your dog and cat) are over here with red eyes, coughing and sneezing..... is the place burning down?

Well believe it or not your harming us as much as yourselves. Secondhand smoke can cause cancer in your pets but that isn't the only risk!! Many people are now trying the electric cigarettes, nicotine patches and gum. All of these products are concentrated nicotine, a little goes a long way, right to the emergency clinic. Even the butts your squishing out on the driveway, poison dude, poison.

Let's look at the facts:

1. We don't live very long compared to a humans life expectancy. Hard to swallow I know and we cherish every moment we have with you! The average life expectancy of a dog is 10-12 years, the cat is a little longer, 12-19 years. Secondhand smoke can cause lung and nasal cancer in dogs, and repeated exposure of smoke to a cat doubles their chance of developing Lymphoma, as well as asthma and bronchitis.

2. Quit smoking. Did you know on the average a person who smokes a pack a day spends approximately $1000 a year on cigarettes? But let us also talk about your veterinary bill. Quit now and you will save money on your vet bill (or at least smoke outside).

3. E-cigarettes can be fatal to your pet! It takes only 5 milligrams of nicotine to cause problems for your pet. A regular cigarette has approximately 15-20 milligrams of nicotine, e-cigarette refill cartridges can have anywhere from 6 to 24 milligrams, then take into account that a package can have five to one hundred cartridges. According to the Pet Poison Hotline, the number of calls about nicotine poisoning from these new products has doubled. One cartridge could cause toxic signs in a 50 pound dog, but in a ten pound dog it could be fatal. Yikes!! And their flavoring them!!! Banana Cream Pie anyone???!!!

4. Nicotine poisoning happens rapidly in pets, typically within 15-60 minutes after ingestion.

5. Signs in dogs and cats: vomiting, diarrhea, irritation, increased heart and breathing rates, depression, tremors, seizures, coma, and cardiac arrest.

6. React quickly, because of the rapid onset every moment counts. Call your veterinarian immediately if you suspect nicotine poisoning.

I've heard how hard it is to stop sucking in all that smoke (my human mom was hooked and quit "cold turkey" when she fell in love with my dad). If you really love your pets you should think twice about lighting, vaping, whatever you want to call it. Quit today, we want you around as much as you want us around. If you can't do it (we know you can), then please take it outside (and don't drop that butt, it's lethal).

Tata for now
Oli

for more information check out these links:
Secondhand smoke harmful to pets as people: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/secondhand-smoke-as-harmful-to-pets-as-people/
E-Cigarettes and Pets Do Not Mix: http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/uncategorized/e-cigarettes-pets-mix/

BANG!

Has your best friend become afraid of loud noises? Do you dread the weather report predicting thunderstorms? Is July 4th on your blacklist? Is your pet destructive and you just don't understand why suddenly this is occurring?

Well the first huge problem is we can't tell you how or why we are feeling a certain way! Your only option is to become a detective, guessing and second guessing our every move. 

Noise phobia is a serious medical condition. Fear is a normal reaction, it keeps animals safe, "fight or flight" in response to a threat. Anxiety on the other hand is anticipation of a scary event, the worrying that something might happen. Noise aversion is both an anxiety as well as a fear induced condition. As it grows it becomes a phobia, extreme and irrational. This fear slowly becomes pathologic and starts to infringe on normal daily life. These pets start feeling like they are always in danger. every minute of the day. Anyone that has a pet with phobia issues like this knows what I'm talking about! These conditions should be treated quickly when it first appears, ultimately it will worsen over time. Can you imagine being frightened every hour of every day?

 Ways to tell if your pet is suffering from noise aversion? When a loud noise occurs do they howl, cry, shake, bark, destroy your house, urinate inappropriately, or try to escape? These could be telltale signs that your dog is over the top stressed out! It may be something as simple as the garbage man bangs the cans on the driveway, or kids yelling. Maybe your pet jumped off the couch the first time he heard the garbage man drop your can on the driveway and he tweeked his back. The pain associated with the bang makes him apprehensive, so overtime each time he hears the garbage truck coming he gets anxious, soon its any vehicle coming. Slowly this will grow into a very debilitating condition.

It is important to understand that this is a serious medical condition and your pet is crying out for help. We all know how stress affects our health, well same with your pet! Longterm stress on a body weakens the immune system, strains the brain and vital organs. and our relationship with our pet.

Talk to your veterinarian about these behaviors. He or she will probably recommend some general lab tests to rule out common diseases (hypothyroidism for one) that may also cause these symptoms. Your pet's doctor will develop a plan which may include visiting with a behavioralist, making changes in your pet's environment, or even medications. 

The main focus on treatment is altering the dogs response to the event that causes the anxiety. The key to this is not rewarding the anxious or fearful response. "OK" is a word that most dogs associate with a reward. Telling them during an anxious event that it is "OK" is rewarding a negative behavior. In turn the dog will now become more anxious. Petting can also be a reward, but during a stressful episode it is a reward for their anxiety. 

Gentle continuos pressure has been shown to be comforting, hugging is a great start. There are many products on the market with this idea in mind. Calming wraps such as the Thundershirt we carry at SAC has helped many pets including our own. Calming caps limit the dogs peripheral vision while also applying  mild pressure to the head and face. The Storm Defender Cape wraps around the pets body and decreases static electricity associated with storms (stormdefender.com).

Eye shields that prevent or limit light may help. Tinted Doggles or the mesh variety may ease the anxiety (Doggles.com). Blocking sound may also be an aid for your pet, Muttmuffs (Muttmuffs.com) have a product that may help.

We carry many different homeopathic calming medications that many clients have found helpful during an episode.  A new medication just recently launched could be the answer to get your dog back on track. Sileo, latin for "be silent", may help alleviate signs of noise aversion. The drug is administered by the owner between the lip and gum. It has a calming effect, not sedation so he or she will remain fully functioning and work through the episode. SAC has just started using this on some of our patients with severe noise aversion issues so stay tuned. 

Some important things to remember. 

Are you adding a puppy to a household where you already have a noise phobia dog?

This can be a learned response. If you have a dog with anxiety issues and plan on adding a new puppy to your household talk to your veterinarian about ways to prevent the new addition from "inheriting" these behaviors. Veterinary Behavioralists recommend conditioning a puppy to loud noises such as fireworks and thunderstorms by making it a game. Grab a ball or your puppies favorite toy and play through the storm. Who knows, maybe the old-timer will join in also!

There are certain noise phobia traits that are inherited, especially in herding breeds. Ask the breeder if the parents have exhibited noise anxiety. Caught early we can prevent the issues from snowballing.

What is causing my pets anxiety? Check out this informative video More then storms and fireworks

Eat Your Vegetables

Vegetables and fruit can be a great way to reward your dog! Instead of reaching for the high fat treats, think fresh.  There are so many different low-fat food items that we all enjoy everyday that are just as appealing to our four-legged friends. But please remember, not all fruits and vegetables are safe for them, in fact some can even seriously harm them.
Below is a great list of safe fresh treats to let your pet sample. Remember to wash the items to remove any pesticides, and go slow, one is great but overdoing any item could cause dietary issues such as diarrhea.

Safe Fruits for Dogs:
Apples: remove the seeds and core (small traces of cyanide in pit so do avoid) can be gassy
Bananas: high sugar so limit amount
Watermelon: remove the rind and seeds to prevent blockages
Strawberries: high in sugar so limit amount
Oranges: peel removed along with seeds
Blueberries: super food rich in antioxidants
Pineapple: a few chunks but sweet, remove prickly outside
Pear: remove seeds and core (small traces of cyanide in pit so do avoid)
Peaches: remove pit (small traces of cyanide in pit so do avoid)
Mango: remove the pit (small traces of cyanide in pit so do avoid)

Safe Vegetables for Dogs:
Carrots: and great for teeth
Beans: right out of the garden!
Broccoli: only the stems
Cucumbers: low fat and boost energy levels
Celery: healthy heart and might even fight cancer
Potatoes: boiled and cubed
Sweet Potato: high fiber and vitamins washed, cooked and cubed

Avoid at all Cost:
Avocado
Grapes and Raisins
Tomato
Onions
Cherries

Just remember, treats in moderation! Some every now and then. Make sure you have a good dental hygiene regime already in place for your pets teeth. Brushing or rinsing once a day can help keep those chompers healthy, shiny and bright!

Tata for now
Oli

Summer has come and gone. September and even October will give us glimpses of those carefree days, but face it.... time to grow my winter coat.

Soon we will be relishing in the holidays. For some of us it is a time to give back, to share in good fortune.

Each day I am reminded of what a lucky dog I am. I do spend a lot of time under my mom's desk at SAVES, in Lebanon, NH., but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

The hard part for me is watching the staff struggle with injured and ill patients, with families that can not afford their care. SAVES has some pretty incredible programs to help with economic hardship, community contacts, and rescue connections. But unfortunately it isn't enough.

With more and more local veterinary hospitals referring their hard luck cases to SAVES, we are constantly struggling to make the program work.

Why do other hospitals refer these patients to us?

Because they know SAVES is a compassionate group, we love pets and have taken the time to create some pretty incredible programs for these silent victims. They know we have incredible staff willing to explore every avenue, to leave no rock unturned. Sometimes it isn't enough. SAVES contributes hundreds of staff hours and procedures each year to help. But we can only do so much before we are in financial hardship ourselves.

So what happens if your pet is suddenly injured or ill and you have only enough money to buy groceries for your family? Hard choices must be made.

At SAVES we look at all your options.

We can help you qualify for a short term credit card called CareCredit. This unfortunately only works if you have a good credit history.

Sometimes we can set you up for a short term loan, this requires a 50% down payment. Regular payments are then collected each week directly from your bank account. This only works if you have the required percentage as a down payment.

The Brutus Fund- this fund is a rotating pool that if an applicant is eligible, they can borrow from until they are more financially stable again. The idea is the recipient repays the fund when times are better. Only owners that meet strict criteria are eligible for this fund. This fund is only available as long as there is cash in it.


Emergency and critical care can be extremely costly. We understand that not everyone can take on such unexpected costs. Our funding is very fragile. We need a constant replenishment in order to keep the fund viable. We rely on donations for this program.

Each week we will showcase the patients that have benefited from this fund. Visit our Facebook page
The Brutus Fund and witness how this fund is helping your neighbors. All of us can help these silent victims in our community. Thank you to everyone that has already donated to this incredible cause!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone! What a year it has been. So many new faces, new friends...... I feel very blessed to be a part of the SAVES and Stonecliff Animal Clinic of NH veterinary communities. A quick summary of my 2012 year.....

Petunia developed Liver Disease but is responding to her medication and new diet! She looked fine but went in to see my dad for some routine lab work and low and behold! Dad says the liver is one of those organs that can heal itself pretty well. He said we caught it early enough and she should have a bright and yappy future.

I fell in love with Lucy, the dog of my dreams!

And Kylie..... another girl of my dreams! Can you blame a dog? I like to spread my charm around you know..... soon I hope to get a picture of Rosie.... I met her in the park last night....

My brother played in the Shrine Bowl in August (unfortunately "No Dogs Allowed" in the Dartmouth Stadium) go figure.

We "Walked on the Wildside" for the Upper Valley Humane Society, and raised money for 

the FurryFriends Visiting Nurses Alliance Hospice Program.

Hoot Bing got sick and then got better after visiting SAVES.

I visited an island with my family and got to dive in the ocean for the first time. My sister thought it would be a good idea to make me into her sand castle.... girls!

and I even met some friends on the island, BIG HOT friends....

the only way for this big boy to cool down was laying in a bag of ice.....

we celebrated in a big way my sister turning 21 years old with huge fire that floated off into the sky...

another hurricane hit Vermont.....

old friends visited SAVES for knee surgery.....

and new ones for all different types of reasons....

63 Evans Drive is now home to North Country Crematorium as well as Dee Ganley, Sue Kenney and Kate Viles obedience and agility classes.

and thanks to Open MRI we now have the ability to offer such incredible advanced services to our patients.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! Thank you for making SAVES and Stonecliff Animal Clinic of New Hampshire the destination for all of your pet's needs from wellness care to emergency and critical care. We are always available, 24 hours a day, every day. Thank you for joining our family, we are honored to have you with us!