Category Archives: Dog Stuff

My Best Friend – Bissell Rug Cleaner

Dog owners best friend

Dog owners best friend

After a busy February vacation week my best friend is my Bissell Rug Cleaner. We love having the dogs in our home but some of the little ones mistake our carpets for pee pee pads. As much as we keep up with spot cleaning nothing beats the deep cleaning provided by this great machine.

I bought the Bissell two years ago and to hear me describe my new toy you would think I bought myself a diamond ring. If you have rugs and dogs I highly recommend this Bissell Proheat rug cleaner!

Our Newbury, MA pet care facility is registered and inspected!

Has your doggie daycare been investigated?

Has your doggie daycare been investigated?

We may be a small home based business but we run our pet care facility  just like the big ones,  or so I thought. I watched a recent episode of “Help me Hank” on channel 7  (a  link and article below  about it is below).

Before you read this let me assure you that we are a registered dog kennel (it seems many are not). So far just this year we have been inspected 3 times and passed with flying colors! We are fully licensed to conduct business and carry insurance through Pet Sitters LLC.

Most importantly  we offer personalized professional attention and a heavy dose of common sense. We have three safe separate areas for dogs to play in and never exceed 10 dogs total.  Our average regular (somewhat exclusive) doggie daycare count is usual quite a bit less than 10 and vacationing dogs are kept separate if need be. An understanding of animal behavior helps us to regulate what dogs hang together.

Anyway… Here is the link to this alarming article:

Link to Help me Hank article on a Massachusetts Doggy Daycare

 

What should you put in your pet’s first aid kit?

dog_petfirstaidAnne and I recently attended a pet first aid class held by Lindsay Renzullo, DVM, Assistant Medical Director at Bulger Veterinary Hospital in North Andover, MA.

Dr. Renzullo supplied us with a list of items that you should have in your pet’s first aid kit. I would like to share this list here…

What should you put in your pet’s first aid kit?

Your veterinarian’s emergency numbers and the numbers of veterinary emergency hospitals in your area. Call your veterinarian or go to an emergency hospital immediately if you see your pet eating something toxic. Induce vomiting with hydrogen peroxide only if your pet eats something toxic – mushrooms, antifreeze, rodenticide, alcohol, chocolate, etc.

Bandage materials

3×3 gauze squares

Sports tape

Scissors

Rubber gloves

A flashlight

Q-Tips

A sock. The sock can be used as a muzzle, or to wrap around a wound, it can also be used to apply pressure to a bleeding wound.

A muzzle – injured pets bit. They are not trying to hurt you, they just don’t want you to hurt them.

Extra leashes (in case you find a stray who needs help).

Diluted betadyne solution, or diluted iodine solution (dilute 1 part betadyne to 5 parts water).

Benadryl 1mg/1lb (the PINK box. Ingredients in Allergy Benadryl can be toxic to pets) this can be administered for bee stings, or other allergic reactions. Call your vet or an emergency veterinary hospital before administering.

I think this is a great basic list and I would like to add a few items I’ve found a need for.

Tweezers – the flat slant tip kind for removing splinters and/or ticks) There is a device called a tick scoop

Thermometer – normal temperature of dogs and cats is 100.5 to 102.5. Take your pets temperature under normal conditions so that you’ll get a baseline.

A first aid guide book.

Note that this is a basic list. Your kit could include many other items but this is a good start.  My honest reaction to most injuries or medical concerns is to bring my pet to the vet. Quick reliable veterinary care can actually save you money in the long run.

 

 

Should you vaccinate your dog against canine influenza?

Buddy received a Canine Influenza shot on May 22, 2014

Buddy received a Canine Influenza shot on May 22, 2014

On  May 22, 2014 I had Buddy vaccinated at Amesbury Animal Hospital with the canine influenza vaccine. This is what I learned…

First background:

There were only 4 confirmed cases of canine influenza, all at the same doggie day care, with the same vet.

Amesbury Animal Hospital is generally recommending it for dogs in situations where they will be exposed to a LOT of other dogs.

About the Vaccine…

The vaccine is given in 2 visits. Your dog will not be protected until several days/weeks after the SECOND BOOSTER. Second booster is given at least 2 weeks after the first vaccine.

IMPORTANT…VACCINE DOES NOT PREVENT FLU! However, it is suppose to help lessen the symptoms and reduce the time that the flu lasts.

Is Seacoast Pet Sitting requiring clients to vaccinate?   We are not requiring it at this time but like Amesbury Animal Hospital, we are recommending it to clients with dogs that are exposed to a lot of other dogs.

We are a small facility and most of our clients dogs only come here and do not have a lot of interaction with dogs outside of our facility. I have asked one client who’s dog goes to a separate large doggie day care to have their dog vaccinated. We keep our facility clean and dogs that are here just for vacation pet sitting are normally kept separate from our daily clients.

So why did I get Buddy vaccinated? I figure better to be safe than sorry.  Buddy does interact with some of our vacation pet care dogs so he is with more dogs than our daily clients (never more than 4).

For more information we have included a link to an  ASPCA article on Canine Influenza…

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/canine-influenza-viruscanine-flu

10 Things Not to Feed Your Dog or Cat

 

Ten Things Not To Feed Your Dog Or Cat

I got this list from our pet sitting insurance company and thought I’d share it…

Nellie Playing with a Stick

Nellie Playing with a Stick

10 things not to feed your dog:

  1. Chocolate, tea, coffee, caffeine – these foods and drinks contain substances that can cause severe or even fatal heart or nervous system problems and should never be given.
  2. Grapes, raisins or currants – contain an unknown toxin that can cause kidney failure.
  3. Xylitol containing gum or candy – can cause severe low blood sugar or liver failure.
  4. Garlic, onion, or chives – contain a substance that can cause anemia. This includes garlic and onion powder in prepared foods.
  5. Corn on the cob – pieces of the cob can be swallowed and cause a bowel obstruction.
  6. Bones that splinter or can be swallowed – certain bones can cause lacerations to the mouth or digestive tract or cause obstruction.
  7. Raw eggs – contain an enzyme in the egg white called Avidin, which prevents the absorption of a B-Vitamin called biotin which can lead to skin and hair coat problems.
  8. Avocado – contain a substance called Persin, which causes vomiting and diarrhea.
  9. Liver – when fed in large quantities causes Vitamin A toxicity causing bone and muscle problems.
  10. Fish – raw, canned or cooked when fed exclusively or in large quantities a Thiamine deficiency leading to anorexia, seizures, an in severe cases death.

10 things not to feed your cat:

  1. Chocolate, coffee, tea or caffeine -for the same reason as dogs.
  2. Canned tuna for human consumption and raw fish – when fed exclusively or in high amounts can cause thiamine deficiency similar to dogs.
  3. Grapes, raisins, or currants – same as dogs
  4. Nuts – some nuts like macadamia nuts contain an unknown toxin causing intestinal, nervous system or muscle problems. Also if swallowed can cause a bowel obstruction.
  5. Xylitol gum or candy – same as dogs
  6. Baby food – many times contain onion powder, which can cause anemia when fed exclusively for in large quantities. Also is not completely balanced for a cat.
  7. Onions and Garlic raw, cooked or powder – contain sulfoxides and disulfides which cause anemia. Cats are more sensitive than dogs, and onion is more toxic than garlic.
  8. Dog food – if fed repeatedly causes taurine deficiency, which can cause malnutrition and heart disease.
  9. Bones – can cause obstruction or lacerations of the digestive system.
  10. Raw meat – may contain ecoli or salmonella causing diarrhea or vomiting.

Many of the foods listed can be used occasionally or as part of a balanced diet, but if not using a commercially prepared diet consult your veterinarian or an animal nutritionist.