How to Protect a Dog’s Skin in Winter

With the cold weather and cranked-up heat — comes the dry and itchy skin — and with the dry and itchy skin — comes the moisturizers. But while you’re protecting your own skin, you might want to think about Fido’s too. Dogs experience the same winter skin woes as us humans, but unfortunately, you can’t use Nivea or Jergens on them. Here are some other ways to protect your pooch from that pesky winter skin.

Instructions

1. • Brush your dog frequently to get rid of dead skin cells. Brushing stimulates circulation and the production of oil, which in turn provides moisture. This applies to both long and shorthaired dogs.

   • Use a moisturizing shampoo with an ingredient such as lanolin, that is specifically formulated for dogs. People shampoos can upset a dog’s pH balance (which is different from ours), and thus be harsh on their skin.

   • Shampoo your dog less frequently during the cold months. Too much bathing can strip the coat of its natural oils. Every few months is normally a good schedule, unless you have a dog that spends more time outdoors.

   • Feed your dog a quality brand of food (or homemade diet) with Omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin E (mixed tocopherols are a source of Vitamin E) for a healthy skin and coat.

   • Add fish oil (Omega-3) to your dog’s diet. Fish oil is used to treat canine skin allergies and relieve itching, and may also treat a variety of conditions including high cholesterol, arthritis and kidney disease. You can purchase liquid fish oil or break open a fish oil capsule and add it to your dog’s food. Flaxseed oil is also a good source of Omega-3 for the coat and immune system, but make sure it’s organic for full benefits.

   • Use a room humidifier to moisten the air if your home is too dry from running the heat.

QUICK UPDATE ON ABBY-ROSE

Abby and her new friends

Just a quick little update on Abby-Rose, when she arrived she was a very shy and unstable little girl who would bite you rather than be your friend. Abby didn’t like to be near other dogs (she would bite) didn’t want to be brushed (she would bite) could not touch her feet (she would bite) absolutely could not cut her nails (she would bite) do you see a pattern? Well Abby has been here now four days and I am very proud to say we can touch her feet, got the back nails cut, not the front yet, she loves to be in with all the dogs, and she now likes to be brushed! We still need to work on a few things and still attempt to cut her front nails (she does not like that) we will try later today. I am very proud of little miss Abby she has come such a long way in a short time, still has some hills to climb but we will get there!

How to Assemble a Canine First Aid Kit

How to Make Your Own First Aid Kit

Please make and have your own first aid kit ready at all times! You never know when disaster will strike. You have the option to make a small inexpensive first aid kit to one that might rival a home vet office, your choice! Me I have two! One I keep at home and the second one is always in my car! You never know when or where you will need it so don’t get caught with out it!

The Ideal Canine First Aid Kit Should Include

• Strong Waterproof Kit Container:

Write on the container in indelible ink, the phone numbers for your vet, the closest emergency animal hospital, and poison control hotlines. Also list your own name, address and phone numbers.

• Any Literature or Books on Dog First Aid Tips
• An extra supply of your dog’s medications
• Scissors and Tweezers – Flat Slant Tip
• Cotton Balls and Cotton Rolls
• Gauze Pads, Squares, and Roll
• Disinfectant like Hydrogen Peroxide
• Rope, Nylon Stockings, or Bandana to Temporarily Tie Up a Dog
• Strips of Cotton to Stop Bleeding
• Antibiotic Gel and Iodine Wound Solution
• Instant Ice Packs and a Hot/Cold Pack
• Rectal Thermometer
• Bottle of Water and Dog Bowl
• Old Sheets or Big Towel
• First Aid Tape and Cotton Swabs
• Sterile Needle – for removing ticks or splinters
• Small Turkey Baster or Bulb Syringe – for flushing wounds or administering medicine
• Eyedropper, Rubber Gloves, Nail Clippers, and a Comb
• Disposable Safety Razor – for shaving hair around a wound
• Paper Towels, Small Hand Towels or Strips of Cloth
• A Compact Thermal Blanket
• Extra set of dog booties or small socks
• Flashlight and Matches
• Bandages, include Vet Wrap and Waterproof Types
• Anti-bacterial Wipes or Pads
• Activated Charcoal Tablets and Syrup of Ipecac
• Rubbing Alcohol – Use as a drying agent, but not on wounds
• Bag Balm – especially useful for treating paw pads
• Petroleum Jelly
• Saline Eye Solution and Eye Ointment or Tear Gel
• Small Can of Dog Food
• Dog Muzzle and Leash

If you prefer to purchase a ready-made kit, good choices include:

• Medi+ Pet Deluxe First Aid Kit at www.naturespet.com
• The Hiker First Aid Kit for Canines at www.ruffwear.com

This is for all my favorite dog owners!!!!

HOW TO PROPERLY TRIM YOUR DOGS NAILS

 

Unless your dog runs around on hard surfaces that help keep toenails short, you have to clip them about once a week — if you hear them clicking on a hard surface, it’s time for a trim.

Most dogs detest having their feet handled, so clipping may never be your favorite shared activity, but getting your dog used to this ritual at an early stage helps you both weather the process. Try giving your dog a yummy treat after the trimming session, along with a big hug, a boisterous “Good dog!” and a healthy scratch behind the ears.

Before attempting a trim yourself, ask your veterinarian or a groomer to show you how to trim your pup’s toenails them to the right length.

A dog’s toenail is made up of the nail itself and the quick, the pink (when it’s visible) part of your dog’s toenails that provides the blood supply to the nail. Avoid cutting into the quick because it bleeds quite a bit and it’s quite sensitive.

 

The quick is the dark part inside the nail — the blood supply to avoid!

If you can’t do all your dog’s nails at once, never fear — you can clip them one paw at a time, with other activities or a resting period in between.

To trim your dog’s nails:

1. Hold the foot steady, but hold it gently.
2. Snip off a small bit of the end of each toenail.Using either the guillotine or scissors-type clippers, place a tiny bit of the nail in the nail clipper and snip.If the nail feels spongy while you’re trying to cut it, stop immediately — you’re cutting the quick!
3. Stop any bleeding immediately.If you cut the quick (often called quicking), you’ll have an unhappy dog and a bloody mess. The quick bleeds a great deal, so if you cut it, you need either a nail cauterizer — a tool that stops the bleeding by applying heat — or styptic powder you can apply with a cotton swab. Have a damp washcloth at hand ready to clean up styptic powder and blood as necessary.Quicking hurts a lot, and most dogs remember the experience long afterward.

Don’t forget the dewclaws if your dog has them. They tend to grow long because they don’t normally touch the ground and if you fail to cut them, they will eventually grow back into your dog’s foot, which is quite painful.

If you use a nail grinder rather than clippers, use the same method — hold your dog’s foot, turn on the grinder, and grind a little off each nail.

Dog Care: Ear Care 101

Ear problems are the second most common reason dog owners take their dog to the veterinarian, according to a survey by Veterinary Pet Insurance.

Wet ear canals can predispose a dog to ear infections. When bathing your dog, keep water out of her ears by inserting cotton wadding into the ear canals. Similarly, it is important to dry your dog’s ears after she has been swimming. If water gets into an ear, wipe the opening gently with a cotton ball. If you know from prior visits to your veterinarian that your dog’s eardrums are intact, you can instill an ear solution that contains a drying agent. Commonly used drying solutions include ClearX, Panodry, and Vet Solutions Swimmers Ear Astringent. A drop of white vinegar will also help prevent “swimmer’s ear

Foreign material in the ears causes irritation and, later, infection. Grass seeds and awns frequently cling to the hair surrounding the ear openings and then drop into the canals. Because the ear canal has an L shape, foreign bodies can become lodged down in the canal and it can be difficult to thoroughly clean the ear without sedation. To avoid this, always groom under the ear flaps, especially after your dog has been running in tall grass, weeds, and brush.

It is common in professional grooming parlors to pluck hair out of the ear canals. Serum then oozes from the hair pores. The serum makes an excellent medium for bacterial growth. This may be one reason why ear infections are more common among Poodles, Schnauzers, and other breeds that are professionally groomed. It is recommended that you do not allow hair to be plucked from this area unless there is a medical reason to do so. In some cases, the hair forms a wad that obstructs air flow and keeps the ear canals moist; avoiding this would be a valid medical reason to remove the offending hair.

Needs a new home ASAP!!

I have just been recently contacted by someone who has just rescued a 3 year old short hair pointer, she is brown and white with speckles and not fixed. from what I have been told she was left out in the cold and is so skinny you can see ribs so she has been badly mistreated! Her name is Tika and we are offering her FREE to a good home where she can get healthy and loved! If you or someone you know is willing to give this little girl a chance at a forever home please contact me ASAP as where she is now she wont be able to stay long! Please if anyone can help it would be greatly appreciated!! If you cannot offer her a forever home then maybe you can foster her until we find one!!!

Needs a new home ASAP!!

I have just been recently contacted by someone who has just rescued a 3 year old short hair pointer, she is brown and white with speckles and not fixed. from what I have been told she was left out in the cold and is so skinny you can see ribs so she has been badly mistreated! Her name is Tika and we are offering her FREE to a good home where she can get healthy and loved! If you or someone you know is willing to give this little girl a chance at a forever home please contact me ASAP as where she is now she wont be able to stay long! Please if anyone can help it would be greatly appreciated!! If you cannot offer her a forever home then maybe you can foster her until we find one!!!