Roscoe n Stella

The post Do Huskies Get Along with Cats? Explanation & 6 Tips to Introduce Them by Matt Jackson appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

Huskies are intelligent, friendly, and good-natured with people. They can also be very playful, prone to chasing anything that moves, and are known for having a high prey drive. This strong prey drive can make it very difficult to live with a cat, but every dog is different, and with gradual and careful introductions, they can get along with cats. Even so, Huskies are not generally considered one of the best breeds for taking home when you have a cat in the house.

Below, we look at how you can introduce a Husky to your cat to give the best chance of them getting along, or at least tolerating one another’s presence.

Huskies and Cats

The Siberian Husky was bred to pull sleds. They lived in very challenging environments, which meant that food could be scarce, and these pack animals developed a high prey drive as a means of survival.

The breed is intelligent, but can also be stubborn, thanks to generations of being left to their own devices when not sledding. This combination of characteristics and traits means that the Husky may not be the ideal cat companion.

Image Credit: Anciens Huang, Shutterstock

The 6 Tips to Introduce a Husky to Cats

While the Husky might not naturally be a perfect feline friend, they are intelligent. They can be trained, although it takes patience and consistency on the part of the handler. Therefore, in most cases, it is possible to train a Husky to live with a cat.

Below are 6 tips designed to improve your chances of a harmonious multi-pet household.

1. Take It Slowly

Introductions need to be gradual and will, ideally, start when both pets are young. Kittens and puppies that grow up together can form very strong bonds, and they will get used to one another’s behavior before they become adults.

Whatever age your pets are, though, introductions need to be gradual and careful. Give them both time to get used to the idea and to having one another around. Throwing any dog and cat together for an introduction is unlikely to yield the results you want.

2. Train Your Husky

Sure, they have a stubborn side, but Huskies are, at their core, intelligent dogs. This means that with the right methods and handling, they can be trained. Give your Husky basic training to include commands like sit, down, leave, and go. Use these commands as needed when they are interacting with your cat for the best possible outcome.

Always keep your Husky on a leash when they are meeting cats during the early phases. This allows you some control over their actions should they decide to chase rather than quietly receive your cat.

Image Credit: Christian Mueller, Shutterstock

3. Use Rewards for Positive Reinforcement

Positive reinforcement will be an effective training method with Huskies. This means rewarding them for good behavior and performing desirable actions. Rewards can come in the form of verbal praise, physical attention, and healthy, tasty treats as high-value rewards.

High-value rewards are those that are given when your dog does something especially desirable. Appropriate treats might include homemade dog cookies, doggy ice cream, or even a small piece of cooked chicken.

But do remember that your dog’s diet should not consist of more than 10% treats, by calories, and that you need to reduce their daily food intake by the calories you give as treats.

4. Give Them Both Attention

Give both the cat and the dog plenty of attention throughout introductions. Don’t prioritize one pet over the other when it comes to giving them love and pets.

Image Credit: Katho Menden, Shutterstock

5. Give Them Both Space

Both the Husky and your cat will need time to unwind after meeting and will want space away from the other. This is especially true during early introductions when they have yet to learn the behaviors and patterns of the other animal.

Ensure your cat has an elevated position where it can go to escape the attention of the dog and let your Husky head to their bed if everything gets a bit much.

6. Use Distraction Techniques

Distraction techniques can be a good way to diffuse an otherwise difficult situation, and they can work on both animals. Have your dog’s favorite toy on hand, and some treats for the cat.

Give cat treats at a height the Husky can’t reach and, if your dog is getting a bit too playful with your cat, get the toy out and let them burn off some of that pent-up energy playing with you and their favorite tug toy, instead.

Image Credit: Pravosudov Yaroslav, Shutterstock

Can You Train a Husky Not to Chase Other Cats?

Even if your Husky gets along with cats at home, they may never be able to resist the urge to chase other, unknown cats. For this reason, Huskies should be walked on a leash, except when they are in a secure, controlled environment like a private dog park.

However, you can use similar tactics to discourage your leashed Husky from pulling towards strange cats, as you would use at home. This is where training comes in as getting your dog to sit or lie down when they see a cat can help you control the situation. “Come” can also come in handy if you need them to return to you rather than chasing another animal. Take treats out and lavish them with lots of attention when they ignore or decide not to chase any cat they see.

Image Credit: Anna Pozzi Zoophotos, Shutterstock

Which Dog Breeds Are Best with Cats?

With socialization, training, and introductions at a young age, most dogs can learn to live with cats. However, it might not be possible to introduce some older dogs. For breeds that do get along with cats, consider all-rounders like Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers, as well as level-headed breeds like Poodles.

Small breeds also typically make good options.

Conclusion

In most cases, it is possible to keep a Husky and cats in the same house. Early introductions will take time and involve a lot of positive reinforcement. Sessions should be short, and your cat should always be given a clear escape route to an elevated position where they can rest safely and enjoy some peace and quiet.

When it comes to cats outside the house, though, it can be difficult to convince a Husky to ignore their naturally high prey drive as the breed loves to chase and will see running cats as potential prey.

Featured Image Credit: Edalin Photography, Shutterstock

The post Do Huskies Get Along with Cats? Explanation & 6 Tips to Introduce Them by Matt Jackson appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

The post Ectopic Ureters in Dogs: Our Vet Explains the Causes, Signs & Treatments by Dr. Chyrle Bonk DVM (Veterinarian) appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

The urinary tract is a complex system of storage and release. It’s responsible for forming urine by removing excess fluid and waste products from the blood. It also keeps the good things that the body shouldn’t dump out, such as certain electrolytes. It then moves the newly created urine to the bladder for storage and eventual excretion from the body. It’s a wonderful system—except when one of the parts isn’t working properly, which is the case for dogs that have ectopic ureters.

What Are Ectopic Ureters in Dogs?

In a normally functioning urinary tract, urine is produced in the kidneys, transported through the ureters to the urinary bladder, and then moved outside the body through the urethra. To put it in mechanical terms, urine travels through a couple series of tubes and a holding tank on its journey through and out the body. The first tube system is called the ureters. Ideally, there is a ureter attached to each kidney at one end and the urinary bladder at the other. That’s the best way for a dog to control urination, as the bladder is the last area on the route that has a sphincter, or gate, to hold in urine and release it only on demand.

An ectopic ureter occurs when the tube is attached to the urethra, vagina, uterus, or even colon rather than the bladder. This attachment happens on the other side of the sphincter, so the dog no longer has control over when they release urine. Instead, since it’s bypassing the bladder, it is allowed to flow out without the pup’s control.

Image Credit: ThamKC, Shutterstock

What Are the Signs of Ectopic Ureters in Dogs?

Since their kidneys don’t have a normal connection to the bladder, the affected dog will lose some or all of their ability to retain urine, meaning they will leak or dribble pee. This can be intermittent or near constant. Ectopic ureters most often affect female dogs and young puppies, as this abnormality is something that happens while a fetus is still developing in utero. While the problem may have been there since birth, the signs typically won’t be obvious until around weaning time or for some dogs, not until adulthood.

Leaking urine can show up in a few different ways. Some dogs may wake up to a puddle in their bed, or they may dribble while they’re walking. It may be difficult to house train a puppy with ectopic ureters because they may have frequent accidents or not seem to know when they need to go outside. Others may urinate normally and then continue to dribble, as if they’re unable to shut it off.

Along with leaking pee, dogs may lick their genitals excessively, especially if the urine is scalding their skin and causing irritation. Pups may also suffer from frequent urinary tract infections, or UTIs, which can present as frequent urination, pain or discomfort while peeing, or bloody, foul-smelling urine.

Image Credit: Reshetnikov_art, Shutterstock

What Causes Ectopic Ureters in Dogs?

Ectopic ureters are a disruption in the normal anatomy of the urinary tract, meaning they happen while the system is developing in a fetus. Puppies are born with the issue, even if the signs aren’t immediately obvious. While the reason for the abnormal development that creates ectopic ureters isn’t completely understood, genetics likely plays a role.

Some dog breeds are more prone to ectopic ureters than others, including Labradors, Golden Retrievers, Newfoundlands, West Highland Terriers, and Mini Poodles. Females are also more likely than males to have ectopic ureters—about 20 times more likely!

How Are Ectopic Ureters Diagnosed in Your Dog?

Diagnosing a pup with ectopic ureters usually takes repeat veterinary visits. The signs often look like those of a typical UTI, which in fairness, your dog may also have. The vet will likely run a urinalysis and then treat the UTI. However, with ectopic ureters, the UTI will return or your pup will continue to leak urine, so you’ll have to make another visit.

From there, it may take a bit of time to investigate and do trial and error to determine the cause of your dog’s urinary woes. Vets may perform a urinary culture, X-rays to check for stones, and ultrasound to look for other bladder abnormalities. Ectopic ureters don’t typically show up on these tests, but they might with a contrast radiograph, in which a contrast media is injected into the bladder to give an outline of the urinary tract.

Other diagnostic modes may include cystoscopy, where a tiny camera is used to explore the bladder, or a CT scan. Both will require anesthesia and may need to be performed at a specialty clinic.

Image Credit: Maria Sbytova, Shutterstock

How Do I Care for a Dog With Ectopic Ureters?

To cure the urinary leakage associated with ectopic ureters, there needs to be a functional “gate” somewhere along the line. Since ectopic ureters bypass the normal urinary bladder sphincter, surgery to relocate the ureters is the best way to decrease urine leakage and prevent recurrent UTIs.

Surgery to repair ectopic ureters is typically done by opening the abdomen or using cystoscopy. It’s important to know that some dogs may still experience urine leakage after surgery, with one study showing that less than 50% of dogs were completely leak free following the procedure.

But even though urinary leakage may not be completely resolved with the relocation of the ureters, any residual incontinence can often be managed with medications like phenylpropanolamine, making an affected pup’s life much easier to navigate.

Whether you allow the surgery or not, you’ll want to do your best to prevent UTIs in your dog by encouraging good hygiene. This can include a sanitary trim of the hair around your pup’s genitals, gently cleansing the area on a regular basis, and washing and changing their bedding frequently.

Keep regular veterinary appointments to monitor your dog’s situation, help manage urine leakage, and check urinary tract health.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can a Dog Live With an Ectopic Ureter?

Having an ectopic ureter isn’t fatal in itself. It’s often just a deviation in your dog’s anatomy that leads to unwanted side effects. That said, you need to stay on top of your dog’s health, as frequent UTIs can lead to a kidney infection, which can be fatal if severe and especially if untreated.

An ectopic ureter can be a reason for euthanasia, especially if the incontinence can’t be controlled or dealt with by an owner.

How Successful Is Ectopic Ureter Surgery in Dogs?

Undergoing surgery to fix your dog’s ectopic ureters isn’t a guaranteed success. In fact, based on different studies, the success rates vary and can depend on the severity of the issue beforehand. Overall, though, VCA reports a success rate of 50–75% with appropriate treatment. This means most dogs will stop leaking urine either through surgery alone or a combination of surgery and medical management.

Image Credit: SeventyFour, Shutterstock

How Much Does It Cost to Fix an Ectopic Ureter in a Puppy?

This isn’t an inexpensive problem for your puppy to have. Diagnostics can become quite pricey, especially when things like cystoscopy and CT scans are involved. Surgery becomes even more costly because it may need to be referred to a specialist. You’ll also need to factor in the potential for lifelong medication to completely get the urine leakage under control. Overall, look to pay anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000 or more when making your budget.

Conclusion

Ureters are the tubes that connect the kidneys to the urinary bladder. Ectopic ureters have an abnormal connection that puts the bladder end of the tube at a location downstream from the bladder. This results in leaking urine and frequent UTIs. They can be treated by relocating the connection via surgery and potentially, medications to help completely control incontinence.

Either way, ectopic ureters can be expensive to deal with, so be sure to talk to your vet if your puppy is dribbling urine, having frequent accidents, or licking their backside excessively.

Featured Image Credit: SeventyFour, Shutterstock

The post Ectopic Ureters in Dogs: Our Vet Explains the Causes, Signs & Treatments by Dr. Chyrle Bonk DVM (Veterinarian) appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

The post Are Geraniums Toxic to Dogs? Vet-Verified Facts & FAQ by Misty Layne appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

Geraniums are a common favorite of gardeners everywhere, so if you have a green thumb, you likely have some in or around your home. These flowers look gorgeous and repel mosquitoes, so it’s no wonder they’re so popular. Plus, there are dozens of colors and varieties to choose from!

However, if you have geraniums in your garden or home and a canine companion, you need to be careful. Geraniums are toxic to dogs. While these plants likely won’t be life-threatening, they can have some fairly unpleasant side effects if your pup consumes them. Here’s what you should know.

What Happens if My Dog Eats Geraniums?

It’s not uncommon to find dogs nibbling on anything they can get their paws on. Our canine pals investigate the world via their mouths, so picking up random things from sidewalks or tasting flowers is often the norm for them. However, this behavior can be dangerous as not everything they get their mouths on will be safe.

In the case of geraniums, these flowers aren’t deadly to canines, but they can cause some unpleasant side effects if eaten. If your pup manages to scarf down any part of a geranium, you may see:

It won’t be a fun time for your pup, so you should avoid having these flowers and your pet interact!

Image Credit: oksana2010, Shutterstock

Should I Contact My Vet if My Dog Eats Geraniums?

Whether you need to contact your vet depends on how poorly your dog reacts to the geraniums they consume. If your pet has a single bout of diarrhea or only throws up once, they should be fine. However, if your dog has thrown up more than once, seems extremely lethargic, is experiencing dermatitis, or doesn’t seem better after a few hours, getting in touch with your veterinarian is wise.

Your vet can let you know what further steps to take. They may recommend you keep watching your pet for another few hours to see how they feel or suggest you bring them in just to be safe.

That said, if you feel it necessary to call your vet, please do so. Better safe than sorry!

How Can I Keep My Dog From Eating Geraniums?

The number one way to keep your dog from consuming geraniums is, of course, not having geraniums in your home or garden. However, that may not be possible, so you will need to make your garden safe for your pup. How can you accomplish that?

For starters, you may want to install fencing of some kind to block off areas of your garden you don’t want your dog to explore. Let’s face it; you won’t always be out in the yard with your dog, so you need to ensure they aren’t able to reach any plant that could make them ill. If you don’t want to include fencing in your garden design, you could place netting or mesh wire around plants that are unsafe for your pet.

You can also put some raised beds in your yard for geraniums and other plants your dog doesn’t need to be around. Raised beds can help protect your pet from eating something they shouldn’t and your plants from an overly excited canine running around the yard.

Finally, you can try training your dog to only use a specific area of the yard to do their business or play in. This could take some time, but it can help to keep your pup safe from harm.

Final Thoughts

Geraniums are on the “not safe” list for canines. While these plants aren’t life-threatening to your dog, they will make your dog feel miserable if consumed. As such, if you have plants and dogs around, we suggest either avoiding geraniums or, if you do want geraniums, ensuring your pet can’t reach these flowers.

Featured Image Credit: two K, Shutterstock

The post Are Geraniums Toxic to Dogs? Vet-Verified Facts & FAQ by Misty Layne appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

The post Can Dogs Eat Crab Apples? Vet-Verified Nutrition Facts, Benefits & Risks by Misty Layne appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

Have you ever been out on a walk with your pup in the fall season and seen tiny apples littering the ground? Those are crab apples (Malus sylvestris), an older version of European cultivated apple species. These small apples are tarter than your everyday Honeycrisp or Granny Smith and are eaten less often than normal-sized apples.

If you and your pet have seen these, chances are good your dog has also tried to pick one up to taste or eat it. But are crab apples safe for dogs to eat? Many believe they’re toxic to canines, and while it’s true that these apples (particularly the seeds) contain traces of cyanogenic glycosides, or cyanide, small amounts of crab apples aren’t much of a risk to dogs.

That doesn’t mean you should let your dog feast on all the crab apple goodness they come across, though! Here’s what you should know about dogs and crab apples.

Why Can Dogs Eat Crab Apples?

Although crab apple seeds, leaves, and stems contain cyanogenic glycosides—specifically amygdalin, which converts to hydrogen cyanide after being consumed and metabolized—the crab apple fruit is generally okay for dogs. This is because the amount of cyanide within the seeds of these fruits is incredibly minute; a medium sized dog would need to eat around 3 oz of apple seeds and chew them up to suffer from toxicity, which equates to roughly 200 apples. It’s pretty safe to say a dog likely won’t consume enough crab apples for the cyanide to cause an issue, so this fruit is generally deemed non-toxic to canines.

Like many other non-dog-specific foods, though, moderation is key, as crab apples may upset sensitive stomachs. Dog owners should still be wary of the risks of dogs having access to large amounts of fallen crab apples, leaves and stems in the yard or on walks.

Image Credit: Fabian Junge, Shutterstock

Benefits of Feeding Crab Apples to Dogs

Are there any nutritional benefits of feeding crab apples to your pup? Technically, crab apples have the same nutrients as regular apples but on a smaller scale. So, these tiny tart apples can offer your pet a bit of fiber, vitamin C, and even antioxidants. However, considering their size and the fact that a dog wouldn’t be eating a lot of them at a time, any nutritional benefits are negligible.

One plus of crab apples compared to regular apples is that this food has less sugar. This lack of sugar also doesn’t make these apples healthy for your canine companion, per se.

Risks of Feeding Crab Apples to Dogs

As we just mentioned, crab apples do have less sugar than regular apples but you still need to be mindful of the naturally occurring sugars they do contain. Any treat, including apples, should not make up more than 10% of your dog’s overall diet. This doesn’t mean your pup can’t have a crab apple or small bite of this (or another) fruit on occasion, but you should carefully monitor how much your pet consumes. Too much sugar in a dog’s diet can lead to weight gain, obesity, and other adverse health outcomes.

You also need to watch how many crab apples your dog eats at once. While it’s unlikely they’ll eat enough to suffer from cyanide poisoning, they could easily eat enough to upset their stomach. This is particularly true for pups with more sensitive stomachs, as just a few too many crab apples could cause them to suffer from a painful stomach ache or diarrhea.

Finally, you should be cautious with crab apples eaten off the ground because these fruits may be moldy, contaminated, or spoiled. After all, you have no idea how long they’ve been lying around! These things could make your pup severely ill, so check any fruit before letting your pet eat it.

Image Credit: Mariana Serdynska, Shutterstock

What Happens if My Dog Eats Crab Apples?

If you find your pup snacking on a crab apple or two, there’s usually no need for concern and you can monitor them for any adverse effects. At least, not unless they’ve gone on a crab apple bender, but chances of that are slim. However, if you are concerned they’ve eaten a large amount of crab apples, or the leaves, branches and stems, call your vet, just to be safe.

In most cases of a dog eating a few too many crab apples, you’ll deal with a pup with a tummy upset. If you aren’t sure just how many crab apples your dog ate or if things seem off somehow, keep an eye out for any of the following:

If you see any of these signs, you should get your pup to the vet right away!

Conclusion

While many believe crab apples are toxic to canines due to their trace amounts of cyanide, these tiny fruits are only poisonous if your dog consumes an overabundance of them (think hundreds). So, if you catch your dog snacking on a crab apple on your next walk, don’t panic! They should be fine. At most, your pup may suffer from an upset stomach and diarrhea.

However, crab apples aren’t necessarily the best snack for your four-legged friend. They should only ever be consumed in moderation, and the branches and leaves should be avoided. There’s also a risk of these fruits being contaminated or moldy if your pup eats them off the ground. Try to stick to dog-specific snacks for your pup instead.

Featured Image Credit: Mateusz Kropiwnicki, Shutterstock

The post Can Dogs Eat Crab Apples? Vet-Verified Nutrition Facts, Benefits & Risks by Misty Layne appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.