The post Dogs and Cats: How Lava & Hela Treat the Kitties by Dr. Maja Platisa DVM MRCVS (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.

Hi, I’m Dr. Maja! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my two crossbreed dogs, Lava and Hela.

For those of you who have both dogs and cats, you understand how each of these relationships is unique and different. Getting my first cat Miki last year was a very rewarding experience, as both Lava and Hela accepted him very quickly. They have been gentle and patient with him for the most part, since day one, although it took them a few weeks to become calmer around him. Anything new is just too exciting! Things got a bit more complex when I decided to get not one, but two kittens in November this year. It’s been a whirlwind since!

Slowly Does It

When it comes to introducing cats or kittens to a dog, it’s very important to know the dog’s temperament. Lava has been socialized and spent a lot of time as a puppy around other dogs, cats and kittens, and even cows and sheep. This gave me confidence in knowing she would accept any new kitten or cat with little effort. And that’s how it was with Miki. She warmed up to him from the moment he arrived, and the two of them formed a special bond.

Lava and Miki

Lava loves kittens! And puppies! And anything that is the size of a toy and she can play with, or even try to pick up and carry around. She did try doing it to our farm kittens when she was a puppy herself. It didn’t go well. Now, all grown up and much smarter (well, unlikely), she hasn’t tried picking up any more kittens, but she loves looking at them and playing with them, in the most awkward of ways, as she is really too big.

She loved Miki from day one! And he loved her as well, although it took him a bit longer than just a day to get used to his new canine companions. He and Lava formed a bond, as they shared a bed and Miki soon started following us around and joining us for walks. He still comes to greet Lava more often than Hela, although he’s learned that Lava is a bit more peculiar about sharing her bed, so he doesn’t try to snuggle up to her as much as he used to. And the new kittens have brought a fair degree of chaos to a previously “calm” house.

Hela and Minnie

Minnie joined us at the beginning of November as a very young kitten with several health issues. It made her quite attached to me, and soon enough to both dogs. She has no fear and is used to biting the dog’s tails and legs, and even walking all over them. Lava is not so thrilled, as she doesn’t like sharing her private space, toys, or food. However, Hela started behaving as if she really wanted a kitten. She snuggles with Minnie and lets her do anything Minnie pleases, and it seems like Minnie senses that, too. She chooses Hela over Lava most of the time.

How Dogs Treat the Newbie

And then we come over to the newest addition, who’s been with us for just over three weeks. Nara, the ginger little mischief, the chaos bringer, and the most feisty of them all. This is a kitten I still struggle to handle or pick up, as she hates it. Because she is a kitten picked up from the streets, clearly lacking proper early socialization, she needs a lot of time to gain trust in me and the rest of the gang. Nara is the slowest one to fit in. But she is getting there. Minnie hates her, and that is obvious, but the dogs approach her quite slowly and gently, as they can pick up on her uncertainty and fearfulness. She does hiss at them if they startle her, but she’s already showing signs that she wants to play with them, and again, has found Hela easier to approach than Lava. Lava is bigger, so maybe that also plays a role.

Always a Level Of Caution

Despite knowing that my dogs are quite friendly and tolerant of cats, I am still very cautious and never leave them unattended with the kitties. Being a vet, I have learned that animals are unpredictable and that a lot of factors can influence their behavior, some of which we may not even be aware of. So I don’t like to leave anything to chance. Even overnight, Nara mostly sleeps in her crate to prevent any conflicts or scares that may undo all of our hard work in trying to make all introductions gradual and as calm as possible. Wish us luck!

The post Dogs and Cats: How Lava & Hela Treat the Kitties by Dr. Maja Platisa DVM MRCVS (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 How to Do a Health Check at Home: Dr. Karyn’s Tips & Checklist by Dr. Karyn Kanowski, BVSc MRCVS (Vet) 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.

Hi, I’m Dr. Karyn! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my five funny dogs, Poppy, Bailey, Kodah, Ned, and Fred.

Recently I was working on a Dogster article called “How Do I Know If My Dog Is Healthy?” and it made me think about the examination I perform when I’m giving a dog a basic health check. And then I thought back to Covid lockdowns, and how we were often relying on owners to examine their dogs at home to help us decide if they needed to bring them into the vet clinic. These basic checks are something I don’t even think about, but that’s because in clinical practice, we do hundreds of them every week. But I started to think about how overwhelming it may be for someone who has never done one.

So, with the help of my pack of willing volunteers, I am going to show you how to perform a basic physical examination of your dog at home using a checklist. Not only can this be helpful for remote vet checks, but it’s also a great way to have some baseline measurements and monitor health conditions at home.

Of course, a home health check is NOT a substitute for a complete veterinary examination, and there are limits to what we can measure outside the vet clinic. However, being able to properly assess your dog can provide useful insight for your vet, allow you to get a clearer idea of how they are responding to treatment, and help you pick up potential problems sooner.

The Ten-Minute Health Check

Click here to download and print our health checklist.

You can use this checklist to help guide you through this basic examination and record what you find. It’s a good idea to fill out the checklist at, or just after, a check-up at the vet. That way you will have an accurate weight measurement, and you can find out what your pet’s ideal weight is.

The only equipment you’re going to need is a watch/clock and a rectal thermometer, which you can purchase specifically or commandeer from your first aid supplies – just be sure to label it clearly and keep it separate from any human equipment!

TPR

Temperature, pulse, and respiration: the hallmark of examination, patient monitoring, and triage.

Heart Rate

We’re not using a stethoscope, and this does not replace a cardiac auscultation. We are simply measuring the heart rate. You can either take a reading over a full 60 seconds, or for 15 seconds and multiply it by four. There are a few places that you can use to check your dog’s heart rate:

Carotid artery – located in the jugular groove, either side of the trachea (windpipe) on the neck.
Chest wall (left side) – on lean dogs, you should be able to feel (or even see) your dog’s heart beating under their ribs around where their elbow is when they are standing.
Femoral artery – this can be felt when your dog is standing up or lying down. Place your fingers in the groove between the thigh muscles just below your dog’s groin.

Respiratory Rate

This will fluctuate a lot when your dog is awake, so wait for them to be asleep to take this reading. Fortunately for me, that is very easy when it comes to Ned & Fred…slightly trickier with Kodah!

Temperature

Not all dogs will be amenable to having their temperature taken, and it’s not something you should risk harming them or yourself over. If you can’t get a thermometer in for a rectal temperature, have a feel of their ears, nose, and paw pads. Although this won’t give you an accurate temperature measurement, it can give you an idea of whether they feel warm or cold in relation to the ambient temperature. For example, warm ears on a cold day may indicate a fever.

Always take temperature last, as pulse and respiratory rate are likely to go up once that thermometer gets near their bottom, and be sure to use a personal lubricant or Vaseline on the thermometer!

Gums

Healthy gums should be salmon pink and feel moist to the touch. Many dogs have dark brown or black pigment on their gums, making this a little harder to assess, but you should be able to find an area without pigmentation to use.

CRT

Capillary refill time (CRT) can give us an indication of blood pressure, anemia, or blood loss. Find a pink area of the gum and carefully push your finger against the gum so that it blanches white. Measure how long it takes for the color to return.

Normal CRT is around 1-2 seconds.

Ocular Exam

We’re not going to get too complicated with this one. These checks will just give us an idea if there is any pain or vision loss.

Eyes

Are they of equal size and appearance? Is there any redness or discoloration?

Pupils

Are they the same size? Do they constrict (get smaller) in the light and dilate (get larger) in the dark?

Dazzle

If you flash a torch/bright light into the eyes, do they close their eyes?

Menace

Hold one hand over one eye, and with the other hand, quickly approach the open eye as if you are going to hit it, but stop about 8 inches from the face – does the eye close? Repeat on the other side.

Comfort

Do they mind if you push gently on the eye over the eyelid?

Gastrointestinal System

Some basic questions to answer are:

• Has your dog’s appetite been normal? Increased? Decreased?
• Has there been any vomiting or diarrhea?
• Is their abdomen comfortable and soft if you push on it, or does it seem tense, painful, or bloated?

Skin

Skin problems are one of the most common reasons for dogs to end up at the vet, and if your dog has any obvious or significant skin issues, they will need a separate examination with your vet. In this situation, we’re just looking for any early or subtle signs of a problem (or lack of one!). Don’t forget to check the ears and feet.

You want to look for redness, greasy coat or skin, scabs, crusts, or bald patches. This is also a good time to feel over their body for any lumps or swellings. Use the diagram on the checklist to make notes of any lumps you find.

Musculoskeletal Exam

Dogs are great at just getting on with their day, and this often results in owners getting the impression that they aren’t in any pain. The fact is that if your dog has any lameness or changes in how they walk (gait), it is a sign of pain or a neurological issue, so being able to check this at home can fast-track your dog to the treatment they need. Here are some things to look out for:

Gait

Is there any sign of lameness or unusual limb movements? Are they scraping the claws on any feet?

Neck

Carefully move your dog’s head to point up, down, left, and right, making note of any stiffness or pain.

Spine

Slowly run the palm of your hand over your dog’s back, using medium/firm pressure. Look for any flinching or turning of their head, and make notes on the diagram of any areas that seem to trigger a reaction.

Tail

Check for changes in position, pain, or swellings, and be sure to check the upper and lower sides.

Limbs

Systematically work your way up from the toes to the shoulder and hip, gently squeezing along the limb, and flexing/extending each joint, watching your dog’s face as you do it. Most dogs will whimper or cry if the pain is bad enough, but others may just turn their heads, start panting, or hold their breath when you find an area of discomfort.

Make note of any suspect areas on the diagram. You might want to use a scale of 1-3 to rate reactions from mild to severe.

Conscious Proprioception (CP)

This is a quick way to get an idea of any neurological deficits/spinal issues affecting the hind legs. When you position the hind foot with the upper side of the toes facing the ground, the foot should reposition itself immediately. This is a postural reflex action. If there is a delay in the messages between the foot and the spine or the brain, this reflex can be delayed or absent. If there is a delay, try to measure how long it takes for the foot to return to its normal position.

And That’s It!

In less time than it would take to enjoy a cup of coffee, you’ve performed a basic health check on your dog. Perhaps it’s flagged up a problem you weren’t aware of, shown you how they are responding to some medication, or given you peace of mind that your pet is fighting fit.

Please remember this is just one part of monitoring your dog’s health, and is not a replacement for a check-up with your vet, but it may help to pinpoint a problem and help your vet decide what next steps are needed.

Happy health checking!

Don’t forget: you can click here to download and print our health checklist.

The post How to Do a Health Check at Home: Dr. Karyn’s Tips & Checklist by Dr. Karyn Kanowski, BVSc MRCVS (Vet) 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 Vegetables? Vet-Verified Nutrition Facts, Safe Options & Benefits by Chris Dinesen Rogers 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.

Domestication has profoundly affected our canine companions. They have gone from carnivorous predators to pampered pets. Roughly 95% consider them members of their families. That’s huge for an animal we once considered a competitor. The gray wolf is the closest ancestor to the one these species diverged from 27,000 years ago.

Despite millennia of selective breeding, dogs remain facultative carnivores, benefiting most from a diet biased towards animal meat, fat, and by-products. As facultative carnivores though, dogs can indeed metabolize carbohydrates and starches, as you’d find in vegetables. Dogs can eat vegetables, although there are some notable exceptions.

Why Dogs Can or Can’t Eat Vegetables

Digestibility is the overriding factor in deciding whether dogs can eat vegetables at all. Fundamentally, all macronutrients consumed by your dog – protein, fat, and carbohydrates, are eventually broken down to a simple sugar: glucose. Glucose remains the fundamental energy source that the various cells all over your dog’s body use for growth, repair, division, and function.

However, not all plant matter is the same just because they contain carbohydrates which can be broken down into said glucose. This phenomenon has been explored in research involving canines.¹ In addition, dogs have poorer protein digestibility when fed diets containing plant matter compared to those with animal proteins.²
Dogs do process plant matter better than cats in many aspects, and have a lower protein requirement than cats do. However, they still do best on a diet of a carnivore rather than an omnivore and have a natural instinctive affinity for animal based foods over plant based options.³
Dogs can eat some vegetables. Homemade diets often use some vegetables to balance diets for dogs, but these are often in lower quantities than animal meats and organs in the diet. The other concerns with vegetables rest with the toxicity of some varieties. Sometimes, what is safe for us to consume can be toxic or even lethal for your pup.

Benefits and Dangers of Feeding Vegetables to Dogs

Whether or not dogs can eat vegetables isn’t always clear like how it is with chocolate (a big no-no for dogs). Meanwhile, vegetables can fall into good, okay, and bad categories. One of their benefits is fiber and the other nutrients they provide. Carrots, for example, are an excellent addition to your pup’s diet as a low-calorie treat. They are high in vitamin A and potassium. You’ll even see them in commercial dog foods.

The Dangers of Some Vegetables

Other vegetables are non-toxic to dogs but might cause digestive issues. Almost all plants found in any grocery store or market naturally contain cellulose. However, dogs (and even cats) cannot produce the enzyme cellulase, which helps break down cellulose into glucose. As such, caution is advised when feeding a dog any raw vegetables, as these may cause an upset stomach (even if they are not toxic for the dog).

High-Oxalate Foods

Oxalic acid is present in many plants. The issue with this chemical compound involves its effect on magnesium and calcium in your dog’s body. It can bind with these minerals, leading to low blood levels. The reaction can also cause the formation of urinary stones. The vegetables you should avoid giving your dog in high amounts include spinach, beets, and edamame because of their high content.

Onions, Garlic, Chives, and Leeks

These Allium plants are all poisonous to dogs and cats and should never be given to pets in any quantity. While most of us can eat them without issues, it’s another matter for our companion animals. The problem rests with the sulfur-containing compounds that give them their characteristic smell. When your pet eats them, it causes hemolysis or the breakdown of red blood cells.

It doesn’t matter how they’re prepared. The reaction is the same, with the onset of signs within 24 or more hours after ingestion. A dog doesn’t have to eat a lot before this specific type of anemia occurs. Only 15 to 30 grams per kilogram of body weight can start the destruction of oxygen-carrying red blood cells.

Sadly, an antidote doesn’t exist. Treatment involves supportive care, including IV fluids, blood transfusions, and oxygen therapy. The prognosis depends on how early it’s caught.

It’s worth noting that concentrated forms like powders and dehydrated flakes are more toxic than fresh vegetables. Nevertheless, the outcome is the same.

Tips for Giving Your Dog Vegetables

Our sobering account of onions is necessary because of the severity of consumption. Vegetables can be a welcome addition to your dog’s diet. However, they still are best as treats and shouldn’t make up more than 10% of your pet’s diet. It’s not that they’re bad for your dog; it’s just that they aren’t nutritionally complete.

Therefore, you can offer your dog the safe vegetables we discussed occasionally in small portions to avoid choking hazards. We recommend only giving your pet one kind at a time and monitoring their reaction to the new food. Make sure they are unseasoned and unsalted.

Conclusion

Dogs can eat many vegetables without ill effects. You’ll find many ingredients in commercial dog foods because of their nutritional value. We recommend giving fresh veggies to your dog sparingly as an occasional treat. Cooked and unseasoned items are best to offer and should be cut into small pieces.

Vegetables can provide an excellent low-calorie addition to your pup’s diet, but it’s best to make sure that they are eating a complete and balanced diet as their primary food source. For dogs on a homemade diet, the inclusion of vegetables is something you should consult with your veterinary nutritionist.

Featured Image Credit: ephotoshot, Shutterstock

The post Can Dogs Eat Vegetables? Vet-Verified Nutrition Facts, Safe Options & Benefits by Chris Dinesen Rogers 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.