1. They would rather be with us in the streets than without us in a mansion.
2. Their very presence can make our lives better, richer, less stressful, and healthier.
3. They do more for us than we do for them, but they act like it’s the other way around.
What are three things you know for sure about pets?
It’s not often I get to give advice on washing dishes, but a reader’s question got me to do just that!
Q: How often do I have to clean my pets’ dishes? Can I just give them a quick swish with hot water? And what types of dishes are best?
A: Much as I’d like to save you some time in your kitchen cleanup routine, a hot water rinse isn’t enough to sanitize your dog or cat’s dishes. A pet’s food and water bowls should be cleaned thoroughly in hot, soapy water after every use, just as you would with your own dishes.
Not many of us love washing dishes by hand, although some people say they find it relaxing. You can run your pets’ dishes through the dishwasher. Use the sanitize or high-temperature cycle. For pathogens to meet a steamy death, the water temperature inside the dishwasher must reach and stay at a minimum of 155 degrees Fahrenheit. The other bonus to using the dishwasher is that it’s a water saver. According to a study from the University of Bonn in Germany, dishwashers use less water and require less energy than washing dishes by hand.
That said, I believe you should wash pet dishes separately from dishes used by human family members. I think this is especially important if you have young children, seniors or people with compromised immune systems living in your home. They are most susceptible to bacteria such as salmonella, MRSA and leptospira, which can be spread between animals and humans. Washing dishes separately adds an extra barrier to transmission.
I usually recommend stainless steel or ceramic dishes. They are both long-lasting and easy to clean, but ceramic dishes are prone to breakage. If bowls become chipped, replace them. Bacteria can hide out in the broken areas. Battered plastic dishes can also harbor bacteria, and that can lead to chin acne or other skin problems in cats and dogs.
I was startled to hear I had a personal connection with a dog in need of help – even though I’d never met her or her human family.
https://www.gofundme.com/283cuejw
Valentine and her littermates were once in the Panhandle Animal Shelter, just like our own QT Pi and his littermates.
She and her littermates were caught in the same distemper outbreak that nearly took QT’s life, and did take the lives of two of his brothers.
And like our QT, this dear girl was adopted into a family right here in Bonners Ferry, Idaho.
Most amazingly, when Valentine’s new family was fighting to save the puppy’s life – and losing that battle – they happened to see on my Facebook page that we had taken QT and his brothers to Washington State University, and while his brothers died, QT was so far surviving.
They literally jumped in the car and took Valentine there, and like QT, this puppy pulled through, even though distemper is usually fatal.
Not only that, but they had two other distemper puppies from that same litter at their house, and all three made it, thanks to round the clock care and thousands of dollars in vet bills. They ended up adopting one of the boys, Gilligan, and fostered the third until he was recovered and found a forever home.
Now Valentine needs help again, and so does her family.
https://www.gofundme.com/283cuejw
They depleted their savings to save the puppies, but Valentine has hip dysplasia and needs surgery that will cost $4,500.
This is not a procedure I can do, or that can be done at the hospital where I practice. They need a specialist.
So I’m turning to you to help raise the money for Valentine’s surgery.
Will you help write one more happy ending for this sweet girl and the family who has done so much for these dogs?
Donate here:
https://www.gofundme.com/
Ask your friends and family to donate.
Share on social media.
Let’s make this happen!
Whether they’re lying under a shade tree, lapping up water from bowl left on the sidewalk by dog friendly retailers, or staying inside while the sun’s out, dogs are very proficient at beating summer’s heat.
They have to be. Dogs can’t take off layers of clothes like humans, nor do they perspire like we do (they do sweat a tiny bit from their feet) to help them stay cool. What they do instead is pant, which is not a very efficient way of keeping cool.
Here are six cool things you can do to help your dog beat the heat:
Have multiple sources of water outside. This is not only to prevent one from running out of water, but in case a bowl gets tipped over. Or you can do like we did and install a lickable water source on an outside water faucet.
Made in the shade. Being directly in the sun raises body temperature faster than a greyhound chasing a mechanical rabbit. Shade can be a tree, umbrella, covered porch. Just never tie a dog down in the sun or in a place where shifting sunlight makes them vulnerable.
Do a home inspection. A garage might feel cool when you leave for work, but be like an easy bake oven by 1 p.m.. Same with enclosed porches and outbuildings. Check to see how hot they get before you decide it’s safe to leave a pet in them during the day. And never trust AC to always work. Over my almost four decade career, I’ve seen several pets die of heat exhaustion when they were in something like a glassed-in porch when the portable AC failed. This would have been prevented if the dogs hadn’t been locked in the porch but had an escape route.
Timing is everything. Rather than take your dog out during the hottest part of the day, schedule walks or exercise in the early morning or late evening when temps are much cooler.
Recognize “dog tired.” I see pet owners all the time pushing, older, overweight or out-of-shape pets to try and ‘keep up’ with them walking, jogging or even bicycling. Big mistake, especially when they start showing signs if fatigue such as excessive panting, falling behind, seeking shade and/or water or lying down frog legged. These aren’t signs to slow down, they’re signs to stop.
The worst cut is the deepest. It’s a good idea to have thick, or long-coated dogs groomed to remove and undercoat, get rid of matts or cut the hair shorter. But don’t have them shaved as a coat can help insulate your dog and will prevent them from getting sunburned.
Has your pet ever started running a fever for reasons no one could figure out? That’s what happened to a reader. Here’s her story and my advice:
Q: My dog had her teeth cleaned, and all went well with a couple of extractions. A week or so later, she wouldn’t eat, and when we took her to the vet, she had a 104-degree fever. We tried a couple of different antibiotics, which didn’t reduce the fever, so we were referred to a specialty hospital. They tested for everything, and she wasn’t getting better. The vets kept her overnight and gave her fluids and super antibiotics, but she would not consistently eat and every test came back negative.
Long story short — and $10,000 later — my vet took an X-ray of her mouth and discovered an abscess in the jaw. He removed the tooth, cleaned out the abscess, gave her antibiotics and away she went. Why is it so hard to find the cause of a fever like this?
A: What an ordeal! I really feel for you. I can tell you that it’s a real diagnostic puzzle when fever is the only significant sign on examination. My colleague Kenneth R. Harkin, an internal medicine specialist at Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, spoke on this subject in January at the North American Veterinary Conference in Orlando, Florida. He says that figuring out the cause of a fever of unknown origin — also called a cryptic fever — becomes challenging when routine diagnostic tests don’t pinpoint the problem.
As you discovered, the cost of testing (and hospitalization) can skyrocket as veterinarians seek other answers. Inflammation is the most common cause of fevers, Dr. Harkin says. Among the many possible inflammatory or infectious diseases that could cause fever are acute pancreatitis, pyelonephritis, lupus, immune-mediated polyarthritis and leptospirosis. Dogs with a recently discovered heart murmur may have bacterial endocarditis. Certain cancers can cause fever as well, including lymphoma, leukemia and liver cancer. All of these can be easily missed because abnormalities in the lab work can be subtle.
I’m glad your dog’s fever was successfully resolved.
Read more, including how to protect your dogs and cats from heartworm, in this week’s Pet Connection!