Archive for Dog Health
Post Surgical Care of your Running Dog
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Since Guinness has just been neutered, I thought I’d post a few thoughts on how to care for your running buddy after an elective operation such as neutering or a lump removal.
The hardest part is keeping your dog quiet to let them recover fully. They feel back to normal within a day or two of their operation, but they really shouldn’t run for a bit longer. The movement of the skin around the surgical site may make healing a little slower, and the increase in blood pressure may lead to a bit of bleeding.
Measuring Temperature
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I recently found some notes I’d taken earlier this year, about how hot Guinness became when I was running with him. How did you measure that, I hear you ask. Well, the only way to accurately take a dog’s temperature is rectally.
While we were running I stopped and took his rectal temperature every 5 minutes. He was less than impressed. I was a bit worried about people thinking I was weird, so I tried to do it behind a bush. I’m not sure this helped. What would you think if you saw someone behind a bush, having a close look at their dog’s bottom?
Heat Stress
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I recently read a message from a friend who is a veterinary nurse. They had a dog admitted to hospital with heat stroke. The owner was taking it for a walk in the middle of the day. Now, you could argue that a walk shouldn’t be a big deal, but this is Queensland. The middle of the day is very hot, and often humid. Dogs can’t sweat to dissipate heat, they rely on panting and evaporation of water from their tongue. It makes sense that when it’s humid, evaporation doesn’t happen as much.
Tick Season is Upon Us
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As summer approaches here in South East Queensland, Ixodes holocyclus, or paralysis ticks, come out to play. These little arachnids can make your dog extremely sick, and many dogs in fact die each year from tick paralysis.
Your dog can pick up these unwelcome guests from a walk in the bush or even if he has been playing in long grass. Male ticks aren’t a problem, they just stroll around on your dog’s skin looking for a girlfriend. The female tick is the dangerous one. She attaches to your dog and as she drinks blood, she injects a toxin which paralyses your dog.
Running Surface
Posted by: | CommentsDogs generally run barefoot. Your choice of running surface is consequently of great importance to your dog.
Many dogs have sensitive feet, whether they’re used to running around on soft grass and carpet or just haven’t developed a thick skin on their foot pads. Even among dogs with hard feet, there may be a preference for a soft surface over a hard one.
Let’s look at some of the surfaces available and compare their pros and cons.
Caring for your Dog’s Feet
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Unlike us, dogs don’t usually wear shoes when they run. Having said that, more and more people are trying barefoot running these days, so will be in the same boat as their dog. I’m not here to talk about people’s feet, but to give you some suggestions about caring for your dog’s pads.
Your dog’s feet are at risk of injury every time you take him running. Just ask Cinnabar, who had a tiny sliver of glass removed from a paw after stepping on a broken beer bottle! How do you keep your dog safe?
