08.30.08
Posted in In Memory at 4:36 pm by Nancy Hayes, DVM
Yesterday my close friend Emily lost her beloved Skye. I have posted her memorial here. Skye was such a wonderful dog and he’ll be missed by all who knew him. He’s herding the sheep now while he waits to be reunited someday with Emily.
IN MEMORIUM
BLITZEN’S SKYE HIBs OA OAJ OAP OJP CD
February 10, 1995 – August 29, 2008
It is with a heavy heart that I write to tell you that I lost my beloved Skye. I fell in love with Skye the first time I saw him, at age 4 weeks. That never changed. Skye was my gentleman – rock stable. He was my companion, my best friend, a source of courage to continue on in spite of adversity. He was responsible for major changes in my life. Without Skye I wouldn’t have met so many people I now consider friends, and I would have been much the poorer for it. Skye was my first agility dog – now I own a building full of agility equipment. Skye was my first herding dog – now I have a barn full of sheep. He was always willing to work at anything I asked. He did a little obedience, a lot of agility – but his first love was sheep. At six months of age he first saw sheep, dashed out, gathered them together and held them to the fence. He would find sheep wherever they were hidden, no matter how far away, and bring them in fast and furiously. He never quite understood the concept of pace – but he always got the work done, mostly in spite of me. To this day a ewe has never stood him. Skye approaches and the most stubborn sheep turns and trots off, as if to say “Sorry, Sir, I really didn’t mean it. I’ll do anything you say.” He still turned a ewe two days ago – and I still had a hard time calling him off his sheep. Now he has gone to join his best friend Red, and the two of them will happily gather all the sheep in Heaven. God speed, my love.
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08.23.08
Posted in Health Topics, Its A Vet's Life at 5:55 pm by Nancy Hayes, DVM
Well, it is truly the dog days of summer now. While watching the Olympics (particularly the swimming events), it occurred to me that many times I hear from clients that their dogs don’t like to swim. While some pets (cats) are naturally going to avoid the water, some dogs, even the ones bred to swim don’t always enjoy the experience.
Some of this is due to the lack of exposure, and some is due to the wrong exposure. Sink or swim is not a good idea for anyone, but dogs sometimes jump into pools only to find out it is very cold and deep! Never fear, even dogs with bad past experiences can be helped to enjoy water safely.
It is best to ease them into it by walking along the edge of shallow water. Ocassionally toss a toy in a little deeper (not too deep) and let your dog grab it to play. Gradully their confidence will build and they will probably try a little floating. Some dogs splash alot when they first encounter deeper water. The are trying to get on the surface and cannot, so they panick and start to sink. Shallow water will help as they can touch the bottom if they sink a few inches relieving the anxiety they feel.
In some cases a floation vest will be best. For dogs that haven’t learned to swim or for dogs that are older and arthritic and need some help swimming, this is a great idea. I have one of these fitted to my oldest companion, Jazz. She is 12 1/2 years old now and has arthritis. Swimming is great therapy, but she tires easily. With the life vest she can be in the water longer (which she loves) and I worry less (which I love). Life vests can be found in a variety of sizes and styles and pet stores and on line.
Swimming has wonderful benifits in both calorie burning and helping keep them limber and in shape. A safe start can pay off big when you and your dog can enjoy the water together.
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08.02.08
Posted in Weedy's World at 2:17 pm by Nancy Hayes, DVM
Weedy loves icecubes, but for a really fun treat try this:
Freeze water with a dog treat (hard cruchy treats work best) insmall disposable treat containters. For containers I use snack sized Glad disposables. Do not overfill.
Once the treat is frozen, pop it out of the container and share. Your dog will love the cool lickable, cruchable treat that only contains a few caories.
Recipe variations are endless: I’ve frozen carrots, green beans, a bite of melon or apple, lots of stuff inside the treats. Anybody can do this treat! Enjoy!
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Posted in Health Topics, Weedy's World at 2:02 pm by Nancy Hayes, DVM
Wow! Today is a hot one, and the forcast for next week is for hotter yet! Be sure to remeber to beat the heat with your pets too. Keep them inside and cool during the heat of the day. Cats can overheat too, so be sure to keep them inside.
Lots of access to water is a must. Consider a puppy pool (a small wading pool with some cool wateer in in). If they are out side very long, even playing in the sprinkler can help. Try an ice cube treat. (See the recipe in Weedy’s World and in recipe pages). Cats enjoy melon (especially cantalope), but be sure they are not on a special diet first.
Bug repellants are also important. Flea season is far from over. Look for those little pests to be a problem until a good hard freeze. Using Frontline will keep the pests away. We do suggest that outdoor cats use Revolution as it controls ear mites as well (and heartworm in cats). Sunscreen for pets that do not have alot of fur is also a good idea, or use a pet shirt to protect the skin for burning.
We want everyone to have a safe and fun summer. If you have questions be sure to leave a comment here or call our office!
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