Archive for the ‘Doggy Daycare’ Category

One of the most important way to get the word out about raw feeding and what it truly does for our pets is by actually telling our stories and showing people just how incredibly healthy and amazing our pets are.  Who better to help us with this endeavor than our incredible customers and their equally incredible pets!  Its not just raw feeding either – share with us ANYTHING that A Place For Paws has done for your pet whether its a favorite toy, treat, daycare or

Carter LOVES his Bottle Buddy and Huck Em from A Place For Paws!

training experience – we want them all!

We want to feature you and your pets on our blog and in our newsletters.  We want people to hear – in your own words – just what our products and sevices have done for you and the animals in your life.  That means anything goes – food, treats, toys, training, daycare, playday – if we provide it and your dog or cat has benefited from it we want you to share it!

Provide us with a testimonial that includes a photo and we will send you a coupon code good for $10.00 off of anything we have or offer here at A Place For Paws.  Send us a testimonial without a photo and we will STILL give you a coupon code good for $5.00 off anything we have.  Its that easy!  Online orders, phone orders, walk in’s, daycare and training customers can all enjoy the discount!

All you need to do is tell us what our products/services have done for you and your pet whether you say it in 100 words or a 1000.  We will appreciate and share each and every one.  It means a lot to us to know that our customers – both furry and human – are happy and satisfied.  We want to share it with the world and shout it to the heavens!  Send your testimonials to us at aplaceforpaws@yahoo.com with the word Testimonial in the subject line!

Many of us love to take our dogs out to swim whether in a lake, pond or pool just for that purpose.  A good percentage of dogs, regardless of breed, simply love to swim, splash and play in just about any body of water.  While absolutely fun for our canine companions, swimming also has many practical applications that can help our dogs to stay healthy, lose weight or help them to recover from injury and illness.

The first thing that people think of when they think of their dog swimming is FUN!  That’s okay – it is fun!  Swimming is a great way to play with your dog.  Taking them to a pond, lake, the ocean or a doggy swimming pool is a great summer activity that everyone in the family can partake in.   Throwing a toy out into the water and watching the absolute joy on your dog’s face as he plunges in to get it is enough to make even the biggest stresses go away.  Plenty of dogs don’t even need a toy -they just splash and play for the sheer love of it.

There are even more reasons, though, for swimming our dogs – though pure joy is a pretty good one we would have to admit.  Swimming is, in reality, one of the healthiest activities that your dog can partake of.  Just as for humans, swimming is a great exercise.  The resistance of the water means that your dog is constantly working whether running along the shore in knee deep surf or swimming out to retrieve a ball or stick.  He doesn’t even realize how much work it is since he’s having a blast but work it is!  Swimming is a gentle and safe way to get weight off of your dog and replace that flab with muscle.  Taking long walks, while interesting and enjoyable for most dogs, can get a little monotonous and without the resistance of the water, takes far longer to burn the same number of calories.  Swimming is an excellent way to not only lose the weight but to replace the fat with lean muscle.  Being overweight often makes it difficult for a dog to even take walks.  The extra stress on the joints makes it highly likely that your dog will actually injure himself as you are attempting to walk off the pounds.  Swimming negates this risk by being a low impact way to gently fight the battle of the bulge.  Take any overweight dog and if you feed a sensible diet and swim them regularly, you will find you have a lean mean licking machine in no time flat!

Swimming is also a fantastic rehabilitation tool.  Dogs who suffer from diseases and injuries affecting joints such as elbow and hip dysplasia, cruciate ligament ruptures, degenerative myelopathy, arthritis or paralysis, can greatly benefit from the gentle stimulation and exercise that swimming provides.  The buoyancy of the water takes all the stress off of the joints and muscles giving greater freedom of movement without pain.  This strengthens the muscles which helps with mobility and pain management after swimming is done.  The fact that the exercise occurs in water means that there is far less impact on the joints and body as a whole than there would be if you exercised your dog on land.  This means, if done correctly and with common sense, swimming is not likely to cause further injury. In fact, swimming will help to build muscle which will help your dog to compensate for his disease or injury making injury or exacerbation of an existing injury or disease, less likely once out of the water.

Ah, but you say that your dog simply won’t swim – hates the water, hates a lake, hates a pool, hates a pond.  Certainly there are diehard water haters out there….but then again, are they?  Perhaps they just need the right sort of encouragement.  Perhaps your dog would be more willing to try the water out if you swim first!  Pick a lake with easy water access – a gentle bank that won’t make your dog nervous.  Wade in first and encourage your pup to follow.  You’d be surprised at how often this method can work – after all, your dog wants nothing more than to be with his person!  Sometimes having another canine companion along for the day can help as well – so long as it is one proficient in the how to’s of swimming already.  If a reluctant dog sees another dog thoroughly enjoying himself in the water, the urge to see what all the fun is about might just be too much for him to bear!  Have a dog who LOVES to eat?  Try his favorite treats – take them out in the water with you as an added incentive or let them float close to the shore so that your dog has to at least get his feet wet in order to gobble them up.  Slowly move them further and further, gently enticing your dog to submerge himself further and further.  Before he knows it he’s all wet and having a grand time!  Always watch your dog closely – not all dogs are strong or talented swimmers.  Never panic – even if your dog does – and make sure you can calmly help him if he seems to need it.  Most dogs will eventually take to the water like they have loved it their whole lives, some will be more reluctant.  Some will prefer a pond or a lake while others love a pool.  Whichever body of water becomes your dog’s favorite, getting them to swim and to swim happily is well worth any work involved.

Swimming -  it will always be about fun in the sun but now you know that it is really so much more!

Kennel cough.  Most of us have dealt with it at one time or another while others of us have no earthly idea just what it is exactly.  For those of us who have been there and done that, we realize that kennel cough is simply a cold – just like we get.  Generally it runs its course and is over, sometimes in a matter of a day or two though more usually in about a week.  For someone who has never dealt with it or heard of it, it can be a scary thing.

Perhaps first a definition…..

Young puppies - especially rescues like this one saved from a dog pound - are often most susceptible to kennel cough

“‘Kennel cough’ is an infectious bronchitis characterized by a harsh, hacking cough which most people describe as sounding like “something stuck in my dog’s throat.” It is analogous to a chest cold for humans and is only a serious condition in special circumstances (see below); in general, it resolves on its own. A dog with Kennel Cough generally feels active and maintains a normal appetite despite frequent fits of coughing. There is usually no fever or listlessness, just lots of coughing.” (www.marvistavet.com)

Kennel cough is also referred to as Bordatella as it comes mainly from the Bordatella bronchiseptica virus.  Many people will have been counseled by their vets to get their dogs a Bordatella vaccine or have had it required before their dog can enter into a boarding facility.  Its all the same sickness and, essentially, a common cold.  Yup, dogs get em too, just like we do.

Its an airborne illness which is part of the reason why it spreads so readily and easily.  Add to that the fact that a seemingly perfectly healthy dog can shed the virus for up to three months and you can see how even the most stringent precautions can result in a case of the cough.  Essentially, a dog coughs and the virus becomes airborne and ripe for inhalation by another canine.  Happens just like that.  Some dogs are more prone than others.  Puppies, who by their nature have somewhat underdeveloped immune systems, are quite susceptible as are older animals.  Any dog with a compromised immune system can be more likely to contract it as well (though perfectly healthy dogs get it all the time).  Puppies are usually on a vaccine schedule – vaccines themselves lower the immune system – therefore puppies who are in and out of the vet having vaccines given can run the highest risk of all along with any dog that has an immune compromised issue or illness (like cancers etc.).

What should you watch for?  First and foremost, kennel cough’s hallmark symptom is…well…a cough!  You may at first

Healthy animals with good immune systems, such as this raw fed husky, are most likely to be the least affected by kennel cough

think that perhaps your pet has something caught in their throat – it has that sort of quality to it.  Sometimes it can be a quiet “huffing” sort of noise but usually develops into more of a hacking sound often followed by a “gagging” noise.  You may even think that your dog is going to vomit but other than a puddle of phlegm, you rarely see anything at all.  The phlegm, while disgusting, actually means a productive cough which is a positive believe it or not!  That bit if phlegm and snottiness is yet another symptom.  Not all dogs will display it – some have such a mild case that a few coughs is all that you hear (these are the ones that likely remain undetected and you don’t even know your dog has had it!), but many dogs will have a slight runny nose along with, for lack of a better word, goobers.  Nothing to worry about, as stated above, a productive cough is actually a good cough.  Generally those are the only symptoms that you will see.  Some dogs can run a fever and generally be unwell – lack of appetite, listless, lethargic etc.  This generally doesn’t happen in most cases and most dogs remain active, eating and normal other than the cough.  Its not abnormal to have a dog cough only in the mornings or only in the evenings – it just depends on the dog.  Here is a link to a video showing a coughing dog

Above all, kennel cough is NORMAL.  Its not something that happens because you didn’t care for your dog properly.  In truth, if your dog contracts the illness it likely means that you are a GREAT pet owner – one who actually takes your dog out to socialize and see the world.  You do see more incidences of kennel cough in areas where dogs gather together – boarding facilities, doggy daycares, dog parks etc.  Again, this means you are socializing your pet and getting him out and about which is a GOOD THING!  Never believe otherwise.  You should no more isolate your dog to prevent kennel cough than you would isolate a child to prevent him from contracting the common cold.  Its nonsensical to do this.  There is a vaccine against it – but its not very long lasting and needs to be done pretty often.  Most boarding kennels that require it will also require that it has been done within the 6 months prior to your dog regardless of when your dog had it last.  It can prevent some strains but just like a cold, there are many strains out there.  Will it always prevent kennel cough from occurring?  Not likely.  Though anecdotal in nature, many dogs will contract a minor form of kennel cough upon vaccination and still more will contract the illness regardless of vaccination.  Just like any vaccine, there can be side effects and honestly, is it worth the risk for an illness that isn’t even close to being deadly?  Its for you, as an owner to decide.

So kennel cough happens.  Its a cold, its minor, often once they have it dogs don’t get it again.  Remember, if your dog starts to cough, keep him home.  Limit exposure to any other dogs until all dogs in your home have stopped coughing

Giving your dog vitamin C during times of exposure or during the illness can ensure that he bounces back quickly or perhaps doesn't contract kennel cough at all

for a few days at least.  If due for vaccinations, wait until your dog is done with the illness giving a good week or two leeway between last symptom and the vet visit.  If your dog has kennel cough and is due for a surgery of some sort – postpone it.  Anything that depressed the immune system if done while a dog has active kennel cough, can lead to a more serious illness, pneumonia and in some cases death.  Dose your dog with immune boosting agents like vitamin C, fish oil, kelp and probiotics to help build back his immune system, get rid of the kennel cough more quickly and prevent any secondary bacterial infections.  If you notice green or yellow discharge from eyes or nose, its possible that your dog has succumbed to a secondary infection and in these cases a visit to the vet may be necessary for antibiotics.  In most cases this is not needed.

Follow some of these simple guidelines and your dogs kennel cough experience will be one that you both quickly forget.  Above all, be considerate of fellow dogs and their owners – keep your pup home and away from others for the duration and soon enough he’ll be ready to go back out and play again!