Muzzle Is Not a Dirty Word

Sometimes when asked how work is going, I answer, “Not too bad. I still have all ten fingers.” It’s my poor attempt at a joke, but I’ve realized that a lot of people unfamiliar with veterinary medicine ask if that’s really a risk of the job. Although we have countless wonderful pets that walk through our doors, the reality is that some patients are more difficult – and more dangerous – to handle than others. So yes, there really is some inherent risk in working with animals.

The reason I wanted to discuss this is that some people think when we muzzle a dog, it’s cruel. It’s not. It’s a matter of safety. We all love animals and love the patients we work with, but that doesn’t mean we’re willing to take a trip to the emergency room instead of muzzling your pet. There are many reasons we use muzzles when dealing with patients beyond the obvious case of an aggressive dog. Even the sweetest dog has the potential to bite if they are in severe pain, so most painful patients are given a muzzle as a precaution. Some dogs that pose no threat to bite are simply calmer when they are wearing a muzzle. It’s difficult to draw blood from a wiggly dog, but many become more stationary with a muzzle. Many exams and treatments become a lot quicker when a nervous dog is muzzled, so we can get that dog back to the comfort of home much sooner.

I can personally relate to owners whose dog requires a muzzle because I am one of those owners! My dog cannot stand his nails being trimmed. He can be a real pain – and quite honestly, a danger – to anyone trying to trim his nails. But, when he is wearing a muzzle, he’s a completely different dog. He is more relaxed and less active making the procedure less stressful for him and easier for us. The muzzle allows us to give him a much quicker, better, and safer nail trim – a win for everyone!

So, if your dog requires a muzzle, it’s not something to be embarrassed by. If the appointment is easier, quicker, and less stressful for your dog (and you), then the muzzle is definitely a good thing!

Misfortune of bad teeth

This is Chip – he is my dog. Chip has the misfortune to have been born from a mother and father who both had bad teeth. Chip is nine years old. He is about ready to have his third dental cleaning. (He doesn’t know it yet). 

He was on my lap the other night and his breath grossed me out. I immediately carried him to the kitchen counter (my in-house exam table) and did an oral exam. Diagnosis—halitosis due to bacteria in mouth with grade II dental disease.


Grade I= good teeth and oral health

Grade II=gums red and mild to moderate tartar

Grade III=tartar and gingivitis beginning periodontal disease

Grade IV=advanced periodontal disease diseased or loose teeth.

When is the last time you looked at your pet’s teeth? Or did you just not want to look?

The number one abnormal finding on routine physical exam in dogs and cats is obesity. The number two problem is dental disease. The best way to help your pet have good oral health is to brush it’s teeth. 1% of my clients brush their pet’s teeth. Unfortunately for Chip I am in the 99% and likely so are you. Brushing is the best but there are other things you can do if you can’t brush.

Some options for you at home to care for your pets teeth with a lot less work are:

• Hill’s Prescription Diet T/D (a fiber matrix tooth food) used as treats. This is what I do for Chip. He gets 4 a day.

• Greenies treats work well, he gets one of these occasionally.

• Dentahex oral solution (like mouthwash for dogs) you wipe it on and it helps clean the teeth. I wipe his teeth when his breath smells.

These products work and we have them available at the clinic.

There are other products as well. You can find other oral health care products in many stores. It is easy to make a claim to help keep teeth clean. It is another to have been tested and given the VOHC (Veterinary Oral Health Council) seal of approval. If a product has this seal it is a good product. Others I can’t speak for.

See how you do answering a few questions about your pet’s oral health.

1. True or False?  If your pet’s teeth are nice and white they are OK.
2. True or False?  Hard food always keeps your pets teeth clean.
3. True or False?  Bones are good for your pet’s teeth.
4. True or False?  Bad teeth can lead to heart, liver and kidney problems
5. True or False?  Bad teeth are painful.

Answers:

1. False. The mouth isn’t OK just because the teeth are white if the gums are swollen or red.
2. False. Hard food helps only if the pet chews the food well. Most swallow their kibble whole.
3. True. As long as bones don’t break the teeth they help but I have seen a lot of broken teeth and my dog never gets bones!!!
4. True. Bad teeth do a lot of damage that can go unseen until serious problems crop up.
5.  True. Did you ever have a tooth ache? Our pets don’t show us tooth pain except occasionally drooling or dropping their food when they try to eat. None the less they hurt.

"Diet Starts Tomorrow..."

We've all probably said this to ourselves at some point, especially after the holidays when delicious treats and over-indulgence have run rampant and wreaked havoc on our waistlines. We are not alone, though, as our pets share an increase in poundage and probably for the same reasons – they join in our celebrations of the holidays and special occasions and we want to reward them with the foods they love because they are a beloved part of our families.

The number one response I get when I mention that a pet I'm examining has gotten a bit overweight is something along the lines of "The weather just makes it impossible to go for walks." It is understandable that no one wants to be outside in a polar vortex trucking through the snow with their dog to work off that extra slice of pie. But what many pet owners do not realize is that exercise has only a small fraction to do with their pet's weight loss! Don't get me wrong, exercise is great; it helps build lean muscle and burns calories and strengthens the heart, just to name a few benefits. I consider exercise a bonus to a good weight loss program, not a necessity because let's face it, not everyone is lucky enough to spend time outdoors with their pets year-round!

I have often thought about how awesome it would be to have a personal chef. Everything in front of me would be healthy and in the right proportions, and I wouldn't have to even think about it! Our pets are so lucky because we are their personal chefs. We control what goes into their mouths (for those of you that have labs or beagles this may not always be true, despite your best efforts...)! So how do you make the best choices for your pet?

It is all about how much food you make available to them. If you grab a big drinking cup and scoop it full of your dog or cat's food and then leave it out all day for them, they are probably going to be taking in way too many calories throughout the day to stand a chance at weight loss.

My first piece of advice would be to start measuring out how much food you are already feeding your pet. To do this you need to obtain an actual measuring cup. Pour the same amount of food that you would normally feed your pet into one or more measuring cups to get an idea of how many cups you are actually feeding. Then take a look at your pet's food bag. There will usually be a chart showing how much food to feed based on a given weight range. This is the important part: if your pet is already overweight you do not want to feed based on their current weight because they will either maintain or gain weight! You need to feed based on their ideal weight. If you need help figuring out what number this is feel free to talk to your veterinarian. I have found with many food bags that the recommended feeding quantities are very generous, so keep that in mind! It also helps to feed them a designated number of meals during the day, instead of just feeding "free-choice."

Another recommendation to help with your pet's weight loss is to gradually switch to a low-calorie food which will often have more fiber to help make them feel fuller, longer. It also helps to have one person in the household in charge of all the feedings, that way you stay consistent.

I know you are probably wondering about treats which for some is a very important part of their pet's routine. Table scraps should be eliminated because the food we eat is simply too high in fats and sugars for our pets. If you must feed "people food" stick to vegetables like carrots or green beans which make great low-calorie treats. Or you can just try using your pet's dry food kibble as treats throughout the day, a little here or there. Keep in mind, too, that you don't need to give your pet a massive handful of treats to show them you love them or to reward them. They are just as happy with a small nugget here and there; it's still a treat!

If you make these changes to your routine when feeding your pet you should see gradual weight loss and maybe even notice positive changes in them like an increase in energy and activity levels, not to mention the health benefits like decreased risk of heart disease and diabetes and decreased stress on their joints, just to name a few! Then when the weather gets nice again you can supplement these great new habits with exercise outside to maintain their weight loss you've worked so hard to achieve and keep your pet (and you!) happy and healthy!