Pets Lost and Found

ITCHING DOG – POSSIBLE SOLUTION

I had a Toy-Pom, Fiela, who were the most amazing little dog. She developed Hot Spot at about three years of age. At the time I was too dumb to question our vet when he told me that she suffers from severe allergies and that she needs to be treated with Steroid Prednisone. This only offered temporary relieve and she received regular injections for almost the rest of her life. When I really started questioning the benefits versus the side effects of the cortisone treatment, the vet told me, that it is better for the dog to have a short life worth living, rather than a long life of misery. Now I must tell you that the side effects constitute some serious misery as well. The obvious side effects, from day one, were weight gain and an unbelievable thirst. She was always thirsty. You could not believe the amount of water this little 6kg dog could soak up. She would go berserk with thirst. We always had to make sure that there was water for her. Even when we just went for a walk in the park, we had to give her water every few minutes. The terrible thing is the medication destroys the kidneys. As the kidneys start failing, the dog suffers severe pain. Talk about misery! When Fiela reached the age of 9, I discovered a remedy for the itching. Needless to say, it was too late for my little dog. The years of cortisone treatments resulted in kidney failure and she passed away.

A small breed dog like a Toy Pom  could easily reach the ripe old age of between 13 and 15.

Let me first tell you a little bit about Hot Spot and then I will get to the remedy that I found.

Please note that I do not sell the product and have no affiliation with the manufacturers, but can certainly vouch for the efficacy of their products.

I have tried and failed to find a common opinion as to the reason why some dogs develop the terrible itching condition in summer. The occurrence of this phenomenon seems to be on the increase and this leads to the only opinion that has some consensus amongst veterinarians – that the increase in vaccination of pets may possibly be the cause of this condition.

Although there certainly is a certain amount of disagreement as to the cause of Hot Spot, the condition does have certain symptoms in common.

Since the condition mostly occurs during the warm seasons, it is commonly referred to as “Hot Spot” or “Summer Itch Hot Spots”. With this condition, the dog would itch terribly, be constantly scratching, rolling on its back, dragging it’s butt on the floor, grass or ground and chew on itself.

A dog will develop such severe itching that they may cause themselves serious injury. They cause skin wounds, infections, bald patches, often resulting in drying and roughening of the skin. Such an animal can become traumatized and very desperate.

The irritation mostly occurs on the back, around the tail, on the stomach area, legs and paws. The occurrence of Hot Spot seems to be more prevalent in warm moist climates and certainly occurs all over the world.

All types of dogs may develop Hot Spot, irrespective of breed, size, hair type and colour. Pedigree or “pavement special” is equally possible victims of this condition. From young puppies to old dogs, with no previous history of skin disease may develop Hot Spot.

Hot Spot are often incorrectly diagnosed as eczema, allergies, or other disorders. Although this may very well be the case that the reason for the itching may be from another disease, I suggest you try out some other options first, before allowing your dog to be treated with cortisone or other drugs that may very well have serious side effects.

However, it is extremely important not to confuse Hot Spot with the various types of mange, flea infestations, ringworm or hormonal conditions. A veterinarian will certainly diagnose these conditions quickly and recommend and prescribe an effective remedy.

When a dog develops a skin condition, which sometimes results in an unpleasant smelling dog, the family members may often ostracize the poor dog. The dog then becomes much stressed and this will only aggravate the situation. Imagine yourself being shut out by the people you love most as a result of a condition that you certainly do not want and did not ask for.

People will sometimes take such an animal to the Animal Welfare Societies for adoption rather then trying to find a solution. Unfortunately such pets are not “adoptable” material and are almost always euthanized.

Because the dog often smells strongly, the loving family members would bath the dog more often, which in most instances only results in aggravating the problem, particularly when harsh shampoos are used. Preferably use a very mild moisturizing herbal shampoo. Buy a shampoo that you would use on yourself. Do not buy pet shampoos at your supermarket, even when it is supposedly for “sensitive” skins. I use a shampoo that works very well,  particularly on my Rhodesian Ridge Back. She does not suffer from Hot Spot, but her skin sometime becomes very dry and appears to form something like dandruff. A bath and condition with my favorite soothing herbal shampoo clears that up very quickly.

All sorts of remedies are offered by everyone and his mate, particularly on the internet. Some of these therapies have not been tested properly and may be extremely detrimental to the health of your dog.

Absolutely avoid any pet product – like the plaque – if the instruction states that you must wear gloves! So, you can poison your dog, but heaven forbid you poison yourself?

Also try to imagine yourself itching like mad and someone ties your hands and puts a huge cone shaped plastic collar on you, so that you cannot get to the itches!

Be kindhearted and thoughtful in your actions and treatment of your dog at all times. Sure, the scratching and chewing can drive anyone up the wall, but keep in mind, the dog hates it even more than you do.

I read somewhere about a study that were done at a university veterinary school in the USA, that all standard medical treatments for Hot Spot were basically ineffective. It was also found that 30% of dogs recover from this condition spontaneously, without medical or any other type of interference.

However, in the mean time the poor dog goes mad with itching day and night, 24/7. Oh my word! Just imagine itching like that.

The product that I recommend can be purchased from www.ravenpetproducts.com and consist of a small bottle of shampoo and a lotion. It worked incredibly well on Fiela, but by that time, her little kidneys were practically non-existent. I tried the lotion on myself for insect bites and I must tell you, I have NEVER felt anything so soothing and quick-acting. Mike Raven of Raven Pet Products crammed four “kits” in an envelope for me to save me some money on the postage. When I ordered I found them to be reliable in their promises and I was very comfortable sending them the money upfront.

This is not a training manual, but simply a page for everyone to share training tips.
As some pets are simply “difficult” by nature, it is nice to get advice and tips from people who resolved such training difficulties with a soft hand.

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If there is one thing that I find seriously upsetting, then it is the use of ’shock collars’ for barking dogs. This is probably one of the cruelest torture devices thought up by pet haters! I will never have the guts to try it out myself, but had a friend who put this on himself once (around his neck) and encouraged his dog to bark. He told me about the experience and assured me that this is the worst pain he felt in his life !
Please do not buy these things! You are supporting animal abuse if you do.
Often dogs would bark when you are not at home, causing irritation to neighbors. I once had a Labrador who would apparently bark non-stop from the minute I leave the driveway. Most of us, if not all, have a specific command that we give to a dog that are barking outside while we are at home. It may just be “stop it !” or something similar. When the neighbors started complaining, I told them her name and the instruction as to what to say to her when she was barking like that. Everybody soon got smiling, since the minute they said “Sheba! In your bed!”, she would meekly turn around and walk into the house and be quiet.
If your dog is the guilty party, please just go to the closest neighbors and ask them to just talk to the dog.
If your neighbor’s dog is the culprit, just go to them and ask them the name of the dog and what their normal command would be.
A nice way of approaching a neighbor, particularly a grumpy one, would be to say that you hate the idea of complaining, but would like to assist.
Good luck and quiet nights to every pet owner in the world !

Cats are much more independent than dogs and seldom develops separation anxiety, however, it does occur. Separation anxiety in cats are often triggered when the owner is away from the house for extended periods of time, especially if there is a strong bond between owner and cat.

Symptoms would be:

Constant rubbing against you.

Constant meowing unless you pet the cat.

Always wanting to sit on your lap.

Prancing in front of you.

When you go to bed at night the cat would be waiting. It would spend the night on your bed, constantly moving about and snuggling up.

The cat would be very distant to guests and would not like to be touched by them. Would even respond to guests attention by biting and scratching.

When you go away the cat may get into self mutilation activities, like compulsive licking of the same area on the skin, until the hair is gone and the skin raw.

Defecating and urinating in inappropriate places - often on your bed. (Make sure the cat box are kept clean - this may also cause the cat to use other areas as a toilet)

Spraying may occur inside the house.

A cat who tends to bite and scratch when being petted, will become increasingly aggressive.

The best route to take is very similar to desensitizing a dog who suffers from separation anxiety.

Read our article here.

Desensitizing a dog is a long process and requires patience and commitment. It may often be difficult not to give in to the dog’s pleadings. Be strong. Be the Alpha Dog.

• Make sure that the dog is healthy by taking it to the vet for a thorough checkup. (read our article on medical aid for pets)
• Make sure the dog has a very comfortable place to sleep.
• Make sure the dog has good clean healthy meals and fresh water.
• Make sure the dog gets a lot of exercise.
• Revert to initial obedience training, like sit/wait/eat, etc. to re-establish your alpha dog position in the relationship.
• Never, never, never punish or scold the dog for destructive behavior. Research has found that anxiety levels in dogs who expect punishment, increases substantially in the half an hour before the owner is expected back home.

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It is a tragic and ironical fact that pets suffering from separation anxiety often ends up being handed over to shelters or euthanized.

Sometimes destructive behaviour is a result of pure boredom, or even medical problems is mistaken as separation anxiety and then handled inappropriately.

Rule those out first. Take the pet to the vet for a thorough medical check.

Use a video camera to observe the pet’s behaviour after you leave. If the pet acts normally by sleeping a bit, drinking water, eating, playing with a toy etc., and only start with the destructive behaviour an hour or two after you left, it is most likely just boredom or inappropriate behaviour, that can be rectified with training.

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All true human mommies and daddies of cats and dogs will know that there is no greater worry than going on holiday and leaving the animal children at home.

It is impossible to find a kennel and cattery that would cover Mitzi with her “blankie” when she goes to sleep, or to serve Rover and Fifi their decaf in the morning.

We have reverted to doing wild camping, as I can then take all four my dogs with me, and have the peace of mind that I personally take care of them.

Of course, one is not always in the mood for living in a tent, neither does all the seasons allow you to do so. Any information on pets welcome accommodation is a lifesaver.

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When someone decides to get a pet, they very seldom consider the medical expenses that will be incurred through the lifetime of the pet.

A pet will get ill and injuries will occur, just like with a human child.

After all, if you get a pet, you must be prepared to treat such a pet as a member of the family. Nevertheless, in the excitement of getting a new puppy or kitten, the vet’s bills are the last thing anyone wants to think about.

Keep in mind, when you adopt a pet, you are responsible for its well-being. Not only out of the goodness of your heart, but also by law.

Because people do not budget for such occurrences, the pet often suffers excruciating pain without the necessary medical attention.

With animals, a simple thing like getting a few stitches becomes a huge expense, often far more than the average to low income family can afford.

As the pet will not sit still for the cleaning and stitching of a wound, they cannot just receive a local anaesthetic, they have to undergo general anaesthesia.

Therefore, for a large breed dog, such a simple procedure (for humans) can run up close to a R1000-00 and be even more if the wound is infected and the pet has developed a fever. The cost may run closer to R2000-00 if that is the case.

There has been only one medical aid scheme, that I am aware of, in South Africa for a number of years now.

However, in 2007 a new medical aid scheme entered the market – Medipet SA.

After visiting their website, I was very impressed by their simple straightforward rules and their extremely affordable rates. I signed up all four my dogs immediately.

Of course, there is some “no claim rules”, like cleaning of the pets’ teeth and annual vaccinations, which will not be covered. That is a small price to pay for the amazing benefit of R25,000 cover for your pet per year. You get that for the low monthly premiums from R125 and less. They even give discount if you have multiple pets covered. You only pay the first R250 excess per occurrence.

That means that you can now take your pet to the vet without having to worry about the expense.

If your cash flow situation is critical, you can always ask for an arrangement, with the vet, to pay the balance of the bill when the medical aid pays you out. Be responsible and pay the vet. You will need them again and do not want a poor reputation to spoil your chances of top rate medical treatment for your pet.

We normally pay cash at the vet for all treatments and claim the money back afterwards. I have thus far received my refunds within 10 days, each time I claimed.

Visit the site www.medipetsa.co.za today still and make sure you take out medical cover for your pet.

Do not make your pet suffer sickness and injuries, because for the price of four movie tickets, you can get them fully covered.

I teach all my dogs to respond to a simple sports whistle. (Referees whistle, available from any sports outlet) We never use the whistle for normal calling. They were taught that when the whistle goes, it is serious business, it is emergency time, no excuses whatsoever will be accepted and they have to come to us that very instant.

I would start them off as follows: When wanting to close the house for the night, I would allow them to go for a run outside. I will give them time to wander off and then suddenly blow the whistle hard. They would come back the first time because they are curious about the strange noise. Those that do not come right away gets locked out for five or six minutes. Those that do come right away, will get a reward in the form of lavish praise and a small bite of something really special, like a piece of biltong or steak. They very quickly learn to come when the whistle blows. I start cutting down on the treats after a while and increase the praise.

Be inventive in your training and use things that your dog really loves to do or to eat to initially get them to respond to the whistle.

If your dog likes to go for a drive, it is also a good time to use the whistle. Blow on the whistle to call the dog to the car. Let him or her get in right away. It is important that they associate the whistle with pleasant experiences. They need to be happy to respond to the whistle quickly, to ensure the success of this method.

We do a lot of wild camping and all our dogs always goes camping with us. We allow them to roam freely and to come and go as they please. However, when “The Whistle” goes, they drop everything and anything that has caught their fancy and come to us immediately, no matter how far they have wandered off, no questions asked. They run !

Recently, on a camping trip, we made a pee-pee stop in the veldt. Pepper, our Merle Great Dane, suddenly dashed after a small buck that jumped out of the short shrub next to the road. This was on the West Coast, with no fences in sight. Now, I tell you with the buck going at the speed of light and the dog as fast as the buck on those long legs, they were a huge distance from us, before anyone of us could even blink. Luckily, I had “The Whistle” on a string around my neck. The first piercing blow had Pepper stopped in her tracks. She came back instantly, although very disappointed. We made her instant obedience a pleasure by praising and giving her one of our sandwiches. She will certainly be obedient again the next time around. All this happened so fast, that the other three dogs did not even realize that Pepper was chasing something.

A few years ago, Caesar Zandberg, a safari tourist operator, lost his dog in a similar occurrence. His dog chased after a herd of Springbok in the Kaokoveld in the North Western parts of Namibia. He radioed for assistance from other operators and people living in the area. They hounded all the villages, kraals and settlements for weeks. The dog was completely lost. He and his wife were devastated. The dog was their only “child”.

I always like to keep my blog post focused on the positive side of being a pet owner, but from time to time I need a bit of a ‘reality check’ and bring to your attention the uglier side of pet owners. In the process of setting up Pets Lost and Found I was warned about criminal activity that is affecting pet owners today.

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