It's Summer Time And Your Dog Can...Overheat!

How about some water, Parental Unit?

Today is the first full day of summer in the northern hemisphere, and you know what that brings besides lots of outdoor fun? Yes, both humans and canines can get overheated and possibly suffer heatstroke or hyperthermia. To refresh your memory on prevention, symptoms and emergency measures to take regarding canine overheating and heatstroke, check out this excellent article from PetMD.

And to visualize what happens when a dog overheats, this infographic created by Global Pet Foods,   will help you prepare, prevent and treat a dog nearing or suffering from heatstroke.

Parental Unit was worried about me the other day because I was panting extra hard after a long walk in the park on a particularly hot day. I did have water, so she didn't think it seemed right that I appeared so overheated. But then again, she wasn't wearing a fur coat. I cooled down real quick in the air-conditioning, but she's going to ask the vet just the same.

What do you do to prevent your pooch from overheating in hot weather? We'd love to hear your strategies for keeping Fido cool!

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Winter Activities For Your Dog...And You!

Raise your paw if you'd rather hide under the covers than go outside in winter weather...

Truthfully, I love going outside in cold, snowy weather, but Parental Unit...not so much. She manages to faithfully take me for at least one walk each day, no matter the weather. Take today for example. We went for our usual length walk despite the single digit temperatures and a few inches of snow and ice on the ground.

But there are lots of ways you can exercise with your dog in the winter, both indoors and out. Check out these tips from PetMD (complete with invigorating slide show) to get some ideas for winter fun  with your pooch. What we like about these top ten winter exercises is that they vary in intensity from a stroll around the block and the usual game of indoor or outdoor fetch, to interval training and "Skijor" a combination of cross-country skiing and mushing. Thanks, but we'll just stick with a walk and some fetch!

Here are six more excellent winter exercise tips for you and your canine companion from Cesar's Way. These focus a bit more on mental engagement which can be as stimulating for your pooch as that Skijor thing.

Depending on the temps and wind chill factors, and your dog's age and type of fur, he or she may need to wear a coat and/or booties. And don't forget to thoroughly wipe your dogs' paws after each walk to remove salt and other ice melting agents before they lick them.

                                 You hoo, Parental Unit!

Let us know how you and your dog get your exercise during the winter months—we'd love to hear your tips for staying fit when it's cold outside!

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Pet Health Awareness Month: How To Work With Your Veterinarian

         Clearly, I know how to work well with my vet, Dr. Mike.

But I realize (despite my enormous intelligence) that even I could use a helping, human hand when it comes to getting the most out of every vet visit. Specifically, we wanted to pass on these recommendations from our friends at PetMD that encourage you pet parents to work with your veterinarian by asking questions. A few of these questions you'll only need to ask once, but it should be helpful to print out the list and take it with you to each visit—and don't be afraid to add more of your own!

Long gone are the days when humans never questioned their own doctors about anything, let alone arriving with a prepared list of questions for their dog's veterinarian. Today, we're encourage to ask questions and otherwise assert ourselves during the precious time we get with our doctors. This doesn't mean that laypeople should insert themselves into the diagnosis process, but rather become informed enough to help both your doctor and your pet's veterinarian be proactive.


                      Are you being proactive, Dr. Mike?

Just to round out the picture, here's a few ways veterinarians ensure their own pets remain healthy and happy, including how they help their pets' mental and emotional health.  For example, it's hard for an intelligent animal like a dog to sit in the house all day with little to no mental stimulation. Playing games, taking walks and/or rides in the car, and allowing them to meet new people and other dogs every day are just a few ways to keep your pooches' mental health in the positive zone.

We'd love to hear if you write down questions to ask your vet, and what you do to keep your dog happy and his mind active. Let us know!

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Sunday's "Living With Your Pet" Tips: Is Your Dog Nearing Heat Stroke?

I look cool, calm and collected here, but that's not always the case when I'm outdoors. Parental Unit says I over-heat pretty easily.

Summer's officially in full swing, and as the temperatures rise, so does the risk of your dog suffering  ill affects from the heat. Particularly worrisome is heat stroke, when a dog's body temperature gets too high (typically above 106 degrees), which can result in multiple organ dysfunction if left untreated.

Our friends at PetMD have compiled this handy slide show of the Top Five signs of heat stroke in canines and what you should do to both prevent and treat this condition. Of course, beyond a certain point emergency veterinary care is necessary.

Do we need to even mention that you should never leave your dog in your car when the weather is even just warm? Dogs don't have the same cooling systems as humans do, so we overheat more quickly. But who wouldn't overheat in a car with the window down just a crack? Take a gander at this chart from our buddies at the ASPCA:

Although most of us are pretty vigilant about our pets' health and safety, it doesn't hurt to be reminded of the basics. Let us know how you protect your pooch form overheating in hot weather. The more information, the better!

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Prep Your Pooch For The Dog Park!

                       Me and my new pal at the dog park.

We've written quite a bit about visiting dog parks, but we thought our friends at PetMD did an excellent job culling these "Top Five Tips" to prepare you and your dog for a dog park visit. Notice we said you and your dog! I have to admit that Parental Unit is hyper-vigilant while I'm at the park, and perhaps goes a bit overboard in making sure I stay safe—she tends to glare at those who don't follow the clearly marked dog park rules, for example. (Ahem...please keep your pooch leashed unless they're within the confines of the dog park itself.) But we think you can never be too careful. These strategies even propose that you have a planned "exit strategy", as in: where are the nearest veterinary emergency services, just in case...

Let us know what special precautions you take before you let your dog romp in the park. We'd love to  hear your tips!

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The Luck Of These Hearty Irish Dog Breeds!

      Happy St. Patrick's Day! May the wind be always at your back...

Our friends at Pet MD have put together a slide show of nine beautiful Irish dog breeds for your perusal this fine St. Patty's Day. Put these breed photos and descriptions alongside this fun Irish Dog infographic from Rover.com and you'll have your Emerald Isle dog fix for the day!

I look a bit like those Irish Terriers, especially with my green, gem-stoned collar and green "Throver", don't ya think?

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It's Pet Shelter Appreciation Week: Easy Ways You Can Help!

Our friends at PetMD have rounded up a few of the best ways you can help your local shelter, not just during shelter appreciation week, but all year long! One of the easiest ways to give a pet shelter a helping paw is to donate goods, but only those items they really need. Your best bet is to give them a call and just ask what supplies they'd just love to have, and then do your pantry clean out or shopping.

We know kind folks who stock up on basic cleaning supplies when they're on sale and make regular deliveries to their shelter. Usually though, these top five supplies are always in demand, so you can feel safe collecting items like basic cleaning supplies, unopened treats and clean linens for those animals in need.

Thanks for all you do to help animals!

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PetMD: The Truth About Keeping Your Pets Cool In Summer

I was pretty warm in this picture, but had lots of water and soon moved into the air-conditioned  indoors.

We've all probably seen endless "tips" on how to make sure your pets keep cool during the summer heat, but we thought these seven tips (complete with slide show) from PetMD were particularly important and worth sharing and discussing. Why? Because they debunk some of the common myths about keeping your pet cool, like shaving your dog or cat (a big NO), and explain exactly why these myths are, well, myths. And by understanding the "why" behind the tips, you can feel comfortable that you're making the right choices for your pet.

These tips also remind us that certain breeds are more prone to heat-related problems because their cute, but smashed in faces (it's called brachycephalic) simply don't allow them to breath as well. Owners of these pets (both dogs and cats) must be extra cautious during hot weather. And these tips also highlight what to avoid, like long outings in midday and hot sand or asphalt (our pets paw pads are sensitive and unprotected against the elements).

Parental Unit claims she's shocked by the number of pet owners she's heard say that they shave their pets during the summer to keep them cool. In fact, it's just the opposite: the "layers of a pets coat actually help protect them from overheating and sunburn." But you should brush your pets more frequently during the summer to reduce loose hair.

Let us know what ideas you have for keeping your pets cool and safe during hot weather—we'd love you to share!

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BlogPaws Wordless Wednesday Pet Blogger Hop!

The "theme" at BlogPaws today is, of course, "Conference Recap!", so head on over and see some professional photographs of the conference fun. Although we can't stress enough how wonderful (and, well, fun) it is to join in the pawties and celebrations that mark a BlogPaws Conference, there's lots of serious work for companion animals that happens there, too. And we'll be bringing you interviews with a few of the amazing folks and their pets whom we had the pleasure to meet in sunny Lake Las Vegas.

Meanwhile, here's another photo of Parental Unit with one of her favorite pooches (ahem...), Cardiff, the teddy bear of a Welsh terrier whose parents are the cool holistic veterinarian, Patrick Mahaney and his equally cool partner Phil.

Now on to the BlogPaws Wordless Wednesday Pet Blogger Hop!

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"Living With Your Pet Tips": Top Ten Warning Signs Of Cancer In Your Dog Or Cat

We know that this isn't the most pleasant topic for a restful Sunday, but it is an important one: Pets do get cancer, and humans are the ones in charge of catching our warning signs before it's too late. So in the spirit of early detection, check out these top ten symptoms that may indicate that your pet has cancer. They're posted on PetMD and provided by our friend and BlogPaws Community colleague, Dr. Lorie Huston, who is a practicing veterinarian and author of the popular blog, Pet Health Care Gazette. Thank you PetMD and Dr. Lorie for such important information!

Has your pooch or kitty lost their appetite, have a persistent cough, display any lumps or bumps on their otherwise smooth body? These are just three symptoms that should send you humans (affected pet in tow), scurrying to your favorite vet, just to be sure nothing big is amiss. Better safe than sorry, we say.

We hope you have a cozy, warm restful Sunday—we've got another Polar Vortex heading towards Ohio—brrrr!

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