Dog Safety and First Aid!

Pet safety is a topic every pet parent should be educated on. Dogs are pretty accident prone in general - eating things they shouldn't, getting injured in situations ranging from simple accidents while playing to trauma from car accidents, having things caught in their paw, mouth, eye, etc. Dogs (and cats) vomit, get diarrhea, cough or gag, limp, are lethargic, or experience a host of other symptoms from a variety of causes, and our pets can't explain to us how they feel or "where it hurts." If you google the terms "common pet emergencies" or "common pet injuries" you'll get a whole host of explanations for the types of things that can happen!

Here are a few examples of "emergencies" I've experienced with Mumble:

Laceration from moving his crate - When Mumble was 5 months old, on the day he had his neutering surgery, he had to be crated while I took a friend to the emergency room (it was not a good day all around for emergencies). Mumble decided he didn't want to be there in his crate that day, and experienced an "opposite reaction" to his sedative, basically meaning he had super-dog strength. From inside his crate, he moved it about 7-8 feet across the room by continuously throwing his body against the side of it. Problem? There was one of those water bottles attached to the side of the crate that has the little metal spout that the dogs drink from, and this basically gashed Mumble's back open. This didn't stop him from continuing to move the crate, so by the time I got home, the gash was pretty bad.

Eating plastic bags - Mumble went through a phase where he thought plastic bags were the most delicious things ever. I once came home and found part of one on the floor, and thought "at least he didn't eat all of it." Turned out, however, that he had actually gotten inside the kitchen cabinet (a high one) and climbed up it, and pulled all of the plastic bags out of the dispenser and eaten most of them.

Sudden limping - Mumble had an injury recently, and I had no idea when or how it occurred, but suddenly one morning we went out for our usual walk and he was limping.

Allergic reactions - Mumble's had allergic reactions to all kinds of things, resulting in sneezing and wheezing all night, foaming at the mouth, itching and scratching to the point of making the skin around his face bleed, and panting heavily. Mumble also once had an adverse reaction to vaccinations, which made him extremely sick and lethargic.

Car accident - Mumble was in the car with me when I had a car accident. Thankfully, he was not hurt, but it really made me realize how much I need to know what to do in an emergency if he is injured!

Each of these ended up in either a visit to the vet or an emergency phone call to the on-call vet for instructions. Thankfully, none of these incidents has ended up with serious injury or illness, and Mumble has come out ok every time. Still, accidents are not infrequent with pets, so we should all be prepared!

Enter the Pet Safety Seminar at Zoom Room Culver City. The Zoom Room had guest speaker Melanie Monteiro, author of "The Safe Dog Handbook," give a talk to a group of dog owners about pet safety tips, first aid, and emergency preparedness.

First off, I highly recommend Melanie's book. You can order it online at this link. I bought a copy at her talk that night, and I've already read it cover to cover. The book is so practical and user-friendly, it is definitely a must for the shelf of any pet parent. If you google Melanie, you will also not only find her website and more information about her, but also videos on youtube with tips and info about pet safety.

At the talk, Melanie gave us great insight into the importance of being prepared and of prevention. Prevention is the biggest key to pet safety! Even though we've all been told to "puppy-proof" our homes, Melanie explained that poisoning from substances like rat poison is still common!

Being prepared for an emergency includes simple things like having all of your pet's emergency contact numbers handy (the vet, the after-hours vet, the poison control hotline, etc) to having a well-stocked first aid and emergency kit. One of the most interesting things I learned is how to read your dog's vital signs - Melanie explained that it is important to know how to do this not only in response to a crisis but in order to be prepared for a crisis. You should know your dog's vital signs at their "normal" state so that you have something to compare to.

Melanie also demonstrated some pet first aid / emergency response skills. She showed us how to make a muzzle out of gauze, for situations when your pet needs to have medical attention and you want to prevent biting, which can be common in times of stress. She taught us which way to hold a dog that is injured if you have to carry it - with the wound towards your body, cradling the dog from underneath. She demonstrated (on a moving dog dummy) how to give a dog CPR, including the chess compressions and the respiration. For "mouth to mouth" on a pet, you do not breath into your dog's mouth, but into their nose! She showed us how to form a "seal" around the dog's (or cat's) nostrils in order to do CPR properly.

Melanie's book has a comprehensive list of all of the things that you should have in a pet first aid kit. There are also lots of resources online to help guide you. At a later date, I'll put together a list on this blog of all of the things that I have in my pet first aid kit, which I am working on putting together now!

I came away from the class with a lot of useful information, tips, and resources regarding pet safety, and definitely feel like I am now more prepared for emergency situations. I think this type of class is something every pet parent should take! There are lots of options you can find, from seminar-type classes, to intensive skill-based lessons.

Here is a list of resources for pet safety and first aid classes, and other related resources:

Melanie Monteiro's Pet Safety videos on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/MelanieLMonteiro

The Safe Dog Handbook: http://www.thesafedoghandbook.com/index.html

Classes and First Aid Training by Melanie Monteiro: http://www.thesafedoghandbook.com/services.html

PetTech's PetSaver classes on pet first aid, CPR training, etc: http://www.pettech.net/programs.html

Dog First Aid book by the Red Cross: http://www.redcrossstore.org/Shopper/Product.aspx?UniqueItemId=95

Cat First Aid book by the Red Cross: http://www.redcrossstore.org/Shopper/Product.aspx?UniqueItemId=160&Page=1&StartAtPage=1&SId=201374&LocationId=0

PETCO's Pet First Aid online classes: http://www.petco.com/product/100690/PETCO-Online-Pet-First-Aid-Course.aspx

Online info from the American Veterinary Medical Association: First Aid Tips for Pet Parents: http://www.avma.org/firstaid/

Online info from the American Animal Hospital Association: Health Pets - Pet First Aid: http://www.healthypet.com/PetCare

About.com's article on First Aid for Pets: http://vetmedicine.about.com/cs/diseasesall/a/farnfirstaidtip.htm

First Aid Kits for Pets:

American Red Cross Deluxe Kit: http://www.entirelypets.com/petfirstaiddx.html
American Red Cross First Aid Pack: http://www.entirelypets.com/nepetfiaidki.html
Pet First Aid Kit: http://www.sitstay.com
Various kits by petfirstaid.org: http://www.petfirstaid.org/products.html

House Arrest Continued, another appointment with the Vet, and a difficult week overall

Mumble has now been on his "limited activity" restrictions for healing of his shoulder & elbow sprain for two weeks (today is Day 15 to be exact), and we've now gone back for our check up with Dr. Shane.

First, I have to start by acknowledging the emotional difficulty of this particular week. It was two years ago this week that I lost Padfoot, and while that is emotionally heart-wrenching for me in general, the stress of thinking about Mumble having any health problems that could be serious on this particular week was not easy for me to deal with. Not a day goes by that I don't miss Padfoot, as much as I love Mumble and am grateful to have him in my life. The thought that I could ever prematurely lose him as well is terrifying, even if that fear is not totally based in rational thought. So I didn't love the fact that we had a vet appointment scheduled for this particular week, and sat in the vet's office today petrified of what she could possibly come back and tell me.

In general, this week was a little easier than last week, however, in terms of Mumble's healing process. The positive impact of having the walk at the beach with Chopper and Mandy over the weekend appeared to have some lasting affects, so while I still had concerns about his loss of appetite and he still had times where he resisted going for a walk, in general I saw an improvement in his overall demeanor. The instances of visible "limping" were extremely rare, so he seemed to also be improving greatly in terms of his physical injury.

I was hopeful going into the appointment with Dr. Shane that Mumble would be given the "all clear" to return back to normal, but such was not the case. Although with the medications, he is improving and his pain is managed, the orthopedic exam still showed signs of tension in the shoulder and elbow, evidencing the sprain/injured joints.

Dr. Shane therefore continued to advise limited activity levels, although modified to start to allow for some increases in a careful, planned manner. Walks are still OK. Additionally, he is permitted to go back to doing some agility activities, although without the A-Frame, the weave poles, or any "sharp turns." Which leaves (I guess) low level jumps, the dog walk, and the table? It's not much but at least he'll have something! We can do this no more than one time per week. As to daycare, a full day would still be too much for him, as would multiple daycare visits per week. Thus, she said he was allowed to do "half-days" a couple of times per week. I don't exactly know how that will work out with my work schedule, but I guess we'll figure something out.

As to medications, Dr. Shane believes Mumble will need to be on the Glucosamine supplements for the rest of his life. I've actually done a lot of research / reading on these supplements, and I believe that this will have a positive impact on his health and well-being going forward, so I am OK with this being a permanent addition to his health supplements. He will no longer take the Traumeel (the homeopathic anti-inflammatory) on a regular basis. Instead, he will only take it "as needed" if he shows any limping or signs of pain without it.

The prognosis? The vet still believes Mumble will ultimately heal and be back to normal, but she wants to reevaluate him in one month. This type of injury, she explained, could lead to the onset of arthritis in those joints if not treated. Thus, if he is still not healed after another 4 weeks, she will do X-Rays and we will decide whether or not surgery is the appropriate treatment option. She stressed that for a very active dog like Mumble, surgery could be the most appropriate thing if he is not healing so that he is not limited by arthritis and joint issues on a long term basis.

Overall, it was overwhelming, but I still feel like we are on the right path and doing the right things, and that ultimately Mumble will get better, hopefully without surgery. I'm thankful that this issue is something we can treat and deal with, and not something potentially life-threatening. I am also thankful for everyone's well-wishes, support, etc during the past few weeks about this!

House Arrest Day 6

Today is Day 6 of Mumble's "limited physical activity" sentence for the healing of his sprained leg/shoulder. Things are reasonably going well so far, but I definitely notice a difference already in his behavior.

First off, and on a positive note, in regards to his injury itself, I am really amazed at this medication the vet has put him on, because it seemed to help with the pain right away. And presumably it is helping with the inflammation too, so he is definitely showing signs of limping and stiffness less often. The medication is called Traumeel, and it is a natural, herbal anti-inflammatory and analgesic that is actually made for humans but can be used on dogs. Natural / herbal pain relief is probably better for Mumble, who has previously had an adverse reaction to either pain medication or sedatives. Given that Mumble now takes so many pills and supplements I had to create a chart to make sure I gave him everything at the right time, I decided I should become more educated about what I am putting into his body and did some online research. Traumeel is something that is apparently frequently prescribed to people for their sport related injuries, sprains, and recovery from surgery. It is a homeopathic blend with a lot of different active ingredients that stimulate the "healing of wounds, fractures and dislocation," act as an analgesic, and prevent inflammation and infection. What's great about it is that it can be given to dogs without the extensive bloodwork that may be required for ongoing use of more traditional pain medications. What I know is that Mumble seemed to react positively right away. Remarkably, as soon as his next walk after his first dose, he was already showing signs of improvement. So he'll continue taking his two pills twice a day, hidden in whatever I can convince him to eat at that moment, until the vet tells us otherwise.

In terms of Mumble's reaction to the limitation on his physical activities, I think overall he is doing well, but there is definitely a difference. This will be the first week since Mumble was 5 months old that he didn't go to daycare for at least a couple of days. Well, that's not totally true, he didn't go to daycare when we were in Georgia for Christmas, but that week he had my sister's dogs, Penny and Dexter, who are just as hyper as him, to play with every day all day, so that doesn't really count. Usually, he gets to spend at least a few days at The Loved Dog running around with 30-40 other dogs all day, herding them, and acting like he is the king of the place. So it's a big difference to go from that to being at home with no dogs to play with, only Rascal to herd around, and no one to be the king of (there is no way Rascal is letting Mumble be in charge of anything!).

So while I have not seen any "bad behaviors" (I don't want to dare to say "yet"), he is showing signs that he's a little bored. Last night (Day 5) when I came home from work, he greeted me as usual, and we went on a normal walk. His normal evening activity level is pretty mellow when we are just at home. He may play a little, we may practice some of his tricks or other stuff, and he might even chase around a treat toy, but he's pretty content to lounge around on the couch for a majority of the evening and have his belly rubbed. Last night, he was much more active. He started pulling apart stuffed toys, strewing stuffing around the room, chased Rascal back and forth to the bedroom and living room (until Rascal was tired of that game and with one scathing look, stopped Mumble in his tracks, and then retired to the back of the couch), etc. The worst though was that he was generally trying to demand constant attention. He attempted to destroy a treat toy because it was empty, and kept sitting right next to wherever I was and barking at me ever so quietly to get me to play with him. Maybe this is normal? I don't know; I've always been a believer in "a tired dog is a good dog," so Mumble stays pretty active and entertained so that he doesn't have to engage in inappropriate behaviors to gain my attention for an activity.

The sad thing was that as much attention as I could give him, I couldn't give him what he wanted, which was a lot of physical activity. He was whining at me because he wanted me to play rough with him on the floor, or throw a ball for him to run after, or take him outside to play with the dog from upstairs when it went by. My "attention" of petting him, and trying to get him to do low-impact things like trick or behavior skills would only placate him for a little bit, and then he'd be begging all over again.

We'll see how he is behaving tonight (Day 6) after yet another day at home. We had a great walk this morning - long, but not at a fast pace, and with plenty of "training" along the way. He is mastering the automatic stop and sit at the curb before we cross the street, so if he takes a new skill out of all of this, I guess that's a good thing too. Tomorrow, he'll most likely be coming to the office with me during the day, and then we'll still be going to our "Therapy Dog" class tomorrow night (it's the last class, and the vet approved his participation in this - but not in agility). 10 days to go until we go back to the vet for a check up to see if he is healed, or if the sentence continues!

Mumble on Bed Rest?!

So Mumble has been limping a little bit over the past week, and I took him to the vet on Friday for a check up and to have her look at the limp. It's not really a pronounced limp, more like a slight hobble in his gait, and I couldn't for sure isolate which leg it was, since he continued to bear weight on all of them. The vet did a thorough orthopedic exam, carefully examining all of his joints, etc. She found that one leg (his front left one) was not extending as well and was the location of his pain, and called it an "overuse injury."

Her prescription:
Pain medications and supplements to support healing in the joint and muscle
Rest for two to four weeks; no agility, no doggie daycare, no play dates with dogs, no rigorous walks!

Mumble's "rest" and restricted activity began on Thursday, when I called the vet the day before our appointment and she instructed me to have him rest until we came in. So here we are in day three of the sentence and it's going reasonably well, although I already know what a challenge this is going to be for both of us.

Anyone who knows Mumble (or has ever read this blog) knows he is an extremely active, energetic dog. (I'm sure this high activity level is the biggest contributing factor to his current "overuse" injury). In times past, he has moved large furniture in my apartment, climbed things, escaped confinement, removed screens from the windows, etc in an attempt to find "work" to do when he is bored. I've implemented a combination of various activities and exercise to combat these issues, very successfully. The biggest components are doggie daycare, vigorous walks, and agility training, all of which have to be removed in his current regimen to allow for healing.

How do you tell an active border collie / bull terrier that he needs to rest?!

So far I'm trying to work a lot on his "mental stimulation" in an attempt to compensate for the lack of physical stimulation. Thank goodness for all of his training! I'm so grateful now for the timing of taking the Therapy Dog training at Zoom Room Culver City, as this gives us plenty of skills to practice that don't involve high impact physical activity! Walks consist of practicing skills like sitting next to me when I come to a stop, the "look at me" command, etc. We practice down stays in the patio area outside my apartment, and (try to) practice walking past other dogs without running towards them. Working on these things for every single walk means we can go out for just as long of a time period, but go slower / shorter distance. It's certainly mentally exhausting for me, so hopefully it is for Mumble as well!

I'm sure there will be lots to report as we go through these next two weeks, and I'll try to keep this updated. Wish us luck, and keep Mumble's healing in your thoughts and prayers!

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