Storm sensations

Storms have been coming and going this summer as usual for central Illinois.  Typically they roll in without warning (to us humans)  booming and flashing overhead.  Butterscotch has clued in to the oncoming storm well before anyone in my home has.  Fortunately he has learned to go to his safe area in our bedroom which then tells us in to start his favorite music - gypsy caravan by putamayo - to help him settle  (read about 2 blog posts earlier about how rhythmic music helps in storms).  Yesterday morning I was reminded how we  can miss the approaching storms that our pets are  already reacting to.

I was driving west on Route 36 at about 8:30 am and saw a large black front coming across the sky.  Just in to the east of the front, the sky was blue and clear,  to the north and south there were all these different cloud formations all moving fairly fast.  No rain, no big temperature drop but the wind was picking up.  I pulled over at Main and Van Allen Streets, just 3 blocks north of where I was driving to take some pictures.   I began to realize how storm approaches can be confusing as I looked at the sky, snapping all 4 directions.

Looking south.  See - blue skies south now 

Looking north - the front is over head and extending many blocks north

Looking west - mixture of building clouds moving fast high

Looking east - Not too bad. Mild cloud cover

If I were in my own yard looking just over my head, the sky was not that stormy.  The front was moving from west to north with pockets of clear sky.  There was not any rain yet, and the wind was not up at ground level.  When I was at a spot where there were few trees, I could see up high how fast the clouds were moving.  All of this weather activity up high is sensed down low by our pets.  This is telling them a storm is coming, which gets them to start the early signs of storm tension - pacing, clinging to you, hiding in the closet, avoiding going outside, or avoiding people or other pets. We tend to miss these early warnings, especially when we only look over our own head.  If your pet is acting like a storm is coming, believe them. 

This whole front moved over town in about 30 minutes without any rain, or wind.  I am not sure what weather Villa Grove may have had ( about 9 miles north east of Tuscola) - maybe a downpour or maybe not.  It really does not matter to the storm tense dog - a storm is coming and they need help to stay calm.  Put on a DAP bandanna or collar, put the rock and roll or other heavy rhythm music, and if they need meds, give them a small dose. 

As it turns out, we did get a pretty good thunderstorm in the wee hours of the am.  Butter was in his safe place and I put his gypsy music on which lulled us all back to sleep.

My house is not a litterbox!

Ranger loves a clean box!

No one wants their home to be a litter box.  I don't have a house kitty due to my husband's severe allergies to cats,so I am not experiencing any litter box problems.  I do have to help clients with this problem often.  A lot of people spent a beautiful Sunday afternoon yesterday listening to my  detailed presentation  at Prairie Land Feeds about how to keep your cat happy with the litter box.  This is a really aggravating problem and one that will land a kitty in the shelter or worse if it does not improve.  I won't bore you will all the details of yesterday's talk.  I will hit upon the big  factors that have cats unhappy about the box, resulting in potty problems and I will suggest what will help them get back in the box.

First of all, we vets want to know about these problems early!  At least 50% of the time there is a medical problem that your cat has but is not showing signs of  illness thus causing litter box unhappiness.  Now, if your cat hates to go to the vet, ask if  a house call can be done.  I do house calls, but I do not promote it heavily since I have the base clinic.  I limit the days and number of house calls,  but I do offer them.   I can't know what cats are difficult to come in, so please tell my staff!  There are ways to help your kitty ride better, but I will save that for another blog.

The short list of possible problems ( not complete but most common) are bladder infection, anal gland problems, arthritis in cats over 10, kidney insufficiency, diabetes, and irritable bowel disorder.

happy Mercy

Luckily for us, Mercy has been good at using the box.  She has arthritis in her right hip from her hit by car injury which is what brought her to us.  She is on Dasoquin and J/D food by Hills to help her pain be less, and the box is pretty easy for her to get to.   I will have the staff get a lower box though.  It has a high side and before she tells us how hard it is to get in, it would be wise to help her out.  It is hard to find low boxes so be creative.  You can cut the front lower with a knife, or buy an under the bed storage box. 

If a very complete exam, possible xrays and stool/urine and blood checks are fine, then be sure you are keeping the box how your cat would like it.  Notice I said cat, not you.  Cats want to have their own box, with no waste in it ( this is why they immediately jump in a freshly cleaned box), with enough room to scratch around, turn and position themselves easily and located where it is easy and nice to find.  To put it simply, be sure to scoop all ( I mean all!!!) the urine clumps and stool clumps out of the box twice daily.  Do you want to use a toilet that has not been flushed?  Most of us just turn around and leave it is so bad.  Your cat feels pretty much the same way. So, keep it clean, clean, clean!

since this box is in the kitchen, it is
easy to get to, and cleaned often.

Try a second litter box in a different location.  Put one on the main floor your cat likes to be on and have it be open if you have a covered one.  Try a different litter in the new box.  Most cats like the cheap generic or activated charcoal litters.  Usually just an inch or 2 of litter is best for the cat, and makes it easier for you to dump it all out for a good box cleaning weekly.

These litter box problems can be frustrating but often they can get better working together with your veterinary staff that understands all the litter box issues.  Go to www.okawvetclinic.com for more articles and information.

Dr. Sally J. Foote and Ranger ( Mercy was sleeping on the couch)

Thunderstorm nightmares no more

The other night, I awoke to a pant, pant, pant right in my face from Butterscotch our beloved  lab mix. As usual, he was anxious from the lightening and thunder that was booming outside.  I realized that his DAP collar was  due for renewal but at 2 am I was not going to go running off to the clinic to get a new one.  So, rather than going out  in my pj's, I decided to use some of the calming techniques that work for Butter.  These techniques can help your dog too and are worth trying.

Butter wears his DAP collar all the time so he is receiving the benefit of the pheromone before storms.

The collar should fit tight like a belt; not
loose like a necklace

The collars are very helpful to reduce anxiety in dogs.  DAP stands for Doggie Appeasing Pheromone. This product is the copy cat chemical to the pheromone that the mother dog makes to calm the puppies so they will nurse better.  Adult dogs still have active receptors in their brain for the DAP, so the collars work to help them be more calm.  The collars last a month, so mark on your calendar when you need to renew them.  It can be easy to forget when there is a long stretch without storms as we had. 

Butter's safe area is next to the
bed listening, with the curtains drawn, listening
to music.

Music with a heavy base beat such as hard rock, rap, disco or world music supplies a rhytm that actually calms dogs.  Butterscotch really likes North African/Egyptian belly dance music.  I did not have my cd player ready, but I was able to find a rock station on our bedroom radio that night. He settled down and finally slept within a few minutes of turning on the 80's rock station.  I fell asleep too, thank goodness.  After breakfast, I set up the cd  radio player in the bedroom with the remote on my night stand.  I loaded up 5 cd's of various north african, egyptian, mambo and reggea fusion music, and put the remote in a jar on my night stand.   Two nights later when the wind was howling and lightening flashing brightly,butter was right by my bedside.   That night I  just hit the remote to North African Groove by Putumayo and he settled to sleep within minutes. Much better.

Bella wants to get Butter to chase, but
he is not in the mood

Now you may be wondering how Bella our other dog is coping through this.  Bella fortunately could care less about thunder and lightening.  She is happy to play with her toys, sleeps like a log through it all in her crate and ignores Butterscotch's worry.  This is great.  Occasionally a housemate dog may feed off the fearful dog.  That can be difficult because now you may have two fearful dogs, or one that is nipping or agitating the fearful dog trying to get the afraid dog to play.  This can lead into housemate fighting.  Luckily we do not have that problem.  If your dogs seem to be crabbier with each other in storm season, anxiety over storms may be the cause.

There are antianxiety medications that can be used even on an older dog such as Butter if he gets more agitated and needs that help.  The medications do not sedate, rather calm the mind to learn to self calm.
Other products such as Thundershirts, natural supplements, and distractors such as food puzzles can also help.  There is a great article about fear of thunderstorms on our website http://www.okawvetclinic.com/
I will also be giving a presentation about fear of thunderstorms and helping your pet at Prairie Land Feeds this Sunday April 17 at 2 pm.

Now Butter has a new collar on, and hopefully we will not have an storms for a few days. When we do, I have more help in place for him and for me! 
How does your pet handle thunderstorms?  Are there techniques that you have found helpful? I would love to know.

Butterscotch - much happier post storm!

 Thanks Dr. Sally J Foote

March Mud Madness

March mud madness

Finally the snow has melted and the days are getting warmer.  The birds, squirrels, and of course bunnies are back in full force.  So is mud.  Ugh!  Until the grass really gets growing to fill in all those gaps in your yard and garden we will have to cope with mud.  It is possible to maintain your sanity while allowing your dog to enjoy the early smells and sights of spring.  It’s all about understanding what your dog needs now, and planning for it.

Bella loves to sniff out things in the yard

Now that the snow is gone, all the smells in the ground are much more intense and enticing.  Your dog likely has its nose to the ground, is digging up dirt, and worse yet eating what is “leftover” from winter.

Here are some suggestions for coping with muddy paws, faces and bodies.

Here is a handy place for clean up

1.       Have a towel, baby wipes, treats, and a place to hook the leash onto (door knob is ok) set up for clean up.  Have this right by the one door you go in and out of.  After you come in, hook the leash on the door and get a few treats out and break them up in your hand.  As you rub your pet down, give them a few tidbits. Or you can drop a piece or 2 on the floor to keep them still and rewarded for standing still for clean up.  It is really important that you give this reward as they are being rubbed and not fighting you.  If they fight, hold the treat away until they settle down, and focus on the treat.  Give the treat as you touch the body. 

2.       Trim the hair around the face, paws and legs short for easier cleaning.

3.       Minimize the mud pick up by walking your dog.  You can avoid a lot of puddles and mud this way and your dog will have more interesting smells than just from the yard alone.

The Clarkson's solution for Clyde
and Cujo

4.       Put pavers around the perimeter of your fence line.  This is the area most dogs always tread down.  The pavers will decrease the mud, decrease weeding for you and keep their nails short.

You can rinse your pet down with warm water for the big messes.  Use an oatmeal shampoo if you need a big cleanup.  Weekly baths are fine for most dogs but check with your veterinarian if your pet has sensitive skin.

Daffodils are coming!

Soon we will be past this, and until then have a happy spring!

For more pet care and behavior tips visit my blog at www. Okawvetclinic.com .  Sign up for announcements and newsletter to stay posted on upcoming talks in the community.

Dr. Sally J. Foote Okaw Veterinary Clinic Tuscola   Find us on face book!

Stinky breath troubles

My! What nice teeth you have!

February is pet dental health month.  Many veterinarians are taking  time to help you recognize how stinky breath can affect the health of your dog or cat.  It may seem odd, but bad teeth can lead to behavior changes as well.   How does that happen?  There are  different ways that the pain and infection from bad teeth - periodontal disease - changes how your pet behaves.

Can you tell Butterscotch is a little sore today?

First of all remember that the primary way we  know what our pets are feeling or thinking is the way they are act.  That is their behavior.  When we think of teeth problems and our pets, we usually think of eating problems.  If our dog or cat had a sore tooth or painful gums we would first think they would not eat well. Maybe they would whine in pain. Remember dogs and cats only whine when the pain is very severe.  Keeping quiet even when in pain is what prevented them from being a predator's lunch when they were wild animals.  When an animal refuses to eat, the teeth are usually extremely painful so it is late in dental disease not early. In early dental disease, there are  other physical or behavioral changes that can clue us in that something is stinky in the mouth.

Pets like us, will often chew their food on the non painful side when they have a  bad tooth.  So you may not see an obvious problem with eating.  Also, some dogs eat so fast and love their food so much they really don't chew it.  They quickly swallow the pellets  and drink  a bunch of water to digest the food.  Cats tend to graze all day on their dry food so it may be difficult to tell if they are eating less. Very true if you have more than one cat.  Wet food is easier to eat, so eating is not a good indicator for early dental problems in cats. 

Many dogs and cats will have a different odor about their breath as tartar is getting worse and the gums are becoming inflamed.  The odor may be really bad, or just different and it will not be as strong day to day.  This may be a bit confusing to you.  Sometimes you smell something stinky but you can't find what  it is.  You look in the ears, you give your pet a bath but still ugh!  In this case think of the teeth and take your pet to your veterinarian to have an exam.  If your veterinarian has recommended a dentistry in the past, call and make that appointment.

Butter loves chin rubs.
If he didn't - that's a clue

Dogs and cats may react differently than usual to petting around the ears, eyes, or cheeks when there is early mouth pain.  The sinuses which lie under the cheeks, between the eyes and the nose, as well as above the eyes ( just between the ears) can be painful.  You may or may not see sneezing but the bone is inflamed.  This chronic low level pain will not make them whine or cry, but it will make them want to avoid petting.  So if your pet typically loves to have the back of their ears rubbed ( where the TMJ is) but now lets out a little whine or cry, there may be teeth problems especially if the ears look fine.  If your cat is not rubbing it's face marking the sofa or corners like a cat should, there may be pain around the cheeks due to teeth problems.  Cats should facially rub around walls and furniture every few days to keep their facial scent alive in the home.  When this facial marking  does not happen, it may also lead to fighting problems with other housemate cats.

Your dog may not be chewing on rawhide, nylabone or catching a ball.  Does your dog like to chew on things?  It may hurt to chew now.  Often when I find a broken molar, the owner will comment " He stopped chewing on his rawhide a while ago but I just thought he did not like the flavor.  He still plays with his softer toys." Don't feel bad that you may have missed a problem.  It can be difficult to see that broken tooth.  They can only tell you with their behavior.

tartar on the back molars you can't
see that causes pain

 If  grouchiness in your pet  is getting worse, it could be irritability aggression.   Take your pet to the vet! Your pet is not being bad, but is in chronic pain.  This  is an example of irritability aggression.  Chronic pain stimulates aggression directly from the body chemical changes that chronic pain causes. There are changes to the cortisol levels in the body that correlate with the increased aggression. I know first hand how chronic pain and aggression can go hand in hand.

  There was a beloved little dog that I could never examine unless he was held fast and tight.  Even then, if I touched him at, all he would explode shaking, snarling and desperately wanting to bite at anyone who handled him.  He would not even let a groomer cut his hair. One day we agreed to sedate  him deeply for a much needed hair cut and clean his teeth.  The poor little guy - he had multiple deeply infected teeth that  had to be removed because they were infecting his whole mouth. We did not know, because he would never let anyone near his face.  After extracting multiple teeth and a pain reliever, I saw him on a recheck a few days later.  He was wagging his tail and let me pet him!!!!!  I was shocked to say the least.  Removing his painful teeth helped him to be dramatically less aggressive. I was able to do a  full physical after that, and he wagged his tail when he came in for his exams.  I will never forget this case, and it reminds me daily to screen for pain problems when I hear about aggression.

Ranger and I say  hi!

Watch what your pet enjoys, and notice the little things.  When those little things start changing that may be an early clue there are  health problems.  Knowing your pet helps you to keep them healthy in body and mind.

Having fun in the snow

Winter is still dragging on here in central Illinois.  It has been one of the snowiest winters for us in a while.  I know there are areas out east getting a whole lot more white stuff than us, but many dogs are getting tired of limited play time outside.  Bella, our family dog is one of those restless canines.  She will play inside but the call of the great outdoors has her pining for fetch and running around.

How can I get into the scarves now???

At our home, we do not have a fenced in back yard. So, for safe play  we use a stake out base with a cable for Bella to play on.  Now, the typical 20 foot length of cable is not really enough for Bella to get a good head of steam running about in the yard. We have devised a long horse lunge line connected to the stake out to give her more length.   The yard has about 80 feet or so of open space for her to play fetch with a willing human.  Bella really needs her running around, sniffing where all the bunnies and squirrels have been.  Sniffing every bush and tree is what keeps Bella happy.  My whole family knows this about her.  Having a safe outlet for this is what keeps her behaving best.  So for summer play in between long walks, we will take the Frisbee or tennis balls out and play with her. Thirty minutes of constant running around really poops her out and that gives us all a better evening.  

A few days into the first snow, I realized she was acting so naughty because she was not getting all the aerobic play she would usually get.  Walks were challenging due to the  ice and snow. What to do?  It dawned on me that she could still play on the line and that would be a great way for her to get short bursts of play especially when it is bitter cold. As her feet became cold, we could go inside quickly for a warm up and then go out again 15 minutes later.  She would overall get the running and sniffing in and be a happier dog.  So, Bella has been going on the line with me or my daughter for a rousing game of fetch at least a few times a week.

So if your dog is going stir crazy, and you do not have a fenced in yard, here is a way to help your pet get a lot of active play outside.  

Tie the end over the back not the chest

I purchased a horse lunge line to attach to Bella's harness. You can get these at Rural King, or check online for a horse supply source.   The harness will prevent Bella from hurting her neck if she suddenly ( as she does!) runs out after a squirrel and gets to the end of the line.  Most lunge lines are about 30 feet and made of a wide canvas webbing with a latch end.  If you have a Houdini that can twist the latch to spring free, use the latch end at the stake out part and tie the handle end to the harness with 2 or 3 throws to keep things secure.  You can connect 2 lunge lines together to get more length.  Tie this to a strong post on a porch or somewhere if you do not have a secure stake out in the ground. 

Now get 3 or 4 tennis balls, Frisbee or what ever your pet really likes to chase.  Throw the ball in one direction.  As soon as your dog gets the one ball call their name and throw the next ball in the opposite direction.  As they get that ball, throw the third ball in a third direction.   Keep this up.  Now your dog is going to be literally running all over the yard non stop.  Most dogs will carry the ball and drop it somewhere near you as they are on  the way to the next one.  Keep your dog running around until they slow down  or are spending a lot of time sniffing around.  This means they are getting tired .  That is a good thing!!!!  All that aerobic activity does help increase the calming chemicals in the brain.  Even though the ground is frozen, dogs can still smell all the scents in the yard which is also very stimulating for their heads.  Actually when everything is frozen it smells a bit different so your dog may be very intrigued.  Just bundle yourself up well and if you get too cold, then bring your pooch inside for a break. 

If you know your dog really needs a lot of active play, try this fun in the snow technique for a better behaved pet.  Winter won't be over for a while!

Bella chewing peacefully after her outside play

cabin fever crazy!

Winter is here and my dog and cat are going nuts!  



It's even too cold for the birds!



  When the weather gets horribly cold, it is really difficult to give our pets as much exercise and  play outside. Both dogs and cats will  act up due to boredom.  Feet freeze, making it painful to walk  or run much.  It is harder to find the ball in the snow or chase mice and birds that are hunkering down in the shrubbery.   Sometimes dogs may have accidents in the house because it is too hard on their feet to get “in position” to potty .  Their toilet area may  be covered with snow or just frozen, making it hard to smell the area.    Accidents are forgivable; they are also very aggravating.   Other ways that pets may act up in the winter is being more mischievous in the home. Cats may be knocking more items off your dresser or getting on the counters.  Dogs may be pulling things off shelves to get your attention .  You may hear more barking at squirrels out the window, or your cats may be swatting at each other more.



Bella likes her Buster cube food puzzle

What to do?  First of all, try to understand why your pets are behaving badly.  The house is no where nearly as fun as the great outdoors.  There are not as many places to sniff out, dig out or climb on top of.  So, to help cure cabin fever, make the indoors more interesting.  First be sure to keep the routines regular such as feeding and going outside. When you do feed make feeding time more interesting by using food puzzles rather than just feeding out of a bowl.  Both dogs and cats get a lot of mental stimulation figuring out how the heck to get the food out of the toy.  Meals in the puzzle, not just treats. You can see some videos starring Bella and Ranger using  food puzzles on my website Okawvetclinic.com

 To avoid accidents in the house,  take your dog out for short but  frequent breaks and praise praise praise when they get it right!     You may give them the first chance to eliminate, come in for 5 minutes (keeping them confined) then go on out again to finish up.  Outside cats may still demand to toilet outside.  If you let them out, give them some super yummy canned food just inside the house door to reward them for coming home. 

Offering a potty pad in the home may be another way to help out the toy breeds.  Reward the dog when they use the pad. Shoveling off some snow or making a path can also help the small dog go outside.   For the housebound cat, reward them after using the box and keep the box absolutely clean.  As soon as it is used, scoop it. 

Tom and Yodler enjoy Meadowbrook

Increasing exercise cuts down on boredom and can help pets get along.   Walking, even limited, is still good in the cold.  3 -5 minute walks are as good as one 15 minute walk, and more tolerable when it is below 10 degrees Fahrenheit.   Head halters and front attaching harnesses can make walking easier and safer for the humans as well.  Booties and coats do help and are not going to affect how your dog is used to the weather.   

Lastly, find ways to play and get exercise in the house.   Games of chase up and down the stairs, review obedience commands or teach them a new trick. This will decrease naughty behaviors that come from boredom.

Ranger with a modified window sill bed

  For cats use laser pointers they can chase, stuffed toys they can pounce on or boxes they can investigate. Cats really need to have their toys rotated every day to keep it interesting.  You don’t need many; just keep most up taking one or 2 down a day.   Be sure you have enough places for the cats to lay and perch on.  A step ladder set up with towels on the tread can increase the space to the cats.  Placing this near a window can relieve much boredom.

Make the home mischief proof at this time.  Remember that both cats and dogs can smell much better than us.  So even though you put the chocolate brownies way back on the counter, your dog or cat will be very interested in getting to them.  Be sure your garbage has a closing lid as well. 

So I hope everyone is warm, happy and not going too crazy this January.  Let me know what helps your pets avoid cabin fever crazy!  You can see videos featuring Bella and Ranger  at my website okawvetclinic.com or our face book page.  Thanks!

Dr. Sally J. Foote DVM

Dr. Sally J. Foote