Talk about dog

Feb 1, 2015

10 Signs Your Dog’s Treat Problem Is Out Of Control

The signs have always been there. The nonstop begging, the immediate change in personality at the mere crinkle of a treat bag, the hoarding. You’ve ignored them, not because you’re a bad person, but, perhaps, because admitting your dog has a serious problem would effectively out you as the enabler. And no one wants to be an enabler.

via Bellatrix, I’m a Pug!

Maybe you’ve heard the whispers from concerned friends and family. “I remember when that dog was happy with just belly rubs. Now, it’s all about treats.” “I can’t even eat a sandwich in peace around that dog anymore.”

Whatever brings you here, know that you’re not alone. And we applaud you for taking the first step towards recovery. Here are 10 signs your dog is spiraling into treat addiction.

1. Your dog always finds the treats. No matter where you put them.

via Love and a Leash

There’s nothing your desperate doge will do for that sweet, sweet bully stick, including climbing onto kitchen counters and going through your cabinets. And forget about ever leaving any kind of edible unattended…it will be gone before you know it.

2. Your dog thinks anything floating in the air is a treat waiting to be caught.

Lint floating in the air? A fly with a death wish? Bubbles? Fair game. It’s like that human infant stage when they’re exploring the world by putting things into their mouths. Your dog will put anything into its mouth hoping it’s a treat.

3. Your dog jumps at the mention of any word rhyming with “treat.”

Dog forbid anyone mutters anything even remotely resembling their favorite word, because your dog has super acute hearing. Oh, and forget about just spelling the word out. He knows what T-R-E-A-T stands for.

4. Your dog starts falling in with the wrong crowd.

via Dogshaming

He was always a good dog. Maybe a little slow. But lately he’s been getting into delinquent behavior. And it mostly happens when he’s hanging out with his crew.

5. Your dog can’t sit still when he’s about to get a treat.

You’d think he won the treat lottery whenever you stick your hand in the treat jar. All of a sudden you’re their favorite person and nothing could distract your dog from what’s in your hand.

6. They will do ANYTHING to win a treat.

Your dog could win trophies in a talent show when there’s a treat in his future. He’ll show off his entire repertoire of tricks without anyone asking, because something’s gotta work, right?

7. Your dog hoards treats.

via gifrific

This is how you safeguard against a treat drought.

8. Manipulation

via Dogshaming

This is how you know your dog’s hit rock bottom.

9. Your dog doesn’t care if they’re dog treats or not.

via Dogshaming

Human treats, cat treats, who cares? TREATS ARE TREATS.

10. The sound of a plastic bag being opened turns your dog into an acrobat.

This is especially telling when you have a dog who’s a lazy little couch burrito who looks at you like you’re crazy when you mention walking. Seeing them go from 0 to 100 just because someone opens a chip bag is a sure sign your dog is falling off the deep end.

7 Greeting Cards Dogs Would Give Us If They Could

when-you-pet-another-dog-i-die-a-little-inside-1a4de

If you’ve ever wondered what your dogs are thinking, Francesco Marciuliano has the insider info on dogs thoughts all penned in this seriously brilliant book of poetry, “I Could Chew on This: And Other Poems By Dogs.”

Image via Barnes and Noble

Marciuliano does a pawesome job of perfectly capturing the emotions that dogs would love to convey to us, but have only their eyes, waggety tails, and their barking to do so.

So here are the greeting cards featuring excerpts from Marciuliano’s book:

1. “When you trick me in to the car.” #SoBetrayed

Image via Dan Hunter

2. “When I try my very best to get my hooman laid.”

Image via Frankie Goes To Work

3. “When I’m truly amazed by that pawson who does my every bidding.”

Image via Weird Wiener

4. “When you leave me alone and I feel oh so lost.”

Image via Dingo a Day

5. “When we go out for us time and I realize how much you must love me.”

Image via Brownie Doge

6. “When my hooman doesn’t let me run around in mah birthday suit.” #Whyyyyyyyyyyyy

Image via Donut Meister

7. “When I want to play because ALL THE TIME IS MY TIME

Image via Melanie Travis

Marmalade and the Toilet Paper Attack

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Two cats who can create mischief just about anywhere... Cole is the instigator, then Marmalade finds an inordinate amount of fun and fantasy unrolling toilet paper.

This Parasite Is Notoriously Hard to Diagnose and Treat... Far Simpler to Prevent

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By Dr. Becker

Babesiosis is a disease caused by the intracellular parasite Babesia. The infection is relatively common in dogs, but not in domestic cats in the U.S.

Dogs are most often exposed to the parasite through the bite of an infected tick, but transmission can also occur via blood transfer from a dog bite, a blood transfusion, or across the placenta from an infected mother dog to her puppies.

When babesiosis is a tick-borne infection, it's not unusual for an affected dog to have additional tick-borne infections including ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and others. These infections can interact, making each one more severe. Dogs who spend a lot of time outdoors, especially in wooded areas, are at increased risk for tick bites and tick-borne infections like babesiosis, especially during the summer months when tick populations are highest.

Young dogs tend to suffer more serious symptoms, and Greyhounds, Pit Bull Terriers, and American Staffordshire Terriers appear to be more susceptible than other breeds.

Most canine cases of babesiosis occur in the southern part of the United States, with pockets of disease also reported in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.

Symptoms of a Babesia Infection

The incubation period between exposure to the parasite and symptoms is about two weeks. A Babesia infection can have very mild or no symptoms, or it can be very severe. Babesia parasites replicate in red blood cells. As the red blood cells are destroyed, hemoglobin is released into the dog's body, which can lead to jaundice as well as anemia, including immune-mediated hemolytic anemia.

In addition to destruction of red blood cells and anemia, the severe inflammation that can occur with babesiosis can be overwhelming and completely separate from the anemia. Blood clotting can be impaired and a variety of neurologic symptoms can also occur when the parasite invades the central nervous system. In severe cases, there can be lung damage and liver disease as well.

Severity of symptoms depends on the species of parasite involved and on the ability of the dog's immune system to defend against it. Babesia strains reported in the U.S. appear to cause milder forms of the disease than other strains found elsewhere in the world.

Symptoms may come and go as the disease runs its course and can include lack of energy, lack of appetite, weakness, fever, pale gums and tongue, orange or red-colored urine, discolored stool, weight loss, enlarged lymph nodes, an enlarged spleen, and jaundice, which is yellowing of the eyes and skin. A severe infection can affect multiple organ systems including the lungs, GI tract, kidneys, and nervous system.

Diagnosing Canine Babesiosis

Diagnosis of canine babesiosis can be quite challenging. Your veterinarian will take a complete history to identify any possible incidents that might have exposed your dog to a parasitic infection. And in addition to a physical examination, he or she will also do a blood chemical profile, a complete blood count (CBC), and a urinalysis.

Your vet might also use a Wright's stain for microscopic examination of a blood sample. Immunofluorescence antibody (IFA) testing may also be performed, but it is often difficult to differentiate between species and subspecies of the Babesia parasite with an IFA test. In addition, some infected dogs, especially young dogs, may have no detectable antibodies.

PCR (polymerase chain reaction) testing for the presence of Babesia DNA in a biological sample can differentiate between subspecies and species and is more sensitive than other testing methods. While only certain laboratories run the PCR test, it's really the best method for confirming a Babesia infection.

Treatment Options and Prevention Tips

A severely ill dog, especially one that requires fluid therapy or blood transfusions, should be hospitalized. Unfortunately, the drugs used to treat babesiosis are not always effective and can have serious side effects. In asymptomatic dogs, drug treatment is not worth the risk.

In addition, drug therapy often relieves symptoms of the infection but doesn't actually clear the parasite from the dog's system. The dog can remain infected and the infection can flare up during periods of stress or immunologic imbalance.

I put chronically ill or infected dogs on several nutraceuticals and herbs, including beta-glucans, medicinal mushrooms (shiitake, maitake, and reishi), curcumin, olive leaf, and cat's claw. If possible, I also recommend hyperbaric oxygen chamber therapy.

If your dog spends time in areas that are known tick habitats, prevention is obviously the best course of action. Check your pet daily for the presence of ticks and safely remove them. A tick must feed for two to three days to infect a dog with Babesia, so the longer it stays attached to your dog, the higher the risk for parasite transmission.

If your dog isn't acting normally and has had exposure to ticks, ask your veterinarian about the potential for infection with a tick-borne disease. In my opinion, tick-borne infections are responsible for a lot more illness than many vets realize, and could be the reason your pet isn't feeling well.