Breed of the Month –

Golden Retriever

Picture from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Retriever

                It is not a surprise that Golden Retrievers are one of the most popular dogs out there. They are beautiful, loving, loyal and playful pups. They do require an owner who is willing to take the time and effort with a dog and they do come with health concerns. Their start rating with explanations are below:

Adaptability **

                Golden Retrievers are not adaptable to all circumstances. They are not great apartment dogs due to their energy requirements and also do not prefer to be alone. Goldens are family dogs and prefer to be with others. They are great at adapting to cold or warm weather though, so every if you live in Michigan or Florida you could get a Golden.

Friendliness *****

Golden Retrievers are generally friendly to all other things that move and breathe. They will be your kids, other pets and families best friend. However you want to be careful with strangers as they will likely lick their faces off as well. If you are wanting more of a guard dog, I do not recommend the Golden.

Amount of shedding *****

                Be prepared for daily vacuuming and brushing on these pups.

Grooming needs ****

                Without the proper grooming, Golden Retriever’s hair coats can get out of control. Make sure they are brushed regularly and mats are dealt with quickly. Hot spots are a common problem with this breed.

General Health **

                Golden Retrievers come with several health concerns. One of the most common genetic predisposition in this breed is cancer. There have been studies showing that more than 50% of Goldens will pass from cancer. Other common problems are allergies, hip and/or elbow dysplasia, eye problems, and cardiac (heart) disease.

Trainability ****

                This breed is very smart and eager to please their owner. They are also very food motivated which makes the training process much easier.

Barking potential ***

                Again a reason why apartment living is not the best option for these pups.

Exercise needs ****

                These dogs need daily exercise. This will help decrease destructiveness and separation anxiety when left alone. Daily exercising also helps decrease obesity problems in these dogs due to their love of food.

If you are thinking about adopting a Golden into your family, please let me know your questions. I am always more than willing to help J

Dr. Alicia's Monthly Newsletter

January 2018

By: Dr. Alicia Marquart

Happy New Year!!  My monthly newsletters are available for tidbits of information regarding pet healthcare. My intention is to educate clients and enhance their relationship with me. I am hopeful this will aid you in keeping your furry family member healthy!  Please feel free to share these with your family and friends.

What to expect from our monthly newsletters:

1. Fact or Fiction? We will provide a “True” or “False” statement for your consideration. The answer will be in the next month’s newsletter.

2. New information regarding any recalls or other matters pertaining to your pet’s health.

3. Updates on new recommendations

4. Seasonal recommendations for your pet.

5. Behavior training recommendations for your pet.

6. Question of the month. One client’s burning questions will be answered by a veterinarian.

7. Pet of the month

FACT or FICTION:  

• The Distemper Vaccine helps my pet's temperament. 

·         False

• Although the Distemper name sounds like a change in temperament, that is not the intent of this vaccine. Distemper is a combination vaccine that covers the Distemper virus, several respiratory viruses (depending on the form of vaccine) Parvovirus and in some cases Leptospirosis. Distemper is a virus that causes respiratory disease along with some neurologic disease, which is why this legend may have come to be.

Picture from: https://www.zoetisus.com/products/dogs/vanguard-plus-5-l4.aspx

• January: Cat’s should drink milk to get more nutrition  

Tune in next month to find out the answer for January. Let us know what you think in the comments!

DID YOU KNOW?

Did you know that I recommend adding in your pet to your weight loss resolution?

• An optimal weight is just as important for your animal’s health as it is your own. An overweight animal increases their chances for diseases such as arthritis, diabetes, pancreatitis and also leads to early death. Make sure to bring your pet with you on your walks or play a little extra ball with them this winter. Healthier treat options to make this process easier for your pet are carrots, green beans, peas, cucumbers or blueberries.

Picture from; https://mononanimalhospital.wordpress.com/2011/02/28/exercising-kitty/

IMPORTANT MONTHLY INFORMATION

Products recalled in November-December

• None to report!

SEASONAL REMINDERS:

New Year’s doesn’t pose much of a threat to our four legged friends. Fireworks can cause anxiousness and always make sure your furry friend is restrained appropriately. Otherwise, continue to love them as always.

BEHAVIOR:  Scardy Dog

I have gotten several questions lately about how to make a scared dog happier about going outside and doing the normal dog things. Some dogs are frightened of big noises, trucks, bikes, kids, etc. The first step is finding out what scares your dog so you know to try and avoid those things in the beginning. If it is the loud noises, then keep your dog in your back yard or near your apartment building or drive somewhere quiet to let them explore.

Start getting them used to being outside on a leash. Take them out to that quiet area and give them love and affection and/or a favorite treat while they are there (try cream cheese, string cheese, turkey hot dogs, bacon, etc.). Only give this treat when they are out and about…never any other time so they start positively associating outdoors with the tastiness. Make sure you do this several times a day. Do not give them any attention if they are scared…let them settle down. This means no touching, no words saying “you’re going to be okay”, “you’re a good dog”, etc. Most animals associated this with positive reinforcement and think you are rewarding them for their behavior. Once they are settled, then give them that love and affection and treat if they will take it. Continue this until they are excited about the quiet area.

The next step is taking them out. Take them for a 1 minute walk around the block, around the house, etc. Use the same concept as above. If you notice a trigger coming your way, have the dog sit, give them a treat and walk the opposite direction. Hopefully that trigger will then start becoming associated with the snack as well. If they do freak out, let them settle down and once settled reward them then. Never reward or coddle a scared animal, that only makes the behavior harder to prevent in the future.

Continue to extend those walks and trips for a longer period of time using those same tricks. If this doesn’t seem to be helping, then the next step would be talking to a behaviorist, trying calming supplements, such as Adaptil, or even consider an anti-anxiety medication trial if a doctor finds that it may be helpful.

Picture from: https://www.askideas.com/31-very-funny-scared-images-and-photos/

QUESTION OF THE MONTH

What flea/tick medications do you recommend?

First off, I want to say that in this area I recommend yearly flea and tick prevention. This is because in Missouri, we never know when a warm day is around the corner. The most common time I see flea infestations is in November and December because people stop using the preventatives.

For the canine (dog) patient I recommend the oral medications. This way you don’t have to worry about when you can bathe your dog or if they got all the medication. It also doesn’t leave a residue on their skin/fur that can cause irritation. The two I recommend are Nexgard, which is a once a month chewable tablet or Bravecto, which is a chewable tablet given every 3 months. If you live in a highly tick populated region or hike regularly, then I recommend Nexgard since the tick prevention is a little better month to month.

Picture from: https://us.bravovets.com/fleas-ticks-
12-week-treatment.aspx

Picture from: http://www.nexgardfordogs.com
/Pages/about.aspx

 For the feline patient (cat) I recommend topical medications. I recommend Revolution for indoor cats, since their tick encounters are less likely and Bravecto with a heartworm preventative for outdoor cats. There are no current oral flea/tick medications for cats and I think very few feline patients would be up for an oral monthly preventative. 

Picture from: https://www.zoetis.co.za/health-
management/cats-fleas.aspx

Picture from: https://us.bravovets.com/
fleas-ticks-12-week-treatment.aspx

PET(S) OF THE MONTH

There were no submissions for pet of the month for January.  PLEASE send us a picture or two with a small description of why your pet is so special! We would love to show them off!

Please send us a picture and a small paragraph about your pet to get them featured in our next newsletter. Send the information to drmarquart@brentwoodanimalhospital.com Attention PET OF THE MONTH.