Love your dog?    Valentine’s Day is over, but if you keep your dog’s heart healthy,  you’ll celebrate many more holidays together.

Listen to your dog’s heart   The best place to hear a dog’s heart is on the left side where the elbow meets the chest.   A normal heart rate (figured in beats per minute) for a large dog is 70 to 100 bpm; medium dog hearts beat between 80-110; small dogs and puppies vary from 100-120.  It’s helpful to know what’s normal for your dog when he’s relaxed.

Find  your dog’s recovery time   Measure the heart rate before, during, and after runs.  It shouldn’t take longer than a minute or two to return to resting heart rate after a run.

Test your dog for heartworm   Mosquitoes transmit this blood parasite  from infected dogs to uninfected ones.  Although most common along the Eastern seaboard and the Delta regions, heartworm disease has been diagnosed in every state in the country.  A simple blood test can assure you that your dog doesn’t carry these worms.  Need to know more?  Check out www.heartwormsociety.org

Take a bite out of heart disease  Bad teeth harbor bacteria that can seep into the bloodstream and can set up colonies that cause disease in places like the heart valves and other important organs.  February is National Pet Dental Health month and many veterinary clinics offer discounted services on dental care now.  

Treat your dog right   Too many treats and not enough exercise can make  pets pudgy.  Good hearts have to work harder to circulate blood around all that extra weight.   Choose low calorie treats and reward your dog with your attention.  His heart will be happier.

Schedule annual check ups for your dog  I’m a vet.  Of course I’m going to tell you to do this!  If there’s a problem- the sooner we find out about it, the easier it can be to treat.

If your dog is a breed known for having heart problems- Boxers, Great Danes, King Charles Cavaliers, Dobermans, and Newfies, to name a few- make sure your veterinarian spends extra time listening to your dog’s heart.  It may be helpful to invest in getting baseline blood tests and ECG’s for  high risk breeds.

Get regular exercise!  It’s good for everybody and you’ll be ready to run with DogRunDog when a race comes to your area…

Wholeheartedly,

Liz Devitt, DVM

What do you do with your dog in the middle of winter?

I have to admit that I fled the Northeast  and now appreciate year round outdoor activity in California.  I miss my family, but not the ten jillion layers of clothes required to play outside.

But I have lots of empathy when I see the national weather reports and I know our furry friends in cold places need to get outside and move- if only it wasn’t freezing.

What can a warm body do in cold weather?

Indoor dog parks

Dog parks can be fun, until the play gets rough and someone gets hurt.  So supervise your dog closely.  Make sure your dog is current on all vaccines because the more dogs you pet meets, the greater the chance of sharing infectious agents.

Dog day care

Many of these facilities have room for your dog to run.  Some even boast heated swimming pools.  The same precautions that you take at dog parks apply here, too.

Physical therapy and rehab centers

If you live near a metropolitan area, you might be able to schedule workout time for your healthy pup on one of their treadmills.

You could use your own treadmill, but many of these won’t accomodate the stride of bigger dogs. 

House Sprints

If your home has a good set of stairs or a long hall, then the game of chase-the-ball is on!  Make sure you have non-skid surfaces at the end of the hall, otherwise your dog could end up doing the splits and injure his inner thigh muscles.

Mind games

If you can’t arrange for physical activity, then give your pup something different to think about.  Teach him new tricks.  Get interactive dog toys.  Set up “hunting” games with his food.   Keep your dog’s brain busy and he’ll be less restless when he’s stuck indoors.

Don’t let the winter weather put the deep freeze your dog’s activity.   Keep your dog’s  body and brain active and it you’ll both feel better when Spring  arrives.

Empathetically,

Liz Devitt, DVM

Dogs don’t follow Zumba routines and they can’t use free weights, but our pooches may  be just as valuable as expensive exercise machines in helping us humans lose weight.

A recently completed study,  called People and Pets Exercising Together,  has shown that exercising with your dog has several positive benefits at both ends of the leash. 

People trying to lose weight need a positive support system and- as anyone who’s ever run with a dog knows-  exercising with your pet  brings unique encouragement and fun not seen in other workout programs.

Owners  who want to lose weight can count on consistent prompting from their canine buddy to get outside and get moving.  The need for the dog to go outside is a positive influence, encouraging activity.   Most owners see their daily walks with the pet as enjoyable and less like exercise.

A separate Canadian study showed that dog owners actually averaged 300 minutes per week walking compared to 168 minutes for people without dogs.

Beyond prompting us to exercise, pets also affect our desire to succeed because of parental pride.  Most owners consider their pets to be members of the family and when the pet loses weight as well, it is a double accomplishment.

Before you rush out to buy a track suit for your four-legged buddy, there are a few considerations to make sure everyone stays healthy and safe.

First, like you, your pet may not be ready for the Mini-Marathon.  Increase the amount of time spent walking gradually.   Some overweight dogs might begin with simply walking to the end of the block and then gradually work up to longer distances.

It’s also important to realize that your pet will be very excited and not know to take it easy.   Every spring, veterinarians see dogs with torn knee ligaments, painful hips, and other over- exertion injuries.   Learn your pet’s limits and help him build strength and stamina. Even if your pet is not overweight, strenuous exercise can debilitate any pet not used to the routine

Not all pets are equally suited to the same workout routine.   (I will never be a mountain biker…)  Although all dogs will benefit from daily walks, many breeds won’t make good running partners.    Be sure to tailor your exercise plan to your dog’s physical and athletic abilities.

Get your pup a good physical exam before starting any weight loss or exercise program. Your veterinarian can help you find the right rate of weight loss for your pet and will have additional ideas on exercise routines and proper diets.

If you ever need a reason to run with your dog, now you have one:  it’s good for you!

Happy running through the holidays!

Liz Devitt, DVM

Our pets are getting more presents under the tree this year, according to a new AP-Petside.com poll!  (Petside.com). 

Consumer  spending for  family or friends  is still cautious  but 52 percent of pet owners plan to purchase a gift for their pet.  That’s good news for Fido.

Need gift ideas for your active dog?

How about a reflective  collar for the short days (but still-long walks!) of winter?  Try a Nightlife leash and collar from Ollydog.com or a glow lite collar from FiveStarFido.com.

Stuff your dog’s stocking with PowerBones from Zukes.com.  These tasty, easy-to-digest treats are perfect during long walks and after fast runs.

If you won’t share your bed with the dog (or there’s just not enough room for everyone to stretch out…) get your pup a warm bed for the cold winter nights.  Lots of pet catalogs stock these products.  Look for a bed that doesn’t need an electrical cord (chewable/flammable) like Thermo-beds from Fetch.com.

Got snow and ice?  Consider footwear for Fido that keeps the snow from wadding up between his toes and road salt from sticking to his fur.  Check out Therapaws.com or Ruffwear.com for paw protection options.

Maybe your pup wants a pedicure, but doesn’t know how to ask for it? Keeping your dog’s nails short will prevent painful nail tears and help your dog have a healthy gait.  Call your local groomer or veterinary clinic for a nail trim appointment.

Always on the go?  Get a Squishy Dog Bowl from guyotdesigns.com.  Just roll the bowl into a wad, stuff it in your pocket, and pull it out when you need it.  The bowls come in cool colors, too!

Give your dog a lifelong gift: sign up  for a pet first aid and CPR class at your local American Red Cross.   41 percent of pet owners surveyed by Petside.com reported that they have experienced at least one pet safety emergency that required an emergency trip to a vet.  You never know when an accident will happen.  Be prepared. 

I hope you enjoy your holiday shopping! 

Liz Devitt, DVM