We like to put the spotlight on one of our gang occasionally, and today it’s time for Milo to take the stage. Milo came to us in pretty bad shape. All of our animals are special needs, but Milo was on the edge of life or death. It was only though a kind-hearted donor that he got the medical care he needed to survive. Milo’s right-front leg was broken so badly that it eventually needed to be amputated. Abuse was this guy’s life until he came to LCRS.

Abuse of the kind that Milo endured is difficult to imagine, but unfortunately it does happen, and probably more often than anyone wants to admit. Today, Milo gets around with only three legs, and he’s in a much better environment – one in which he’s nurtured and protected from the kind of abuse that deprived him of the use of his leg.

Milo and the rest of us here at LCRS would like to thank the donors who make each new day for Milo a better one. Thank you!

Diligence. And patience, you need that, too. A good sense of humor wouldn’t hurt, either. There’s a lot of responsibility wrapped up in pet ownership, and one of those responsibilities is taking the time to potty train your new puppy. Older dogs who have missed the boat to the potty training conference can be rehabilitated as well, but of course, expect a rougher road to recovery. The key in both cases is diligence.

You’re going to need eyes in the back of your head. Keep your young trainees close and don’t let them out of your sight. You need to be able to see when they need to do their business. When you see them sniffing around or turning in circles, that’s the time to act. Young dogs usually need to go pee or potty after eating, drinking, or playing, so be alert. When you do see them in the act, it’s time to get them outside. Clap your hands to get their attention and then lead (or carry if need be) them outside where they can eliminate safely. You should try to be consistent about the route you take each time they want to go. This will help train them and let them know how and where they should go when they need to potty. And remember to praise profusely when they get it right!

Some accessories to make potty training easier might be a nice long leash to attach to your puppy so that you know where he/she is even while indoors. Some people swear by “crate training” young dogs and if you want to go this route, you’ll need a crate large enough for your pup to stand up and turn around in, as well as some space for toys and food. You might also consider a potty training pad. These pads contain scents that dogs will recognize as safe areas for potty time. Put one in front of the door you want your dog to use to go outside when nature calls – and then be sure to keep your eye on it. Remember: diligence!

Taking care of our babies (i.e., pets) is a rewarding job for many pet owners. Just ask us – we wouldn’t be in this if we didn’t know what an important impact we can have in the lives of disadvantaged animals, and it is incredibly rewarding to see them flourish after enduring such hardship. But what if you still feel the love for your pet(s), but just aren’t able to provide the proper care? Well, there are long term options other than turning them over to a shelter.

Long term pet care is an area of animal care that has been growing over the past few years. It is useful primarily to people who have pets, but who cannot provide them the care they need under current circumstances. Maybe they will be serving in the military overseas and can’t take their pet with them. Perhaps an extended vacation necessitates boarding the family pets for more than a few weeks. Or maybe someone is just down on their luck temporarily and needs time to get back on their feet before they’re able to take care of a pet again. Whatever the reason, long term pet care facilities do exist and they’re here to help when you need it.

Organizations that specialize in long term pet care and boarding will try to treat your pet like a member of the family in anticipation of his/her eventual return to the owner’s home. Generally speaking, these types of businesses are not free, however, so be prepared to pay for a quality service for your pet. After all, they are essentially taking your pet into their family for an extended period of time (months). But if you’re looking for a caring environment for your pet while you’re away, you definitely have options.

We’d all like to think that our pets will be with us forever, but no one can escape the aging process. It eventually catches up to all of us, but unfortunately, it catches our beloved pets much sooner, and before you know it, the gray hairs and arthritis have arrived.

Most dogs enter the “senior” stage of their lives at around age 7, with larger dogs succumbing a bit sooner and smaller ones somewhat later. Cats can sometimes go 10 years before entering their golden years. When our pets do eventually slow down, their needs change, and it’s up to us to keep pace. Being aware of your senior pet’s needs due to aging will insure that your final years together are a sweet reminder to a lifetime of friendship.

There are many pitfalls for the aging pet to avoid – diabetes, failing eyesight, arthritis, and the list goes on. But one of the primary factors that contribute to a pet’s slowing rhythms is weight. Obesity in older pets can shorten their remaining years more that just about anything. That’s why there are specially formulated foods for senior pets, who need fewer calories now that they’re not as active.

Also be sure to schedule a visit with your veterinarian once your pet enters the golden years. It’s helpful to discuss the preventative measures you can take against the aging process. With adequate attention to their changing needs, our pets can remain active participants in our lives for as long as possible.

When most people think of pet art or artists, they will usually mention pet portraits or photography. These are great ways to immortalize your pet’s image and we’ve taken advantage of them ourselves, but that’s not all there is out there in the world of pet art.

Etsy is an online marketplace for handmade art of all varieties. If you look hard enough, you can find some unique and beautiful art made just for your pet. Take a look at some of these listings on their Pet Art team page for just a sampling of what’s out there. You’ll find custom carved and etched id tags, pet-themed greeting cards, custom made catnip toys, and much more.

Also on the Etsy front is artist Alana McCarthy with her own web store, GeekyPet. Alana is a talented artist who draws pets with a very geeky slant. Superhero pets, Jedi bulldogs, ninja cats – it’s all here to delight your geeky, pet-loving heart.

Last, but certainly not least is Tim Racer, a man with a talent for bringing pets alive in 3D carvings and paint. Tim sculpts and paints carousel dogs for a living, and he is very good at what he does. Just take a look at some of his work and drool. Tim works on commission, but don’t ask us about prices – he says on his website that most pieces take him around 500 hours to complete, so you can imagine the price tag attached to that.

Summer is almost here and with it come the triple digit temperatures that threaten to drive us all to the nearest swimming pool. While we have air conditioners and iced tea to keep us comfortable, many pets, especially the outdoor ones, are at risk for heatstroke if things get too hot to handle.

Here are some quick tips to keep things cool for your pet:

• Don’t take your pet with you in the car and then leave them cooped up while you run errands. This is probably the number one cause of heat exhaustion in pets. Just leave them at home, do your stuff, and then return to your pet with a big hug.
• Insure that they have an adequate source of cool water for drinking. If you’re taking the dog for a walk on a hot day, this might mean bringing along a collapsible bowl and a bottle of drinking water with you when Fido needs a breather.
• Outdoor pets need shelter from the sun. Whether this is a nice, shady tree to lie under or a dog house, etc. doesn’t really matter. As long as they have some place to get away from the heat of the sun, they’ll be in good shape.

Remember that dogs and cats don’t sweat like we do when we need to cool off – they pant. So if you see or hear your pet panting excessively, or if they have that vacant, anxious stare when it gets hot, then take action immediately. Get them out of the heat and cool them down with some wet towels. And if your pet does end up suffering from heat exhaustion, get them to the vet after you’ve cooled them off – better safe than sorry.

When the delivery van arrives with packages, it’s generally a time for excitement – surely if you’re a dog or cat. What pet doesn’t like sniffing out new packages and for cats, what better way to spend an evening than to roll around in a newly acquired empty box? But when those boxes arrive, they’re not empty. In fact, they may contain packing materials that could be harmful to your pet if they should swallow them.

The ubiquitous packing filler called “packing peanuts” by some is generally considered to be non-toxic if they’re of the dissolving cornstarch variety. The styrofoam kind, though, are a different story. They’re not toxic per se, but if your pet decides that they want to eat some of them, they could cause am intestinal blockage because they’re not digestible in the least. Best to keep pets away from these. If you don’t know the difference, try holding some under your tap – if they dissolve, they’re safe.

If you’re also wondering what to do should your pet ingest something toxic, your best option would probably be to call your local vet. If you can’t do this, be aware of the Animal Poison Control Center is the States, based out of Urbana, IL. If you’re ever in a position where you can’t get or talk to a vet, you can call the APCC at (888) 426-4435. The call is toll free, but they do charge for a consultation, so have a credit card ready. Also be prepared to give them the information about your pet – breed, age, etc. Also what they ate and how long ago they ate it. The APCC can consult with your vet to determine the best course of action to take.

In today’s hectic world, many of us are lucky to get in a good eight hours of sleep a night. If you own, or have been around cats, however, you know that they do not experience the same problem. Cats sleep about twice as much as your average human – that’s about 14 or 15 hours a day. Oh, don’t you wish you were so lucky?

It’s a widely held belief that cats are nocturnal animals, meaning they are most active during the night, but this isn’t really the case. Technically, cats are crepuscular, meaning that they’re most active during the twilight hours (dawn and dusk). Cat owners are only too familiar with the unwanted wake-up calls they get at sunrise from their newly awakened cat. The rest of the day, however, is usually dedicated to sleepytime.

Why do cats sleep so much? Part of the reason has to do with being a domesticated animal. Free from the pressures of having to exist in the wild by finding food and evading becoming someone else’s food, our pets are free to sleep their days away in relative luxury and safety. Most of it has to do with being a predator, though. Cats are natural hunters and they expend a great deal of energy when exercising their natural instincts, whether chasing down birds or chasing around toy mice. They need a corresponding amount of downtime to recuperate.

So, next time you see a cat lazing away in the afternoon sun, try not to be too judgmental – or jealous. It’s just they way they are.

We here at LCRS think that we’re doing our part to make life better for our little friends – all with your generous help. The caring for our pets’ welfare goes far beyond the borders our ranch, however. Today, let’s take a look at an organization within the American Humane Association known as the Red Star rescue team.

The members of this dedicated team strive to assist displaced, lost, and injured animals on a national scale. When disasters strike or animals are otherwise threatened on a large scale, the Red Star rescue team is often there to give what aid they can.

They would be powerless to help, however, without the support of volunteers like you – volunteers who have also supported us and the gang here at LCRS over the years. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the wonderful, kind-hearted people who have donated, given their time or expertise or other resources to us and other organizations such as Red Star rescue.

Without you, many otherwise worthy pets would be much worse off.

Some, but not all, horses will show signs of poor dental health. The AAEP (American Association of Equine Practitioners) has published an excellent list of indicators of potential dental disease.

• Loss of feed from mouth while eating, difficulty with chewing, or excessive salivation.
• Loss of body condition.
• Large or undigested feed particles (long stems or whole grain) in manure.
• Head tilting or tossing, bit chewing, tongue lolling, fighting the bit or resisting bridling.
• Poor performance, such as lugging on the bridle, failing to turn or stop, even bucking.
• Foul odor from mouth or nostrils, or traces of blood from the mouth.
• Nasal discharge or swelling of the face, jaw or mouth tissues.

It is imperative to address these concerns immediately, as a delay may cause significant duress for your horse by increasing the difficulty of remedying the condition, or in severe instances, rendering complete inability to reverse the condition.  At least once to twice yearly oral examinations are critical because there are many horses who will not display signs of dental illness as they have either adapted to the discomfort, or are simply too stoic.

The sharp points must be ground down with a file. Although some veterinarians still use hand tools, most now utilize power floats to minimize the amount of time necessary to complete the task. This is less traumatic for the horse, and because of the guards on the equipment, generally much safer. In the past, floating by hand was usually performed without sedation. It is debatable how well the teeth are able to be examined and filed without sedation. With sedatives, a horse’s entire oral cavity including each surface of each tooth is able to be examined and addressed. The points can then be removed which allows the horse to be more comfortable with improved jaw alignment.

A current “hot” topic in equine dentistry is the appearance within the equine health field of equine dentists. These are individuals who are not veterinarians but who have been educated to perform basic dental procedures, such as floating (the filing of the points and hooks.)  Consider the following brief article written (and reproduced with permission from the Veterinary Information Network) by Dr. Bob Judd, a veterinarian with the Texas Farm Bureau.

Finding the right person to perform dental care for your horse can be confusing for some owners.  However, we want to remind everyone that your equine veterinarian has had 4 years of training; in the first year alone that training includes normal muscle, nerve, and bone formation of the mouth, dental structure and function, and the effect of the teeth and oral cavity function on digestion and absorption of nutrients.  The second year includes disease processes that involve all body systems including the mouth and teeth. Also, a full year is spent on physiology and pharmacology of drugs, and this is really important since drugs are mandatory to perform complete equine dentistry.  Performing these procedures on a horse without drugs is painful for the horse and dangerous for the horse and people performing the procedures.  Would you allow your human dentist to inject drugs in your mouth or give you a sedative if you knew they had no formal training in the use and potential side effects of these medications?  Well, that is what non veterinary dentists are doing at this time.  The third year of vet school gives students hands on exposure to medical and surgical techniques that also includes procedures on the oral cavity.  The fourth year of school is clinical training and allows students to observe and actually perform the procedures including dental procedures on horses.

Equine dentists in Arizona are not currently permitted to use tranquilizers or anesthetic medications, as these are regulated and may only be legally used by licensed veterinarians. Also, as of the time of the writing of this article, legislation is pending in Arizona to disallow the practice of non-veterinarian equine dentistry.  Please note that the legality of equine dentists and what they are allowed to do varies wildly from state to state.  Also, horse owners should be aware that certification in one state does not generally directly transfer to another state.

The current statute in Arizona (per the Arizona Veterinary Medical Association) reads as follows:

To practice equine dentistry in the state of Arizona, the practitioner must be certified by the International Association of Equine Dentistry or the Academy of Equine Dentistry and be under the general or direct supervision of an Arizona licensed veterinarian.

The equine practitioner may provide to the Board, proof of certification and a written statement signed by the supervising Arizona licensed veterinarian.  Both the supervising veterinarian and the certified equine dental practitioner maintain dental charts for procedures performed.

Your veterinarian can help you determine the level of dental care necessary for your horse; however, an examination is always the first step!

Robin Paterson, D.V.M.
Cerbat Cliffs Animal Hospital
4110 Stockton Hill Road
Kingman, AZ 86401