Top Veterinary Articles of the Week: What to Do if Your Dog Eats Xylitol, Getting Skunked, and more ...
My Dog Ate Xylitol: What Should I Do and Who Should I Tell?
Dr. Jason Nicholas/Preventive Vet
There has been a lot of talk about xylitol lately. There is a good reason for that. It's not just sugar-feee gum and candy, this artificial sweetener is making its way into all kinds of products, such as nut butters. Peanut butter used to be a safe treat for your dog. Now, before you consider giving any, read the label thoroughly.
What should you do if your dog ate xylitol? Freak out! But seriously, xylitol is a terrible, fast-acting poison to dogs. Why? Because the dog's body thinks it's sugar while it isn't. Thinking that it releases tons of insulin to process it but instead it gets rid of any glucose it finds in the blood. This leads to severe hypoglycemia. If enough blood glucose is lost, it's game over.
The key is prompt recognition and quick action.
Read Dr. Jason's article on what you should do if you suspect your dog ingested xylitol.
Getting Skunked – More Than Just a Stinky Situation
Dr. Christopher G. Byers/Critical Care DVM
Would you ever think that getting sprayed by a skunk could land your dog at emergency clinic? I never knew that until recently either. You'd think that dealing with the horrible smell is a big enough problem. Even though it rarely happens, skunk spray can cause a life-threatening problem but damaging red blood cells. Not enough red blood cells - not enough oxygen, you get the idea. Love is not all your dog needs, they also need oxygen (among some other things).
Dogs usually get sprayed in the face, which makes sense. This can cause a number of signs such as drooling, redness or swelling of the eyes, squinting, sneezing and vomiting. And, in those rare cases, the spray compounds can damage hemoglobin. This can happen anywhere between few hours to 24 hours after your dog was sprayed.
So while you're busy getting the stink of your dog, keep an eye out on more serious problems. Read Dr. Buyers' article for more detailed information and tips.
It’s Wonderful for Healing, so Why Is This so Very Uncommon?
Dr. Karen Becker/Mercola Healthy Pets
Did your dog every get a post-op massage after their surgery? Our vet does laser therapy for their surgical patients but I've never heard of post-op massage before.
Did you know that it can actually decrease inflammation and pain, lower blood pressure, restore normal breathing patterns and help get the digestive tract moving again?
Of course, the vet or vet tech should know what they're doing. I don't know about you but I'm asking about this if any of my dogs ever has to go for a surgery again.
Read Dr. Becker's article to find out how many wonderful things can post-op massage do for your dog.
Dr. Jason Nicholas/Preventive Vet
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| Photo Preventive Vet |
There has been a lot of talk about xylitol lately. There is a good reason for that. It's not just sugar-feee gum and candy, this artificial sweetener is making its way into all kinds of products, such as nut butters. Peanut butter used to be a safe treat for your dog. Now, before you consider giving any, read the label thoroughly.
What should you do if your dog ate xylitol? Freak out! But seriously, xylitol is a terrible, fast-acting poison to dogs. Why? Because the dog's body thinks it's sugar while it isn't. Thinking that it releases tons of insulin to process it but instead it gets rid of any glucose it finds in the blood. This leads to severe hypoglycemia. If enough blood glucose is lost, it's game over.
The key is prompt recognition and quick action.
Read Dr. Jason's article on what you should do if you suspect your dog ingested xylitol.
Getting Skunked – More Than Just a Stinky Situation
Dr. Christopher G. Byers/Critical Care DVM
Would you ever think that getting sprayed by a skunk could land your dog at emergency clinic? I never knew that until recently either. You'd think that dealing with the horrible smell is a big enough problem. Even though it rarely happens, skunk spray can cause a life-threatening problem but damaging red blood cells. Not enough red blood cells - not enough oxygen, you get the idea. Love is not all your dog needs, they also need oxygen (among some other things).
Dogs usually get sprayed in the face, which makes sense. This can cause a number of signs such as drooling, redness or swelling of the eyes, squinting, sneezing and vomiting. And, in those rare cases, the spray compounds can damage hemoglobin. This can happen anywhere between few hours to 24 hours after your dog was sprayed.
So while you're busy getting the stink of your dog, keep an eye out on more serious problems. Read Dr. Buyers' article for more detailed information and tips.
It’s Wonderful for Healing, so Why Is This so Very Uncommon?
Dr. Karen Becker/Mercola Healthy Pets
Did your dog every get a post-op massage after their surgery? Our vet does laser therapy for their surgical patients but I've never heard of post-op massage before.
Did you know that it can actually decrease inflammation and pain, lower blood pressure, restore normal breathing patterns and help get the digestive tract moving again?
Of course, the vet or vet tech should know what they're doing. I don't know about you but I'm asking about this if any of my dogs ever has to go for a surgery again.
Read Dr. Becker's article to find out how many wonderful things can post-op massage do for your dog.
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