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PHYSICAL THERAPY AND REHABILITATION FOR PETS:
It’s all about guiding and empowering you to help your pet avoid injury, provide practical solutions and achieve rapid restoration of health and function!
CAT HEALTH: A CHECKLIST
All cat owners know cats are independent creatures and do not require a lot of your time. Cats love to sleep and hide in safe places; however, they also want and need attention. They need scratching posts, climbing towers, feeding, grooming and other loving care. Because of their independent nature and desire to be separated from human activity part of the time, many cat owners believe they do not have to interact with their cats on a daily basis. In reality, cats need daily attention from their human family to be at their best.
WHY DO DOGS LICK PAWS?
For our canine friends, paw licking can be a grooming habit. This is often seen when dogs have been out for a long walk in rugged conditions, or it might be part of their daily groom.
THE BURMESE CAT
The Burmese originated from Thailand, near the Thai-Burma border. This cat breed was then developed in the U.K, and in the U.S. In 1871, Harrison Weir had a cat show at the Crystal Palace where two Siamese cats were shown. Both resembled the Burmese cat breed as it is today. It is almost similar to the Tonkinese cat breed. Dr. Cheeseman Thompson imported a cat called Wong Mau into San Francisco in 1930. This cat was a brown female cat that was different in build to the Siamese, and could be classified as a separate breed.
Brief History
The Burmese cat breed is believed to be related to a female Tonkinese cat called Wong Mau. This cat was imported in to the U.S in 1930, and in turn was bred with the American Siamese cat called Tai Mau, a sealpoint Siamese. The kittens were dark brown. U.S cat breeders then developed a breed standard that was different from the Burmese one. The Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) recognized this breed in 1936. The CFA then suspended breed recognition a decade later due to extensive Siamese outcrossing. By 1954, the CFA lifted the suspension, and by 1958, the United Burmese Cat Fanciers (UBCF) set forth an American judging standard which still stands today.
Today, most modern cat registries do not recognize the two cat breeds as different breeds. The British breed is known as the European Burmese. The first Burmese cats were dark brown. Today, the Burmese comes in numerous colors. The Burmese is well known for its playful and social temperament. They are also very vocal.
Physical Features
The Burmese has two breed standards in which both head and body shape differs. The British (traditional Burmese) cat breed has a body that is slender, long-bodied, with a wedge-shaped head. The ears are large and pointed. The muzzle is long and tapering. The eyes are moderately almond-shaped. The eye color is gold or yellow. The legs are long, and the paws are oval. With a tapering tail of medium length, the British Burmese cat breed is a small to medium cat breed that is muscular and heavy. They are also silky soft when touched.
The American Burmese cat breed has a stockier build, with a much larger head, round eyes, and a much shorter, and flatter muzzle. The ears are also set wider apart, with the legs and tail proportionate to the body. In both breed standards, the breed is a muscular breed that is thicker in build, and heavy when picked up. The coat is thick and shiny, and looks like satin. Blue Burmese will have a medium colored blue coat. The nose and paw pads will be slate grey. Champagne colored Burmese will yield a honey beige coat color. The nose is brown and the paw pads pinkish, brown color. Platinum Burmese will be a silvery grey color. The nose and paw pads will be pinkish, lavender in color.
Average Height:
10-12 inches
Average Weight:
6-10 pounds
Life Expectancy:
10-15 years
Temperament
The Burmese loves to gaze and admire the outdoors. This cat breed is laid back and fun. They adore affection, plenty of interactive cat toys, and cat trees with perches. These cats are great climbers that can be leash trained easily. This is an outgoing cat breed that delights in making new friends. They get on well with people, other animals that are not aggressive, and gentle children.
The Burmese loves to play, and will follow you for attention. An assortment of interactive cat toys is recommended for this cat breed. They enjoy being around family, and do not do well being alone all day. They are a one-person cat breed that bond closely with their pet parent. The Burmese is vocal, and are known to be persistent when trying to get your attention. This very intelligent and affectionate cat breed does well with apartment and indoor living. The Burmese may be prone to feline depression and anxiety if left alone for long periods of time. This cat breed does well with plenty of TLC! They do well with active families, and other pets.
Burmese cat
Possible Health Concerns
Gingivitis: With gingivitis, the gums will become inflamed because of plaque. By daily tooth brushing, dietary changes, using a plaque prevention gel, and oral rinses, you’ll be helping your cat.
Psychogenic Alopecia: This is when there is abnormal hair loss that is caused from excessive grooming. It may result from cat’s being stressed from other cats, dogs or people.
Cherry Eye (Eyelid Protrusion): This is a disorder of the third eyelid, resulting in swollen redness of the eye. It is more common in Persian- related cat breeds.
Cleft Palate: The Burmese may be prone to this birth defect. This is due to the palate bones not diffusing. Kittens will be unable to nurse if born with this defect.
Vestibular Disease: This is caused by a congenital abnormality. It may also result from trauma inside your cat’s ear. It may be caused by cancer or certain infections. It affects the nervous system in cats, and causes a lack of coordination.
Exercise
Your Burmese will scratch for numerous reasons, such as stretching and exercising their toes, shedding the dead outer layer of their claws, and to mark their territory. Free-standing scratchers are ideal for the Burmese, as well as cat condos that have designated scratching posts.
The Burmese cat breed needs daily exercise combined with plenty of mental stimulation through active play and interaction with people.
This cat breed is an intelligent and very affectionate cat breed that does well in most cat friendly environments. They still need to play and interact with people, and should not be left alone all day.
Grooming
The Burmese needs daily grooming to remove shedding or dead hair. Because this breed has a short and fine, soft coat, grooming is easy. Stainless steel combs help to remove dead hair. Care must be taken when grooming leg hair and body hair to avoid sensitive areas. Some cats have very sensitive areas along their backs, legs, and belly area. Curry brushes help with grooming, and will remove dead hair and debris from your cat’s coat.
With their intelligence and fun personalities, this vocal cat breed has plenty of attitude.
NATIONAL VETERINARY TECHNICIAN WEEK
Sunday, October 12, 2014, marked the first day of National Veterinary Technician Week. Veterinary Technicians are dedicated animal hospital professionals, who provide the ultimate care for your four-legged friends, your pets. They perform a multitude of tasks around any animal hospital to enhance the health and welfare of your special family member.
THE PUG
The Pug, also known as the Lo-sze in China or the Mopshond in Holland, originated in China more than 2,000 years ago. This breed then became popular in Tibet and Japan, where they were often given as gifts. The Pug then arrived in Europe in the sixteenth or seventeenth century and became extremely popular in Holland.
Brief History
The Pug was believed to have become the mascot of Holland’s Royal House Orange after one saved the life of the Prince of Orange by alerting him to the arrival of Spanish troops. Years later, the adorable breed arrived in the U.S. in the nineteenth century.
Physical Features
The Pug is a short, small dog breed with straight legs. With a large round head and a wrinkled forehead, this breed has a wide, short muzzle with an undershot bite. The Pug has large and dark wide-set eyes that add to its sense of puppyness well into its adult years. They have small rose-colored ears, a curled tail, and a short, smooth coat. Coloring is usually apricot, fawn, or black with a black mask and ears.
Average Height:
10-11 inches
Average Weight:
14-18 pounds
Life Expectancy:
12-15 years
Temperament
The Pug is an affectionate and intelligent breed. They are fun-loving, outgoing and charming. That said, this breed can be stubborn and tends to snore. It’s not their fault! The Pug is a great family dog and is great with children.
Pugs adapt easily to apartment life since they don’t require a lot of exercise. Although this breed can be stubborn, they are easy keepers and do best with positive training and plenty of socialization. The Pug is gentle with children and also enjoys living with single pet parents. This breed is very adaptable to different environments and makes for a great city companion.
Special Needs
The Pug needs to have plenty of protection from heatstroke. This breed does well indoors during extreme temperatures. They also need to be supervised when around water or swimming pools because of their front-heavy build and inability to swim. Many pet parents use life jackets for their Pugs when around water.
The Pug is a brachycephalic breed, also known as a short-faced or snub-nosed breed and needs to be monitored in hot temperatures. This breed also needs to avoid strenuous exercise.
Possible Health Concerns
Heatstroke – This breed is more susceptible to heat than many other dog breeds. Pet parents should be monitor especially closely as overheating can sometimes be fatal.
Eye Problems – These are often related to corneal ulcers and dry eye. Deformities of the eye and eyelid can also occur in this breed.
Breathing Problems – Pugs also experience breathing problems in hot and humid environments.
Laxating Patellas – This is a condition where the kneecap moves out of place and is a common condition in smaller dog breeds.
Leg Perthes Disease – This occurs with the deterioration of the top of the femur and is seen in young miniature and small dog breeds. It is characterized by a lack of blood supply and destruction of blood vessels of the bone.
Exercise
The Pug does well with light exercise. A short walk around the block or brief trip to the dog park will suffice. Pugs enjoy dog training classes, obedience, agility and some rally sports. This should never be undertaken during hot or humid temperatures. Pugs need to be protected from extreme temperatures and during the hot summer months’ indoor exercise is recommended.
Nutrition
It’s important to keep this breed on a balanced diet and to watch their weight. Pugs pick up weight easily, and can become easily obese.
Grooming
This breed has a short coat that hardly sheds. Daily brushing with a rubber mitt or medium bristle brush will aid in removing loose hair and in keeping his coat healthy. The loose folds around their neck, head and shoulders need to be wiped daily and kept clean. Nails need to be trimmed regularly and ears checked for debris, dirt and possible infections. Pugs enjoy being bathed and pampered, and need twice yearly dental cleanings at the veterinarian.
THE SAINT BERNARD
The Saint Bernard belongs to the AKC Working Dog Group and the UKC Guardian Dog Group. This breed originated from Switzerland and was bred by Swiss monks during the seventeenth century.
Brief History
The Saint Bernard was bred by hospice monks in the Swiss Alps at the Hospice of Saint Bernard, a refuge for travelers, to help locate and rescue travelers that had been injured by avalanches or lost between Switzerland and Italy.
Though bred for search and rescue, this brave dog was also used for drafting, guarding, and turn-spit. They are believed to have rescued over 2,000 lives through their search and rescue efforts at the hospice. They are descended from the Roman Mastiff and arrived in the U.S during the nineteenth century.
Physical Features
The Saint Bernard is a large and powerful dog breed with a large head and square shaped body. Their highly-recognizable heads have a deep furrow over the skulls, which is about twice as long as it is short.
Their eyes are intelligent and kind, with lower eyelids that don’t close completely. Their medium-sized and triangle-shaped ears are dropped and high-set. This pup’s feet are large and their tails are charmingly long.
This breed has a double coat —a thick undercoat, with a straight short or long outer coat. Its coloring ranges from red to brown, or brindle, with white markings at the chest, feet, tip of the tail, noseband and neck. There can also be markings on the collar, between the eyes, muzzle, belly, legs, and end of tail. The Saint Bernard has a dark mask on the face and ears.Don’t forget their famous wrinkles.
The long haired version of this breed looks exactly like the shorthaired breed, apart from the coat, which is typically of medium length and slightly wavy.
Average Height:
25.5 -30 inches
Average Weight:
120-180 pounds
Life Expectancy:
7-10 years
Temperament
This is an affectionate, fun-loving dog that is just as friendly with strangers as with family. It’s for that exact reason, however, that they shouldn’t be counted on to be a guard dog. This breed enjoys being around children and other families. They’re big gentle giants that thrive on playing in the snow with family members and friends. During puppyhood they are super clumsy due to their large size. As they grow into adulthood, these dogs settle down and tend to nap a lot. This breed does best in snowy, cold weather.
The Saint Bernard needs to be socialized early, and to begin positive-reward training classes during puppyhood. This super large breed is best suited for farm life or suburban homes where they will have the space they need. Unfortunately, this rules out apartment life. As the Saint Bernard ages, they can become a little lazy. It’s important to maintain their exercise schedules to keep healthy and fit.
Special Needs
This breed does best with plenty of protection from the heat and needs to be kept indoors during summer. Exercise, including walks should take place early mornings and late afternoons, so as to protect this breed from heat stroke. Winter makes every Saint Bernard happy – the colder the better!
Saint Bernards that live in warmer climates will greatly benefit from getting clipped. This breed needs to be supervised carefully over the summers to make sure that they do not get overheated. Since this is a very large dog breed, they tend to become more difficult to train as they gets larger. All the more reason to start during puppyhood.
Possible Health Concerns
This is a healthy dog breed that may be susceptible to the following health conditions:
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Genetic predisposition to DCM is seen in large breeds like the Saint Bernard. DCM is a disease affecting the heart muscle where the heart stops pumping properly.
Bloat. This breed is deep-chested, and thus more prone to bloat. Bloat is a life threatening emergency. It is caused by the twisting of the stomach, together with the accumulation of gas, with or without fluid. It is best to never elevate your dog’s water and food bowls. Stress is also a major factor in causing bloat. Never feed a Saint Bernard a large meal followed by exercise. At the first signs of dry vomiting, restlessness and discomfort, contact your emergency veterinarian. Never wait for a few hours.
Hip Dysplasia. This is a hereditary developmental disease. HD affects Saint Bernards, and occurs when the hip joint fails to develop properly. The head of the thigh bone does not fall into the hip socket. The imperfect fit results in the joint becoming loose and unstable, and results in osteoarthritis.
Laryngeal Paralysis. This is where the cartilage and the vocal folds of the larynx do not open fully, making breathing difficult. This is an acquired medical condition, and not an inherited one.
Skin Allergies like pyoderma are common in this dog breed. This is a bacterial skin infection caused by an infection in the folds and wrinkles of their skin due to grooming difficulties.
Epilepsy is an inherited disease that causes seizures. This breed will generally require treatment with anticonvulsants from their veterinarian.
Exercise
Saint Bernards need regular exercise every day to stay fit and maintain a healthy weight. They also need daily exercise to build muscle strength. Although these are strong and powerful dogs, they do not require excessive exercise. That said, this breed does enjoy hiking, sledding and long peaceful walks. (Tip: They enjoy pulling children in carts and sleds!) They love being out in the snow and cold weather and are at their best with family and children around them.
Nutrition
Feeding your Saint Bernard a well-balanced diet with high-quality food is necessary to promote good health and longevity. The diet you choose needs to be appropriate to your dog’s age, activity level and medical conditions. That said, these dogs don’t need excessive amounts of food just because they’re large. Weight needs to be actively monitored, as they gain easily. Never feed right before or right after exercising.
Grooming
Saint Bernards have either long or short hair. Both types need careful daily grooming to avoid the buildup of dirt and grime. Use a slicker brush or metal comb for tangles. Shedding occurs twice yearly. During this time, it will be necessary to groom vigilantly and to remove loose hair so as to prevent shedding around the home.
This breed enjoys being bathed. Use natural and organic dog grooming products to keep their coats healthy. Ears will need to be wiped regularly and inspected for infections. Teeth also need to be brushed every day and cleaned twice a year at the veterinarian. Trim nails as needed.
Saint Bernards are sensitive, affectionate and loving. They’ll need to have a large garden or home to live in and absolutely cannot live in an apartment. This dog breed will need to be indoors during the hot summer months. Every effort must be made to keep this breed from overheating.
The Saint Bernard makes for a great adoption in the right home environment. Puppy training should start early because they are hard to handle as they matures due to size. Puppies are energetic and will need lots of socialization. While incredibly gentle and kind, this breed still needs regular exercise and mental stimulation. They don’t do well alone at home all day and need companionship.
How to Add a Dog to a Family That Already Has Pets
At some point, there’s a good chance you’ll think about adding a dog into your furry family. While a dog can be a welcomed part of the family, some of your pets may not adjust easily to the newcomer. Their first encounter can have unpredictable outcomes, and like with people, first impressions count for a lot. So if you’re thinking of adding a dog to your home, be sure to take the following advice into consideration.
