Dog bite facts:

• Each year, more than 4.5 million people in the U.S. are bitten by dogs.
• Almost 1 in 5 people bitten by dogs require medical attention. 
• Every year, more than 800,000 Americans receive medical attention for dog bites; at least half of them are children.
• Children are, by far, the most common victims of dog bites and are far more likely to be severely injured.
• Most dog bites affecting young children occur during everyday activities and while interacting with familiar dogs.
• Senior citizens are the second most common dog bite victims.

There are many things you can do to avoid dog bites, ranging from properly training and socializing your pet to educating your children on how - or if - they should approach a dog. Information and education are the best solutions for this public health crisis.

What should I do if someone is bitten by a dog?

The dog bite victim needs to be taken to a safe place away from the assailant dog to prevent further attack and injury. Since dog bites can cause significant damage beneath the skin, a type of injury that cannot always easily be appreciated, medical care should be accessed by a health care practitioner.

Wounds should be kept elevated and, if possible, washing the wound with tap water may be attempted.

Information should be obtained from the dog's owner about the dogs rabies immunization status, but if this is not possible, hospital, animal control centers, or law enforcement personnel will help gather any required information.

Dogs are curious. They love to run and chase things including insects, which in some cases protect themselves by stinging the dog.

Multiple stings are dangerous. Most of the time, an insect sting is just painful and irritating for your dog. Getting stung several times, or stung inside the mouth or throat, is dangerous and requires a trip to the veterinarian.

Bee and wasp stings are poisons. The two most common types of stinging insects are bees and wasps. It’s not the small puncture wound that causes the sting's pain, but the small amount of poison that is injected.

• A bee’s stinger is barbed and designed to lodge in the skin, killing the bee when the stinger detaches from the body
• Wasp stingers are not barbed but are more painful, and if provoked these insects can sting multiple times

Most of the time dogs get stung on their faces from investigating a stinging insect too closely. A sting on your dog’s sensitive nose is particularly painful. Some dogs may even get stung on the tongue or inside their mouth or throat if they try to bite or catch an insect. These stings can be dangerous. The subsequent swelling can close your dog’s throat and block its airway.

Watch for allergic reactions. A severe reaction can be caused by a large number of stings or by an allergic reaction. Signs of a reaction include:

• General weakness
• Difficulty breathing
• A large amount of swelling extending away from the sting site

If your dog is having a severe reaction, you need to take the dog to a vet immediately.

A simple sting can be safely left alone. It should be bothersome only temporarily. If a stinger is still present, try to remove it by scraping it with a fingernail or a rigid piece of cardboard. Avoid using tweezers or forceps to remove it unless absolutely necessary as this may force more venom out of the stinger.

Administer a remedy for the pain. Applying a weak mixture of water and baking soda to the affected area will help reduce the pain. You can also wrap ice or an icepack in a towel and apply it to the wound to reduce swelling and pain.

Maintain a watchful eye on your dog. Observe your dog closely after the sting incident to ensure an allergic reaction doesn’t develop. If several days pass and the swelling doesn't go down, notify your veterinarian.

Adapted from: http://www.hillspet.com/dog-care/what-to-do-when-wasp-bee-sting-dog-adult.html

St. Francis Pet Clinic's office will be closed Monday, 9/2/13. We will resume normal hours Tuesday, 9/3/13.

In many cases, you may not even know that your dog/cat has worms without having the stool analyzed under a microscope. The four most common intestinal parasites are tapeworms, roundworms, hookworms and whipworms. Some infestations can cause few or no symptoms. In fact, some worm eggs or larvae can be dormant in the dog’s/cat's body and activated only in times of stress, or in the case of roundworms and hookworms, until the later stages of pregnancy, when they activate and infest the pre natal puppies/kittens. Certain intestinal parasites such as tapeworm and roundworm, however, are usually clearly visible. They are readily seen in fresh feces or near the anus on the dog’s/cat's skin or fur.

Intestinal parasites of dogs and cats are potential health hazards for humans, too. Roundworm eggs, if ingested, can cause a disease called “visceral larval migrans”. Tiny worm larvae migrate through the human’s intestinal wall and into body tissues. They can then grow to larger size almost anywhere in the body. Roundworms are not spread to people by close contact with dogs or cats. The individual must ingest the infective stage of the roundworm eggs. Because the eggs are primarily contained within the feces, humans would need to consume the egg contaminated feces for contagion to occur. If hookworm larvae penetrate the skin they can cause “cutaneous larval migrans”, a potentially serious and scarring inflammation may result. Children are at most serious risk for infestation, especially if play behavior is in an environment where dog, cat, or raccoon feces may be present, such as in a sandbox.

Symptoms differ depending on the type of parasite and the location of infection, but some common clinical signs include:

• Diarrhea
• Worms visible in stool or segments of worm seen near anus
• Bloody stool
• Bloating or round, potbellied appearance to abdomen
• Weight loss
• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Coughing
• Trouble breathing

*Adapted from http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/worms
*Adapted from http://www.puplife.com/pages/parasites-worms-what-every-pet-owner-needs-to-know

 Do:

• Put litter boxes in quiet, calm locations that are easy for your kitten to reach, away from noisy household appliances
• Place your kitten's litter box away from her bed and, in a spot that's reasonably private
• Empty the tray regularly — your kitten will not want to use it if it's "dirty."
• Scoop out your kitten's litter boxes daily and change the litter as needed

Don't:

• Use disinfectants and bleach to clean the litter box. Some disinfectants are toxic to cats, so it's best to only use hot water and detergent
• Attempt to clean the litter box if you are pregnant. Have someone else clean out the tray. If you must clean the litter box yourself, make sure you wear rubber gloves and wash your hands thoroughly afterwards. Thoroughly cleanse the litter box daily. This will minimize the risk of toxoplasmosis, which although very rare, can cause serious problems to unborn babies

Adapted from: http://www.hillspet.com/cat-care/litter-box-training-kitten.html

How to House Train Your Puppy

House training is accomplished by rewarding your puppy for eliminating where you want him to go (outside) AND by preventing him from urinating or defecating in unacceptable places (inside the house). You should keep crating and confinement to a minimum, but some amount of restriction is usually necessary for your puppy to learn to “hold it.” (To learn how to crate train your puppy, please see our article, Weekend Crate Training.)

How Long It Will Take

Some puppies learn where and where not to eliminate at a very young age, while others take longer to understand. Most puppies can be reasonably housetrained by four to six months of age. However, some puppies are not 100% reliable until they are eight to twelve months of age. Some puppies seem to catch on early but then regress. This is normal. Keep in mind that it may take a while for your puppy to develop bowel and bladder control. He may be mentally capable of learning to eliminate outdoors instead of inside, but he may not yet be physically capable of controlling his body.

How Often Your Puppy Needs to Go Out

All puppies are different, but a puppy can usually only hold his waste for the same number of hours as his age in months. (In other words, a four-month-old pup should not be left alone for more than four consecutive hours without an opportunity to go outside.) He can last longer at night, however, since he’s inactive (just like we can). By the time your pup is about four months old, he should be able to make it through the night without going outside.

House Training Steps

1. Keep your puppy on a consistent daily feeding schedule and remove food between meals.

2. Take the puppy outside on a consistent schedule. Puppies should be taken out every hour, as well as shortly after meals, play and naps. All puppies should go out first thing in the morning, last thing at night and before being confined or left alone.

3. In between these outings, know where your puppy is at all times. You need to watch for early signs that he needs to eliminate so that you can anticipate and prevent accidents from happening. These signs include pacing, whining, circling, sniffing or leaving the room. If you see any of these, take your puppy outside as quickly as possible. Not all puppies learn to let their caretakers know that they need to go outside by barking or scratching at the door. Some will pace a bit and then just eliminate inside. So watch your puppy carefully.

4. If you can’t watch your puppy, he must be confined to a crate or a small room with the door closed or blocked with a baby gate. Alternatively, you can tether him to you by a leash that does not give him much leeway around you (about a six-foot leash). Gradually, over days or weeks, give your puppy more freedom, starting with freedom a small area, like the kitchen, and gradually increasing it to larger areas, or multiple rooms, in your home. If he eliminates outside, give him some free time in the house (about 15 to 20 minutes to start), and then put him back in his crate or small room. If all goes well, gradually increase the amount of time he can spend out of confinement.

5. Accompany your puppy outside and reward him whenever he eliminates outdoors with praise, treats, play or a walk. It’s best to take your puppy to the same place each time because the smells often prompt puppies to eliminate. Some puppies will eliminate early on in a walk. Others need to move about and play for a bit first.

6. If you catch your puppy in the act of eliminating inside, clap sharply twice, just enough to startle but not scare him. (If your puppy seems upset or scared by your clapping, clap a little softer the next time you catch him in the act.) When startled, the puppy should stop in mid-stream. Immediately run with him outside, encouraging him to come with you the whole way. (If necessary, take your puppy gently by the collar to run him outside.) Allow your pup to finish eliminating outside, and then reward him with happy praise and a small treat. If he has nothing to eliminate when he gets outside, don’t worry. Just try to be more watchful of him in the house in the future. If your puppy has an accident but you don’t catch him in the act and only find the accident afterward, do nothing to your pup. He cannot connect any punishment with something he did hours or even minutes ago.

Additional House Training Tips

• Clean accidents with an enzymatic cleanser to minimize odors that might attract the puppy back to the same spot.
• Once your puppy is house trained in your home, he may still have accidents when visiting others’ homes. That’s because puppies need to generalize their learning to new environments. Just because they seem to know something in one place does NOT mean that they’ll automatically know that thing everywhere. You’ll need to watch your puppy carefully when you visit new places together and be sure to take him out often.
• Likewise, if something in your puppy’s environment changes, he may have a lapse in house training. For example, a puppy might seem completely house trained until you bring home a large potted tree—which may look to him like a perfect place to lift his leg!

House training does require an investment of time and effort—but it can be done! If you’re consistent, your hard work will pay off. Hang in there! If you need help, don’t hesitate to contact a qualified professional, such as a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT), a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB or Associate CAAB) or a board-certified veterinary behaviorist (Dip ACVB). To find one of these experts in your area, please see our article, Finding Professional Help.

What NOT to Do

• Do not rub your puppy’s nose in his waste.
• Do not scold your dog for eliminating indoors. Instead, if you catch him in the act, make a noise to startle him and stop him from urinating or defecating. Then immediately show your dog where you want him to go by running with him outside, waiting until he goes, and then praising and rewarding him.
• Do not physically punish your puppy for accidents (hitting with newspaper, spanking, etc.). Realize that if your puppy has accidents in the house, you failed to adequately supervise him, you did not take him outside frequently enough, or you ignored or were unaware of his signals that he needed to go outside.
• Do not confine your puppy to a small area for hours each day, without doing anything else to correct the problem.
• Do not crate your puppy if he’s soiling in the crate.
• If your puppy enjoys being outside, don’t bring him inside right after he eliminates or he may learn to “hold it” so that he can stay outside longer.
• Do not clean with an ammonia-based cleanser. Urine contains ammonia. Cleaning with ammonia could attract your puppy back to the same spot to urinate again. Instead, use an enzymatic cleaner. You can find one at some grocery stores or any major pet store.

Adapted from: http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/house-training-your-puppy

St. Francis Pet Clinic will be closing early Friday, 7/26 and will remain closed until Monday, 7/29. If you have an emergency call Sun Valley Animal Center @ 208.726.7777.

Dogs bark as a form of communication. If your dog barks, there is a reason why. It may be simply a response to a stimulus, like a jogger running by the house—or it may be your dog's way of asking for help. You need to find out why dogs bark in order to stop them from barking.
Read more: http://www.cesarsway.com/tips/problembehaviors/discovering-the-cause-of-barking#ixzz2ZQPHMXns

Always remember to keep these tips in mind while training:

• Don't yell at your dog to be quiet—it just sounds like you're barking along with him.
• Keep your training sessions positive and upbeat.
• Be consistent so you don't confuse your dog. Everyone in your family must apply the training methods every time your dog barks inappropriately. You can't let your dog get away with inappropriate barking some times and not others.

Remove the motivation Your dog gets some kind of reward when he barks. Otherwise, he wouldn't do it. Figure out what he gets out of barking and remove it. Don't give your dog the opportunity to continue the barking behavior.

Ignore the barking Ignore your dog's barking for as long as it takes him to stop. That means don't give him any attention at all while he's barking. Your attention only rewards him for being noisy. Don't talk to him, don't touch him, and don't even look at him. When he finally quiets, even to take a breath, reward him with a treat.
To be successful with this method, you must wait as long as it takes for him to stop barking. If he barks for an hour and you finally get so frustrated that you yell at him to be quiet, the next time he'll probably bark for an hour and a half. He learns that if he just barks long enough you'll give him attention.

Desensitize your dog to the stimulus Gradually get your dog accustomed to whatever is causing him to bark. Start with the stimulus (the thing that makes him bark) at a distance. It must be far enough away that he doesn't bark when he sees it. Feed him lots of good treats. Move the stimulus a little closer (perhaps as little as a few inches or a few feet to start) and feed treats. If the stimulus moves out of sight, stop giving your dog treats. You want your dog to learn that the appearance of the stimulus leads to good things (treats!).

Teach your dog the "quiet" command It may sound nonsensical, but the first step of this technique is to teach your dog to bark on command. Give your dog the command to "speak," wait for him to bark two or three times, and then stick a tasty treat in front of his nose. When he stops barking to sniff the treat, praise him and give him the treat. Repeat until he starts barking as soon as you say "speak."
Once your dog can reliably bark on command, teach him the "quiet" command. In a calm environment with no distractions, tell him to "speak." When he starts barking, say "quiet" and stick a treat in front of his nose. Praise him for being quiet and give him the treat.

Ask your dog for an incompatible behavior When your dog starts barking, ask him to do something that's incompatible with barking. Teaching your dog to react to barking stimuli with something that inhibits him from barking, such as lying down in his bed.

Keep your dog tired Make sure your dog is getting sufficient physical and mental exercise every day. A tired dog is a good dog and one who is less likely to bark from boredom or frustration. Depending on his breed, age, and health, your dog may require several long walks as well as a good game of chasing the ball and playing with some interactive toys.

**Adapted from: http://www.humanesociety.org

All across North America, summer time temperatures can exceed 80, 90 or even 100 degrees in some areas.  While these sunny days may be great for sunbathers and swimmers, the heat can prove deadly for our pets, especially when left inside cars.  A “quick” trip to the store often results in owners finding pets suffering from heatstroke and near death.  How can you prevent such a tragedy?

By:  Dr. Jim Humphries, Certified Veterinary Journalist, Veterinary News Network

Many pets, especially our dogs, love to go for car rides.  Whether it’s a quick trip to the local market or even a cross country excursion, hearing their owners say “go for a ride” or “go bye-bye” will set many dogs’ tails wagging. 

Unfortunately, this favored activity can turn deadly when warmer temperatures arrive and when owners misjudge the amount of time they will be away from the car.  Each year, dozens, if not hundreds, of stories of dogs dying in hot cars are reported by local media.

When confronted with the fact that their pet’s death was likely preventable, most owners will respond with statements like “I didn’t think I would be gone that long” or that they “didn’t know it was THAT warm outside”.   When looking at the facts, the reality of just how quickly the inside of a car can heat up, even in mild temperatures, can produce some startling revelations for pet lovers.

It’s probably common sense to most people that hotter days cause the inside of a car to heat up faster, but few people realize that even with outside temperatures as low as 65 or 70 degrees Fahrenheit, the inside of the vehicle will warm uncomfortably in just 30 minutes.  In fact, on a 75 degree day, your car’s interior will be at 100 degrees in just about 10 minutes and a blistering 120 degrees in a half hour!  Despite urban myths, cracking the windows has little effect on the rate of heating inside the car.

An excellent demonstration of the effect a warm day can have on the interior of a car can be found in this video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbOcCQ-y3OY.

But, it’s not just the heat of the day that is an issue.  Your pet’s overall health status and behavior can also contribute to how quickly he will overheat in the car.  Veterinarians across the country have posted stories online about cases in which dogs have died when left in cars on days where the temperature never exceeded 60 degrees.  Short faced breeds, like Pugs and Bulldogs, as well as obese pets, heavy coated breeds and senior animals will have less tolerance for extreme temperatures.  In addition, excitable animals and those with separation anxiety issues may work themselves into frenzy, raising their body temperature to dangerous levels.

When in doubt, it’s probably best to leave your pet at home.  It’s far too easy for a quick trip to become complicated and take more time than you intended.

Across the Internet, many well-intentioned people and groups will post pictures and posters that highlight the dangers of leaving pets in cars and education is a great thing.  Sadly, though, the discussions on these sites about what individuals will do if they find a pet locked in a car can often turn into dangerous arenas of mis-information.  People will recommend breaking into cars to save the dogs or even taking the pets away from the owner.

Currently, 14 states specifically have laws that prohibit leaving animals “unattended and confined” in a motor vehicle when physical injury or death is likely to result.  While that is a great thing, it does NOT give ordinary citizens the right to smash windshields or take the pet from the car.  Most of these states have included rescue provisions that empower police, peace officers, fire and rescue workers or animal control officers to use reasonable force to remove an animal in distress.

So, what should you, as an animal lover and Good Samaritan do if you come across a pet confined in a car?

First, if you are in a store parking lot, consider contacting the management of the store or even security.  It may be possible to page the pet’s owner and have them return to the vehicle.

Next, call 911 and try to get the local authorities involved.  This action will help lessen your liability if the pet is injured during the rescue attempt or happens to escape.  Allow the police or legally designated person open the vehicle.

Finally, realize that not every animal in a car is actually in distress.  As mentioned above, some pets may appear frantic, but others will lie quietly while waiting for their owners.  It’s important to stay calm and not over-react – in some cases, the pet is not in danger!

**Adapted from https://www.myvnn.com