Diabetic Dogs in a Winter Wonderland

English: Two Siberian Huskies (Max & Moritz)
 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I hope your holidays are going well so far.  I just received an email from WebMd's Healthy Dogs newsletter and was appalled to find that the article links don't seem to be working.  Since others may be having the same problem (and since the search program on WebMd seems to have trouble finding pet articles, too), I thought it would be worth posting how to get to them.

The first article is on frostbite in dogs, and I found this a real eye-opener, as I never thought about it before.  I mean, the dogs I've spent the most time with throughout my life have all been breeds (Pomeranians, Great Pyrenees, Siberian huskies, etc) that originated in cold climates, and you just don't imagine them having too many problems in the winter.  In fact, I've always had more of a problem getting the dogs to come back indoors in the winter.  It turns out that cold weather is especially hazardous for diabetic dogs, because "Prolonged cold exposure burns up stored energy and results in a low blood sugar."  Their instructions on emergency care for dogs suffering from hypothermia include giving honey or sugar water as part of the treatment.  Good to know!

The article on winter safety in general is also a good read, if only to refresh your memory, but it brings up a few things, for example, the hazards of doggie sweaters (!), that may not have occurred to you.

Finally, one of the things I found on my own turned out to be another good source:  the vet blogs at WebMd-- I didn't know they had these, but I should have guessed that they would.  There's a post from a vet in New York about winter paw care, and much more.

That's all for now.  Best wishes for a happy -- and healthy-- new year!
 

Related articles

• Beat the Winter Blues with Your Dog (petcarerx.com)
• Beat Your Pet's Arthritis This Winter (petcarerx.com)
• Game of Thrones inspired Huskie craze goes cold as owners give up on dogs (independent.co.uk)
• Great Pyrenees pup helps committee lobbying for dog park in Bethel (bangordailynews.com)
• Siberian Husky stolen outside bar in North Portland (kgw.com)
• Diabetes Dogs: K9 Insulin Monitors (wwlp.com)

A Terrific Source Re: Pets and Hurricane Sandy

Flickr: doxella

I've been sorting through my email today, and I came across one from DogChannel.com listing their article "How You Can Help Pets Affected By Sandy."  Now, I've gotten a bunch of similar messages since the storm, but this one is really helpful if you want to know who's doing what.  For example, the American Kennel Club's new Sandy Fund is providing grant money to clubs in the areas hit by the storm.  DogChannel.com has links for all of the 15 organizations leading the charge to provide relief to those who need it.

I should also mention that theanimalrescuesite.com is involved in relief efforts as well.  If you've never been to the site, you should try it.  You can help FOR FREE by clicking on the page!  No, it's not a scam.  The site donates the ad money generated by your click to shelters, and throughout November, all donations are going to Sandy relief.

And, while I'm at it (and considering that Thanksgiving is less than a week away), once you've clicked on theanimalrescuesite, click on each of the tabs on the top of the page to give similar help to relieve human hunger, help homeless vets, and other worthy causes via the Greater Good Network. 

Thanks.

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Dogs: Don't Eat This!

A double whammy for dogs:  Chocolate-covered macadamia nuts (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I thought I had a good handle on people foods that are toxic for dogs, but WebMD alerted me to a few that I had never heard of in this context, including avocados and animal fat.  Best of all, they tell you precisely why these foods are "Dangerous for Dogs." Avocados (persea Americana) contain persin, which is toxic for dogs, and animal fat -- cooked or raw-- can cause pancreatitis.  So, it's worth a look.  Strangely enough, the theobromine in chocolate that is toxic for dogs is also toxic for humans, but we would have to eat quite a bit at one time (the figure I've read on this is 25 lbs!) to be poisoned.

I think I've mentioned before that I was horrified to learn (some years ago) that the macadamia nuts I occasionally shared with Tony, my Pomeranian, before he gained weight, which led to his diabetes, were extremely toxic for dogs.  He never had many, but he was really crazy about them.  Which suggests that if you have any, keep them where the dog can't get at them.

What am I saying?!!  You've probably already got them in a secret hiding place to keep them from your greedy loved ones.

Related articles

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• Mmmm mango, macadamia and avocado argula salad (thereluctantyogii.wordpress.com)