As fellow animal lovers, we at Morena Pet Hospital are committed to ensuring the highest level of support, information, and service to give your companion the best care possible for a lifetime.  That is why we concentrate on building upon the pet/pet owner relationship and aim to educate you throughout your pet's various life stages from puppy/kitten to adulthood.

How to Leash-Walk Your Dog

Understanding your dog’s behavior and beginning obedience training from an early age are key components to having an enjoyable relationship with your pet.  We asked our expert veterinarians, Dr. Jeanne Potter and Dr. Crystal Steib, to provide us pet owners with some tips on how to create a dog training method that is built on a foundation of respect and positive reinforcement.  Although they were sure to mention that no single method works for all dogs, here are some general guidelines they shared to help you and your pet through the process:

First things first, dogs are not naturally born to know how to walk on a leash, nor do they understand that they should not pull, or lag behind too far.  This is where leash training comes into play--which can be challenging for all parties involved (both owner and pet) because dogs have the tendency to move quickly and are usually very excited to venture outdoors.  Leashes work to lessen these natural behaviors and movements.  Drs. Potter and Steib reiterate that teaching your dog to walk without pulling takes time, patience, and lots of positive reinforcements. 

You may notice a remarkable difference between the obedient and well-mannered service dogs or those you see at dog shows versus the dogs you meet at your everyday dog park.  The difference being that the ones in dog shows have been extensively trained in precision heeling and how to walk on a leash and thus prance gracefully alongside their owners, as opposed to the ones you see out-and-about in the neighborhood, pulling and jumping up on their owners.

Training Guidelines:

Consider all walks as training sessions until your dog learns to properly walk on a leash and heel on command.  The ASPCA recommends keeping the training sessions short, but frequent (and fun) for your dog. 

During your walks (aka training sessions), your dog should be taught to walk on your left side, next to and not in front of or behind you, and never pulling ahead.  Teach to sit at corners, stoplights, and curbs.  Note: This is work time for the dog and reward time is the visit to the dog beach or park.  The ASPCA refers to these training sessions as ‘Red Light, Green Light’ and another option is the ‘Lure and Reward’ (ASPCA.com 2013).

One tip for success is to tire your dog out before taking him/her on a training walk.  So before you train, play a game of fetch or tug of war to expel some of that energy.  This will make your pet less likely to pull during training.

Also, remember that if you expect your dog to be controlled during a walk, it is equally important for them to control themselves before the walk!  If your pet is one that gets overly excited when seeing you reach for the leash, wait for them to calm down before opening the door.  This may be easier said then done, but it is important to repeat this sequence until your dog has all four paws on the ground. (Dr. Potter also encourages owners to practice having their dogs sit and stay before putting their food down and before greeting them when you first arrive home). 

If you walk with your pet at a quick tempo, they will be less likely to be distracted to sniff around or relieve themselves every few steps.

And keep in mind this is hard work for a dog; and all good behaviors should be reinforced with plenty of rewards.  One possibility is to use highly desirable treats that your pet does not usually receive at other times.  Reward with your pet with the treat and continue training.

Ultimately, in order for your dog to understand you are in charge, he/she needs to be taught to obey your commands by obedience training and daily reinforcement.

In addition, with the hot summer days approaching, both Drs. Potter and Steib remind owners to walk your dogs at a time of day when it is not too hot outside, especially if your dog is of a brachycephalic breed (e.g. Bulldog).  To learn how to recognize the signs of heat stroke and prevent it from happening to your furry companion, please refer to our blog article: Hyperthermia (Heat Stroke) in Pets.

Have questions in regards to which collar and leash combo is best to use for your training?  For recommendations, please refer to our previous blog article, Dog Training Part One: How to Choose the Right Collar and Leach.

References

Teaching Your Dog Not to Pull on a Leash. ASPCA. http://www.aspca.org/Pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-articles/teaching-your-dog-not-to-pull-on-a-leash. 2013.

Dr. Potter's Dog Care Tips. Jeanne Potter, DVM. http://morenapethospital.com.edit.officite.com/dog-care-tips.html.

Thank you to all who came out and participated in the Humane Society's 19th Annual Walk for Animals!  We are pleased to announce that the event was a huge success raising over $430,000 for the animals.

Here are some of the great photo memories taken throughout the day!

For additional photos, please visit our Facebook photo album at https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.567836553246872.1073741827.142680942429104&type=3

Join us this Saturday, May 4, 2013 for the San Diego Humane Society's 19th Annual Walk for Animals at the *NEW* location in NTC Park at Liberty Station!

Images by San Diego Humane Society/SPCA

Why Attend?

You and your "pawsitively" patriotic pets will have a great time as fellow San Diegans gather to celebrate their love for animals, while raising the vital funds to benefit the San Diego Humane Society's programs that ensure every homeless animal can find a loving home.

Event Details:

Location:     NTC Park at Liberty Station
                    2455 Cushing Road
                    San Diego, CA 92106

The morning festivities include a delicious pancake breakfast, a scenic two-mile walk with an optional half-mile walk, fun-filled doggie activities and contests, and array of vendor booths.

7:00 A.M.        Registration, Pancake Breakfast*, Doggie Activities, Contests and Vendor Village
8:45 A.M.        Blessing of the Animals
9:00 A.M.        Walk Begins
9:30 A.M.        Doggie Activities, Contests, and Vendor Village continue until Noon

Our Morena Pet Hospital Booth:

Morena Pet Hospital is (again) a proud sponsor of the Walk for Animals for the third year running and we are looking forward to seeing you and your pets at the event!

Be sure to stop by our booth for games, pet care tips and information, and discount coupons!  Don't forget to enter our FREE RAFFLE, to win some great pet care products & services!

Hope to see you there!

For further event information, please visit the event home page at http://www.sdhumane.org/site/PageNavigator/Events/2013_Walk/home.html

A client of ours asked for our help in finding Mikey, their handsome, sweet boy a new home as they are unable to provide the tender loving care that Mikey needs.

Regarding Mikey's medical condition:
We suspect that Mikey suffers from Idiopathic Cystitis also known as feline lower urinary tract disease. This condition causes pets to have inflammation of the bladder lining, most commonly induced by stress of any kind. These pets may strain to urinate, have blood in their urine, and (as in Mikey's case) occasionally develop an obstruction that prevents them from passing urine naturally. See link for more information: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=612

Unfortunately, Mikey's current owners cannot afford the appropriate diagnostics, treatment, and long-term attention that he needs to thrive. They want the best for him and don't want him to be euthanized at a shelter. He is otherwise a very handsome and sweet 3 year old fellow, that needs time and loving attention.

Please share this post with any potential friends and family that may be willing to offer Mikey the second chance that he deserves. Anyone interested, please contact our office at 619-275-0888 so that we can arrange a meet & greet with Mikey.

Thank you,
Your Morena Pet Hospital Team

We recently had a visit from a sweet and bubbly 10 month old Pug. The owner suspected that this little fellow possibly ingested an unknown number of Advil tablets over the weekend. Since then he had been vomiting, but otherwise was still eating, drinking, and active. The owners were unsure if they should be concerned since he seemed to feel ok. Dr. Steib performed an exam which was normal besides evidence of mild dehydration. She discussed the potential serious side effects of Advil ingestion in dogs which include: kidney failure, liver failure, irritation of the stomach and intestines sometimes leading to severe bleeding and even death.

After this discussion the owners allowed the doctor to run some routine bloodwork and urine tests to assess the dog’s kidney and liver status as well as looking for signs of bleeding. Surprisingly the bloodwork and urine test showed anemia (due to blood loss) and evidence of kidney failure.

The owners were shocked at the news. Their new puppy was suddenly in a life threatening situation even though he was eating, drinking and wagging his tail. They agreed to hospitalize the little guy and allow the doctor to treat his condition aggressively with IV fluids and medications to help stop the vomiting and blood loss, in hopes of reversing the damage to his kidneys.  Dr. Steib did have to give a guarded prognosis due to the serious state his kidneys were in.  After 5 days of aggressive care from Morena Pet Hospital and his dedicated owners, his bloodwork and urine tests showed returned function of his kidneys!! He was finally allowed to go home to his family who will gradually taper him off of his medications and recheck his blood and urine tests to ensure they are stable. He was a lucky dog to recover as well as he did. Many pets suffer residual kidney damage or even death from similar situations.

Only a few weeks after the Pug visited us, a handsome 1 year old Boxer came in after ingesting a granola bar with raisins in it. These astute owners knew that raisins could potentially cause kidney failure in their dog so they brought him to a local overnight emergency hospital that checked his blood and urine for signs of kidney damage. Luckily everything looked normal but the doctor still suggested hospitalization for IV fluids and monitoring. The owners agreed and left the dog at the emergency hospital overnight. The following morning they called the doctor at Morena Pet Hospital to discuss what happened with their dog. They were considering taking the dog home because the blood and urine tests were normal and the dog was not sick at all. The doctor at Morena Pet Hospital explained that toxicity from raisin ingestion is very unpredictable and the current recommendations by veterinary toxicologists are to continue IV fluids and monitoring of kidney tests up to 3 days after the ingestion occurred to ensure no damage to the kidneys has occurred. Of course the owners wanted to ensure that their young dog would have the best chances for a full recovery and agreed to transfer their dog to Morena Pet Hospital for continued treatment and care. The following day a recheck of the blood and urine in fact showed a mild change in his kidney tests. Luckily the owners were committed to continued treatment and care.

The following day the lucky dog was allowed to return home where the owners would continue the medications needed. A week later a recheck of his kidney test showed 100% return to normal function!

Most cat owners don’t know it, but lilies are lethally toxic to cats!  Unfortunately, one of our patients had this in common—animals that have consumed a leaf of a lily flower arrangement. To bring attention to the seriousness of this plant, here is more information about this beautiful, but very toxic flower (a must-read for all pet owners).  Please refer to our previous blog article about lily poisoning in cats: http://www.morenapethospital.com/blog/post/case-study-lily-toxicity.html

In summary, if you suspect your pet has been exposed to or ingested a toxin (poisonous substance), be sure to call your veterinarian immediately!  Time can be of the essence when treating potential organ failure.  Refer to the following links/pages for a list of potential toxins:

ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List: http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/plants/

Pet Poison Helpline: http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poisons/

AAHA HealthyPet.com: http://www.healthypet.com/PetCare/PetCareArticle.aspx?title=Prevent_Poisonings

If you are not sure if an item/substance your pet ingested is toxic, call us at (619) 275-0888.  For additional information, you may contact the National Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.  This is a 24-hour service provided by the ASPCA with doctors available around the clock.  There is a consultation fee for this phone call.  It is vital to include all ingredients your pet has ingested.