Do You Give Your Pet Probiotics?

Last month I wrote about my Husky, Icy, who had gotten ill following a weekend filled with houseguests and food she should not have eaten.  She ended up with a Belly Bomber of a stomach ache.  I switched her to a diet of plain boiled chicken and white rice for a few days.  She seemed to be doing better, but then one morning she suddenly vomited up her chicken and rice breakfast.  Later that day she began to have diarrhea as well.

I got really worried, the chicken and rice diet usually works like a charm when she has stomach upset.  I was so shocked when she threw up that morning!  I decided to get her to the Veterinarian right away.  My own Vet was closed that day but I located a 24/7 animal clinic that was open and could see her. 

Doggie Belly Bomber

So my Uncle Tommy came in from Florida for the weekend and it was chaos, with old friends in and out of the house stopping by to say Hi to him.  There was so much yummy junk food and BBQ, I figured I'd see what I could scavenge from the floor and how much I could get the humans to surrender if I hit them with my very best puppy dog eyes!

Well I must have been successful 'cause the next two days I threw up a bunch of times and now I have a big bellyache.

Mom caught Auntie Janice sneaking me & Phoebe donuts and hot dog.  Boy did Auntie get a mouthful from Mom.  And I don't mean a mouthful of donut or hot dog!  Little Phoebe didn't get sick at all, I swear that dog has an iron belly!  Nothing makes her get sick in the belly.


Come here, my pretties!  Let me give you this donut so you can puke all over Mommy's rug!

Mom says it's nothing but boiled chicken and rice for the next few days.  Apparently, our Veterinarian says that plain boiled chicken and plain rice can help calm a dog's upset tummy.  Not that I'm complaining, I kinda like plain chicken & rice!

When chicken and rice doesn't work though, it's off to the Vet we go.  Usually that means antibiotics and probably Probiotics, prescribed by the Vet.  Follow the Probiotics link to see how that went.

What do you do when your dog has a belly ache?  If you have any advice or remedies to share, please post them in the comments!  Mom always loves to hear from you!

DON'T OVER VACCINATE OR UNDER VACCINATE YOUR DOG

Do you ever worry if you're getting the right amount of vaccinations for your dog? Vaccinations for dogs can sometimes be confusing, and often a bit controversial for some pet parents. 

Don't Over Vaccinate or Under Vaccinate Your Dog

There are so many articles, videos, and podcasts that argue for more, or less vaccinations for dogs.  How can you be sure you don't over-vaccinate OR under-vaccinate your dog?

To alleviate my own worry about whether or not my dogs are getting too many or too few vaccinations, I rely on my Veterinarian to advise me on what "core" vaccinations dogs should receive, and we have a discussion about non-core vaccinations like the Bordetella vaccine, which is usually recommended if you board dogs at a kennel or if the dog attends doggy daycamp.

If you have a Veterinarian you trust and can have an honest conversation with, you should feel confident your pet is getting the proper amount and type of vaccines to stay healthy and happy.  I wanted to share a disturbing conversation we witnessed while at PetSmart with our dogs.

The Dog Vaccination Debate

While  shopping in PetSmart I overheard a woman at the Banfield Pet Hospital desk.  She was asking if one of the staff would trim her Chihuahua's nails.  The dog's nails had gotten extremely long and were starting to grow into the dog's paw pads. 

I trust our Vet to ensure Phoebe and Icy get the right amount and type of vaccinations

Since the dog wasn't a patient of theirs, the dutiful staff member asked for proof of Rabies vaccination.  That's when something happened that shocked me!

BEACH SAFETY TIPS FOR DOGS

Summer is beach time!  Time for the sun, the surf... and the blazing hot sand burning your dog's paws.  That's right, in addition to other safety considerations for your dog at the beach, the hot sand can be a big concern.  Sand can get even hotter than pavement when the sun is beating down on it and reflecting off the water! If you bring your dog to the beach, here are some important Beach Safety Tips for Dogs

Keep your dog safe at the beach

Protect Your Dog Against Heartworm Disease

Heartworm disease is a serious, potentially deadly disease that is so easy to prevent.  It is caused when your dog is bitten by an infected mosquito.  The bite of just one infected mosquito will likely give your dog heartworm disease. 

Heartworms do permanent damage to the heart, lungs, and the blood vessels that surround them.  If left untreated, your dog may not survive heartworm disease.  That's why prevention is so critical!

Mom wants me to be safe from those pesky mosquito parasites that cause heartworm!