If you’re like many pet owners today, you’ll do whatever it takes to keep your pet happy and healthy. Our plans help make that possible by offering reimbursement levels of 70%, 80% or 90%, after a deductible. We also offer a 100% level of reimbursement.
Hi. My name is Dr. Fiona Caldwell and I’m a veterinarian at Idaho Veterinary Hospital. Today I’m at home answering some of the questions posted on our Facebook page.
“How do I get my Chiweenie to stop eating poop?”
First of all, for those of you who don’t know what a “Chiweenie” is, it’s a cross between a Dachshund and a Chihuahua. This is actually a really common problem, especially in puppies and younger dogs, and it can be really disconcerting and kind of gross.
The first thing you’re going to want to do is really make sure you’re feeding appropriate food. A good quality dog food is really important. You’re going to want to make sure your pet is dewormed pretty regularly because this is one way that internal parasites can be spread.
You can try negative reinforcement and tell them “no” when they do this. Be sure to keep your yard really, really clean as well, so it’s less of a temptation. There are also some prescribed medications that can help deter pets from this nasty habit. Contact your veterinarian for more information.
The second question is, “Where are mast cell tumors found? Are they found internally as well as externally?”
The mast cell tumor is a specific type of cancer that dogs can get. It really can be a devastating cancer. Typically, it’s found on the skin, and that means anywhere. It can be on the limbs, the torso, or the head.
Generally, mast cell tumors first present on the skin but they can spread internally to lungs and lymph nodes and other organs. If you find a mass or a tumor on your dog’s skin that has you concerned, contact your veterinarian. www.petsbest.com
Hi, I’m Dr. Fiona Caldwell and I’m a practicing veterinarian at Idaho Veterinary Hospital.
If you have been watching my videos, you have seen that Tulah is my model. I wanted to point out that Tulah has a handicap. She only has three legs, but she doesn’t mind. She is missing the hind leg. She was hit by a car, and a Good Samaritan brought her to me and nobody claimed her. She does great on her three legs.
You may have a situation with your own dog where something needs to be removed; a leg, an eye, or even just teeth. Sometimes we get really worried about how our dogs are going to do with that type of procedure.
Dogs are really resilient and typically they’ll do great, especially with something that’s cosmetic. Most dogs will surprise you by how well they adapt. www.petsbest.com
Hi, I’m Dr. Fiona Caldwell and I’m a practicing veterinarian at Idaho Veterinary Hospital.
Pets Best Insurance has been soliciting questions on Facebook from fans and I’d like to answer one today. We’ve got a question, “Are pet supplements okay to give my dog? I’ve been thinking about putting my dog on supplements but I’m unsure which are best or if they’re even necessary.”
In my opinion, if you’re using a high-quality dog food, it should be complete with all the vitamins and nutrients essential for a healthy dog. Supplementing some healthy animals with vitamins can actually cause a problem. For example, in large breed growing puppies, excessive calcium can cause some orthopedic issues. In addition, some of the homeopathic or herbal remedies often haven’t been very well researched in dogs. Therefore, in my opinion, it’s probably best to stay away from them. www.petsbest.com
Hi, I’m Dr. Fiona Caldwell and I’m a practicing veterinarian at Idaho Veterinary Hospital. I’d like to talk to you today about the importance of keeping your dog’s toenails trimmed and the proper way to do it.
Keeping your dog’s toenails short is important so that they don’t snag or become torn or infected, especially if your dog has dewclaws. Those dewclaws can actually grow around and curl into the pad and become painful.
When you trim the nails you’ll want to use a trimmer that looks like a pair of scissors. This size would be good for a dog like Tula. Something larger, like this, would be appropriate for a larger dog.
Sometimes it’s hard to know how far to go on the nail. Tulah has really nice white nails so you can see where the pink part is. That’s the quick and it’s alive. So for her I would want to take only where the white part is, making sure not to nick the pinker part.
It may be a two-person job for you; someone to hold the dog and to comfort them, while the other person uses the toenail trimmers.
So for Tulah, we will go just about to there. If you do trim too much and you start to get some bleeding, don’t despair. Put gentle pressure on the end of the tip of the nail. You can use a little cornstarch or a warm cloth to provide some pressure. Typically, that will stop the bleeding.
If you’ve got questions or concerns or are wary about trimming your dog’s nails, contact your veterinarian. They should be able to assist you.
I’m Dr. Caldwell, and that’s how you trim nails. www.petsbest.com
Hi, I’m Dr. Fiona Caldwell and I’m a practicing veterinarian at Idaho Veterinary Hospital. I’d like to talk to you today about the importance of dental health and the proper way to brush your dog’s teeth.
Did you know that infected teeth can not only be painful, but a source of bacterial infection for the rest of the body? Bacteria can actually gain access to the bloodstream and travel to the liver or even the valves of the heart.
Keeping your dog’s mouth healthy is an important job of their overall health. Brushing the teeth might be a two-person job; someone to hold or comfort the dog while the other person uses the toothbrush. You’ll want to use a toothbrush that has a small head, or if you have a larger dog, an old toothbrush of yours should be fine. Be sure to use a special canine-formulated dog toothpaste as fluoride can be toxic to dogs.
You’ll want to aim the toothbrush along the top of the gum line and try not to neglect the molars and using a gentle motion on both sides. What that will do is help eliminate plaque which turns into tartar.
Brushing your dog’s teeth can be a challenge, but if you start young as puppies, typically they’ll get used to it, especially if you make it fun. Try shorter periods of time more frequently. The average dog should probably have their teeth brushed every day and we understand that most people don’t have the time to do that, but if you could go for at least once a week or even once a month, it’s better than nothing at all.
If you’ve got concerns about your dog’s breath or you’re seeing changes along the gum or with the teeth, contact your veterinarian. I’m Dr. Caldwell, and that’s how you brush teeth. www.petsbest.com
