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Quiz: Are You Ready For A Dog?

C A N I N E S   O N L I N E ™
Copyright 2000 Canines Online ™
Issue No. 2, Vol.1, July 7, 2000

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CONTENTS:
=>Health:
   -- Surviving the Odds Against Bloat
=>Tidbits:
   -- Did you know?
=>News Briefs:
   -- 'Golden period' can make all the difference
   -- Doggy Paddle
   -- 'Bones and skin'
=>Book Corner:
   -- Three Dog Bakery Cookbook
   -- The Complete Dog Book
   -- Dogs with Jobs
=>Featured Site:
   -- Petfinder
=>Featured Breed:
   -- Labrador Retriever
=>Product News, Reviews, and Coupons:
   -- Reflective Wear
=>The Tail End
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HEALTH
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Surviving the Odds Against Bloat
Bloating, which is officially called Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus Syndrome, is a condition that develops quickly and can kill almost as fast. And while it is a problem primarily of large, deep-chested dogs, it is one of the leading causes of premature death for canines. With a bit of care and thought by dog owners, it is preventable. But if it does occur, keen observation and quick action is needed or the dog could die. Veterinarians and researchers have been studying this troublesome condition but they acknowledge there is much to learn.

Some Basics
Quite simply, bloat is caused by too much gas or fluid in the stomach. This gas or fluid can expand the stomach causing gastric dilation (sometimes called dilatation). The stomach can then partially rotate -- the gastric torsion. A complete rotation of the stomach is called gastric volvulus. The torsion can cut off blood flow to the stomach and sometimes other organs. Deprived of blood, the stomach and intestines can quite simply become useless.  Great Danes, German Shepherds, St. Bernards, Standard Poodles, Labradors, Golden Retrievers, Boxers, Irish Setters, and other large dogs are susceptible. Trouble tends to hit males more than females and dogs between ages four and seven.

Symptoms
A bloated dog will seem uncomfortable, pant, and his or her stomach area will show an obvious ballooning. The dog may excessively salivate and drool as well as attempt to vomit and defecate. If the stomach twists, the reaction is more severe. Any movement ­­ and there is little ­­ is often met with a groan. There could be pale gums and the dog may collapse. At that point you should rush to the vet.

Bloat Factors
Researchers at the Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine in West Lafayette, Ind., have been conducting studies to find the root causes of bloat. The study found that dogs that eat fast, had fewer meals a day, ate dry food, swallow a lot of air while eating, having less table food and fewer between-meal snacks had a higher risk to bloat. Dogs that were fearful or showed aggression toward people and their fellow canines had an increased risk. Happy, contented dogs showed a decreased risk. If the dog is gassy ­­ with a history of belching or breaking wind ­­ it has a higher risk of. The study also found that more than half the cases of bloat came between 6 p.m. and midnight. Other factors that increased risk were a change of feeding time and a bigger meal than usual.

Prevention
Every piece of literature on bloating strongly advises owners to keep their dogs calm an hour before and an hour after a meal. One vet may recommend putting the dog in a crate if he or she is extraordinarily rambunctious before and after mealtime. Another way to help prevent bloat is to figure out a way to slow your dog's jaws during mealtime. If he or she is a gulper, it could be a problem. These dogs should eat at least twice a day. Three small meals are considered much better. Others recommend wetting the dry kibble a half-hour before eating so the chow expands in the bowl and not in the stomach. If the dog does eat dry food, limit the amount of water intake afterward. Raising the bowl off of the ground also helps reduce the intake of air during eating.

Problem checking
If you sense a problem, check to see if your dog can burp or vomit. If they can, you can rest assured that the stomach is not twisted. If he can't burp or vomit, then try seeking your vet.

Survival rates
If the problem is severe and the stomach is twisted, the experts say death rates are high even if you make it the vet as soon as you can. There is a bright note though, ­­ it's a medical procedure called "gastropexy," which essentially helps keep the stomach in place.


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TIDBITS
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Did you know?….
Wild relatives of the dog often bury their food. They may have killed an animal that is too big to eat all at once, or may have killed several animals when they were very plentiful. Wolves and foxes will bury this food to preserve it and to protect it from being found by another animal. This is called caching or hoarding their food. Domestic dogs still carry this hoarding trait under a blanket as a way of saving and protecting it. Our dogs seldom experience the extreme hunger that would encourage them to find it again, so often these buried treasures are forgotten.


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NEWS BRIEFS
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'Golden period' can make all the difference
The "golden period" refers to the freshness of the tissues when the case is presented to the veterinarian. If a wound is more than three or four hours old, we deem these outside the golden period of primary closure. For more information:
http://vh60009.vh6.infi.net/living/docs/petdoc070300.htm

Doggy Paddle
NEW YORK, NY -- Bonnie's K9 Swim Center is the only pool in New York dedicated exclusively to dogs. For more information:
http://www.nypost.com/living/32124.htm

'Bones and skin'
BATON ROUGE, LA -- Stuff's case was typical. The center has received at least 65 complaints of animal cruelty so far this year in East Baton Rouge Parish, 58 of them involving dogs. For more information:
http://www.theadvocate.com/news/story.asp?StoryID=14413


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BOOK CORNER
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Three Dog Bakery Cookbook: Over 50 Recipes for All-Natural Paw-Lickin
Treats for Your Dog By:Dan Dye Mark Beckloff Three Dog Bakery
Our Price: $10.46
Retail Price: $14.95
Over 50 wholesome, healthy, simple-to-cook recipes for your pooch, from Hearty Hound Loaf and Banana Mutt Cookies to Hungry Mongrel Turkey Burgers and Fiesta Bones. Tasty tidbits for all occasions, from a midnight morsel when your pup has the minchies, to hearty dinner dishes when he comes home after a hard day Squirrel-chasing, and sumptuous treats for holidays and special occasions. All recipes are easy-to-bake for quick canine cuisine and made with tasty, all-natural and low-fat ingredients you'll have on hand in your kitchen.
http://bn.bfast.com/booklink/click?sourceid=12475608&bfpid=0836269195


The Complete Dog Book: A Comprehensive, Practical Care and Trainning Mannual, and a Definitive Encyclopedia od World Breeds By: Peter Larkin Mike Stockman John Daniels (Photographer)
Our Price: $20.96
Retail Price: $29.95
http://bn.bfast.com/booklink/click?sourceid=12475608&bfpid=1859673260


Dogs with Jobs: Working Dogs Around the World By: Merrily Weisbord Kim Kachanoff
Our Price: $17.46
Retail Price: $24.95
From the creators of the fascinating 13-part television series Dogs with Jobs comes an unsurpassed portrayal of the world's amazing working dogs, who accomplish incredible tasks in ways humans never could. Award-winning author Merrily Weisbord and veterinarian Kim Kachanoff (a mother-daughter team) profile the vital, gritty, heartwarming lives of these remarkable creatures in this brilliant volume-the ultimate treasure trove for dog lovers everywhere. Brimming with color and black-and-white photos Dogs with Jobs tells the true stories of those who rescue, detect, entertain, hunt, herd, protect, and serve for a living. You will be awestruck by the brave, dedicated, and loving acts of these astounding Dogs with Jobs.
http://bn.bfast.com/booklink/click?sourceid=12475608&bfpid=0671047353


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FEATURED SITE
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Petfinder
Petfinder is a giant database that lets you search for over 12,000 adoptable pets from almost 1,000 shelters. You just type in what kind of pet you want, its size, age, breed, and gender and it shows the closest shelter to your house with all your criteria matched. So go and visit, you just might find the "perfect pet!"
http://www.petfinder.org


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PRODUCT NEWS, REVIEWS, AND COUPONS
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Does you dog wear any kind of reflective items while taking a walk at night? A lot of dogs are hit by cars, not only by day, but by night. One way to protect your dog while taking a walk is reflective wear, like collars, jackets, bandanas, and leashes that have a special reflective coating over it. If you take your dog for walks at night, this is definitely worth getting!

To buy a reflective item or any other supplies that you need at PetsMart click the link below.
http://service.bfast.com/bfast/click/mid5327311?siteid=29704969