The Pet CPR & First Aid Instructor Takes The Pet CPR & First Aid Class

On Thursday 11/08/12 I attended a Pet CPR and 1st Aid class in Newton. Now, I know those of your that know me are saying, “huh, aren’t you already a certified instructor”? Yes I am but I saw this class pop up on one of my many dog club related emails and I wanted to take it for several reasons: first and foremost it was being taught by a local veterinarian and I wanted to make certain that the information I was teaching my students was indeed current, correct and appropriate. I also wanted to see if I would learn something new and lastly not going to lie I like networking.

The class was taught by Dr. Kate Wissel, DVM. Dr. Wissel just left her job as an emergency room veterinarian at Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital in Woburn, MA. While she loved the ER she also loves her family, which she was not seeing a lot of working the grueling hours of the ER. Dr. Wissel will soon be at Commonwealth Vet as an associate veterinarian.

The first portion of the two-part class that she taught last Thursday night was extremely informative and mirrored what I teach in my class. I did learn a few cool factoids like I had set out to do and one of them was about the Boston Mycological Club. There is a group of mushroom geeks that will help give you information about any mushrooms that your pup may ingest. Just take a picture with your smartphone and email them. I thought that was worth mentioning.

I also learned from a veterinarian’s perspective what I already knew from a pet care provider’s perspective; people panic and bring their pets to the emergency vet for silly reasons. If your dog has a tick, don’t go to the ER, if your dog threw up once don’t rush to the ER and she begged, by all means if your pet got skunked DON”T BRING THEM TO THE ER!

Another great tip I took away from this class was about The State of Massachusetts Animal Response Team, or SMART. SMART is a “network of organizations, agencies, and individuals committed to responding to the needs of the animal population in disaster situations throughout Massachusetts”. I had just been sending people to the MSPCA web site or even the ASPCA. Now I was aware of a state organization that can help us in times of natural disasters or other states of emergency.

The class was mostly comprised of Newton dog-owning residence who wanted to make sure they were doing the best by their dogs. It is always wonderful to meet people who want to learn how to improve their pets lives while at the same time it was fantastic to see the veterinarian’s side. It is possible to improve your pet’s lives while avoiding driving a veterinarian nuts or bleeding your wallet dry.

So this Thursday Dr. Wissel will teach us how to perform basic first aid and CPR. She asked us to bring a stuffed animal from home, I volunteered to bring my CPR dogs, it will save us the hassle from trying to figure out where the dog’s heart will be on our stuffed toy elephant. I’m excited to continue to learn more and refine my skills.

Sexy Seniors

On September 30th most of the original Active Paws crew headed out to Hopkinton State Park for the annual Boxer Bash party hosted by The Boxer Rescue. It was a rainy cold Autumn day that brought out 10’s of rain-coated Boxers and their adoring owners. Over $1400 was raised for the rescue, one of the most successful single-breed events I have ever attended and on such a dismal day.

Among those Boxers that attended the event I saw a lot of white-faced seniors milling around collecting cookie bounties and pets from anyone that would doll them out. I noticed the seniors were a bit more sly than the youngsters. The young pups would jump and bark at people, overtly misbehaving so that their humans would give them a command then reward for doing a good job. The seniors had it all figured out and rather than be bad to start with, they would saunter up to an unsuspecting cookie-wielding human and just give the look. You know that look;

Tank, giving Kelly one of the directors of the Boxer Rescue the “beg face”

The foundation dogs of Active Paws are Boxers, so we have a natural affinity towards the breed, but just as the business creeps towards its 10 year anniversary so have many of the Active Paws pets. As humans we generally think of youth as the cornerstone of health, beauty and all that we strive for with the millions spent on beauty products that make us look younger. With dogs however, I have found myself drawn to the seniors, the older the more I want to squeeze them! With Boxer’s especially they get that white face that never lies it shows the life of the dog through the peppery white hairs to the clouding eyes that say, ‘love me harder, hold me closer and you know what, let me get away with it because I’m old!’

Tank won “Sexiest Senior” at the Boxer Bash, he’s pictured here at another rescue event sporting his blue ribbon

I’m not exactly sure how my love of senior dogs manifested but I pickup the pace every time I see one. I get down on my knees and beg for them to come lean into me. I just want to shower them with love. Don’t get me wrong, I love the young-ins but they get all the attention. Seniors need and deserve that little bit more.

As dogs age, just like with humans they need different care. This means feeding better nutrition, paying close attention to any growths that show up, checking out their teeth more frequently, paying close attention to any lameness and of course making life easier/less stressful on their bodies.

According to the AVMA, approximately 40% of dogs seen by veterinarians are 6 years or older, remember, old age is not a condition or disease, its a stage in life. We would care for a puppy differently than a 4 year old dog so please think closely about what could better your 10 year old’s life. Aging occurs slowly and almost imperceptibly over time for our pets, try and be objective and proactive, finding a limp or a lump too late can be devastating for you and your pet.

Its fun and a great bonding experience to help improve the quantity of your senior pet’s life. I teach a Pet First Aid and CPR Class where we learn how to do a “Snout to Tail” assesment. Basically you methodically go over your pet’s body checking everything snout to tail. My 10 year old thinks its the longest best message of his life!

Just this morning after a quick snout to tail to figure out why my boy had some pain trembles going on I gave Tank a puzzle toy. A younger dog would have this all over the place in a second but Tank systematically worked on getting each plug out to methodically lick out the treats stowed underneath. He thoroughly enjoyed the toy and I was tickled pink watching him.

I know some people see the white in their pet’s faces but don’t see any of their age, I used to be one of these people until I really stepped back and took a long hard look at my dogs. If your pets show any of these signs, its time to get them to the vet!

• Difficulty chewing food

• Ulcers, lumps or masses

• Increased water intake

• Change in weight

• Difficulty in getting up

• Bad or foul breath

• Intolerance to temperature changes

• Aggression

• Incontinence

• Change in appetite

• Excessive panting

• Stiffness in joints

• Hearing or sight loss

• Sleeping more

• Decrease in activity

• Change in behavior

Senior pets should see the vet more frequently regardless of any apparent issues. Vital organs can start to head south very quickly, its better to catch an issue early before it causes discomfort or worse, death to your pet. Plus, older pets have a reduced ability to withstand the effects of infection, injury or disease. They need our help more. Kidney disease is the #1 killer in cats, #2 for dogs (heart is #1 in dogs).

Also how is your pet’s gate? Do they walk with a slight limp or are they noticeably stiff when first getting up? Consider joint supplements like Joint Mobility from Wholistic Pet Organics. I noticed a big change in my 10 year old’s flexibility.

So the long and short of my sexy senior rant is don’t be afraid to pay close attention to the older feline and canine companions out there. They might not chase after the laser pointer or retrieve the ball like they used to but they deserve even more of your time and attention; after all, they have spent the larger portion of their lives loving a human so love them back greater. Also if you’re looking to adopt and look over the senior pet because they wont be with you as long, keep in mind they will appreciate your time and attention so much more.

I wanted to take some time to share with you some of the white faces with whom we have had the pleasure to share our days.

In this video link is our friend Lexi, she is 12.5 years young! https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=519568240005

October at Active Paws Pet Supply

It’s October! And we wouldn’t be the pet supply store we are if we didn’t have pet costumes. Right now, we offer lobster, spider, skunk and skeleton costumes, as well as adorable themed plush toys!

We have several great specials going on, including 15% off of Mutt Nose Best shampoos and conditioners. The scents include Green Tea & Lemon Lime, Fresh Ginger Mint, Rosemary & Peppermint and more. You’ll have the best smelling dog at the dogpark!

Does your dog like canned dog food? Consider purchasing our discontinued lines, which, while perfectly healthy foods, we have decided to discontinue in favor of other yummy canned dog foods. Discounted canned foods include various Wellness canned foods, Innova, Merrick Puppy, Natural Balance, Taste of the Wild, Solid Gold, Canidae, Before Grain and Holistic Select.

Our bargain bin, located to the right of the register on the floor, is a great place to find deals on many discontinued product and canned foods that were dented during shipping. You can get as much as 50% off of our normal price. The bargain bin currently contains dental health items, soft paws, grooming items, food supplements, a toy or two, and more.

 

We’re also offering 15% off of all cat toys and accessories, so don’t forget Kitty!

 

Pawtastic Up Coming Events

If we had a bigger store you know Active Paws would be hosting a myriad of rescue events but we are restricted to our tiny location. Don’t worry, plans are in the works to expand but until then, besides hosting events, our favorite charitable past time is to attend them.

Active Paws will be making their rounds at these up coming events. Please feel free to meet up with us or even just find us to say hello. Our very own founding dog Tank will be making his first public event debut in his Eddie’s Wheels cart! He’s got a great license plate and loves to say hello to friends. We will do our best to have baby wipes ready, he’s a very kissy boy 🙂 Hope to see some of you at all or some of these wonderful fall events.

Active Paws will have a booth at The Boxer Rescue‘s Boxer Bash this Sunday September 30th at the Hopkinton State Park from 12-5

Friends of Attleboro Animal Shelter 9th Annual Harvest Fest Saturday October 6th at the Attleboro Animal Shelter from 10-3

Buddy Dog Humane Society’s Woofstock Saturday October 14th at the Hudson Elks Pavilion from 11-4 

Come join in all the fun, bring your well behaved pups, support local rescues and vendors.

Tire Tracks and Paw Prints on My Heart

In the early Spring of 2010 an incredible little Sato dog and his remarkable owner literally rolled into my life. Baxter and Tracey Goodwin proudly came into my pet supply store and it was on that day that my journey in the animal community took a miraculous turn. A turn that would open my heart, my mind and my soul to sharing one’s life with a cart dog.

I am a person that firmly believes things happen for a reason. It had been barely a month since my own 7 year old Boxer Dozer was diagnosed with a paralyzing disease called degenerative myelopathy. I knew Baxter and Tracey entered our world for a reason but I never knew until now how much they would mean to me, an entire community and to many internationally.

Introducing: Pounds for Pups!

The opening paragraph of a Paws 2 Care Coalition blog states, “Canine obesity is one of the fastest growing health problems seen in dogs today. As with people, obesity can lead to a variety of diseases, disorders and other complications in dogs. In a 2008 study, the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention estimated that 44% of U.S. dogs were overweight or obese.”

That was in 2008…4 years ago. I can assure you from the pups waddling into our store, that number has not gone down. For those of you that have been with Active Paws over the years you know that I am nothing short of passionate about your pooch’s weight. While I struggle with my own food demons, the svelte waistline of my own dogs and those that I care for, comes first.