Thanksgiving Day Doggie
Great Thanksgiving dog photos from: http://fiestythree.blogspot.com/2011/11/friday-thanksgiving-funnies.html
Our furry friends are only one of the things to which we should give thanks today – the way they make us laugh, comfort us when we are down, get us out of the house when we are lazy… But Thanksgiving is also a day that we must keep a careful eye on our canines to keep them from sureptitiously getting themselves in to trouble. As we gorge ourselves with holiday treats, it’s natural to want our dogs to join in the smorgasbord. Unfortunately, a giant meal of human food has the potential to cause serious harm. How?
THE BLOAT…and not just the undo-your-belt feeling most of us will have this evening.
Bloat in dogs is a life-threatening condition that develops suddenly in normally healthy dogs, often after eating a large meal, drinking a lot of water immediately after eating, or going for a vigorous romp before or after a meal.
Classic signs of bloat include restlessness, pacing, salivation, attempts to vomit, and a distended abdomen. In some cases, the abdomen doesn’t distend, but the belly feels tight, like a drum, and makes a hollow sound if lightly thumped (and probably a whine or groan from your pup). In other cases, the dog will be lethargic rather than anxious and distressed. These symptoms all precede more serious signs – including pale gums and tongue, rapid heart rate or weak pulse, rapid and labored breathing, weakness, and collapse – that indicate impending shock.
Dogs with deep, barrel-chests are more prone to bloat than smaller dogs. The Great Dane, German Shepherd Dog, St. Bernard, Labrador Retriever, Irish Wolfhound, Great Pyrenees, Boxer, Weimaraner, Old English Sheepdog, Irish Setter, Collie, Bloodhound, and Standard Poodle are all high risk. Smaller dogs like the Shar-Pei, Basset Hound, and Dachshunds are also vulnerable to bloat.
If your dog is showing any of these signs this holiday, take them to the vet immediately, do not hesitate! Time is of the essence in cases of bloat and can mean the difference between a happy Thanksgiving and a devastating one.
And don’t forget to keep an eye on turkey bones around your mutt. Cooked bones can splinter and get stuck in your dog’s throat or lacerate his insides with their sharp ends. If you don’t want to see those turkey bones go to waste, you can put them in a pressure cooker for 10-15 minutes, making the bones so soft that they will crumble rather than splinter when your dog ingests them.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your dog!
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