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The idea that it is natural for dogs to chew on bones is a popular one. Many comics feature a dog digging up the backyard in order to find the bone he hid earlier, only to find out he had already eaten it. Although most dogs greatly enjoy a good bone, it can be very dangerous for them and could cause a serious injury.

Whether the bone is large, small, beef or chicken, they have a tendency to cause more harm than they do good. Here are 10 ways bones can get your dog into some serious trouble:

1. Broken teeth – Repairing a dental fracture can be very costly, not to mention painful for your furry friend.

2. Mouth or tongue injuries – Bones can cause very bloody and messy injuries to the soft tissues in the mouth.

3. Bone gets looped around your dog’s lower jaw – This can be both frightening and painful for your dog.

4. Bone gets stuck in esophagus – When dogs are getting to the end of their bones they will often try to swallow the last bit of it even though it is still too big. This could result in the bone getting stuck in the esophagus. It is very important to see a veterinarian to have the bone removed as soon as possible.

5. Bone gets stuck in windpipe – This is especially dangerous as the bone now has the potential to completely cut off the breathing of your pet. Bones caught in the windpipe need to be removed immediately!

6. Bone gets stuck in stomach – It went down just fine, but now the bone is too big to pass into the intestines. This requires surgical removal of the bone.

7. Bone gets stuck the intestines – Bones can cause blockages in the GI tract which makes it hard for the body to properly digest other food coming in. This also requires surgery to remove the bone.

8. Constipation due to bone fragments – Bone fragments can be very sharp. This may cause your dog to have a hard time passing them. This can be extremely painful as the sharp edges of the bones can cause damage to the intestines and rectum.

9. Severe bleeding from the rectum – your dog may have been able to pass the bone this far but the sharp edges can cause serious damage to the rectum on the way out. This can be very messy and painful for your dog.

10. Peritonitis – This happens when bone fragments poke holes through the stomach or intestines causing a nasty bacterial infection that is very hard to treat. This requires immediate attention as peritonitis can be deadly.

^{This blog post was written by McQueen Animal Hospital, a veterinary clinic in Brampton providing quality affordable veterinary care}

With the arrival of the beautiful weather we have been having allergies. Many of us are all too familiar to the runny nose, red itchy eyes and sneezing that hits like a tonne of bricks when the weather gets nicer and the plants begin to bloom. However, what many people do not know, that even our furry friends can experience seasonal allergies.

Common Signs and Symptoms:

When we see dogs with seasonal allergies we look at three key areas: The Ears, Skin and Paws. Allergies in dogs usually present themselves in the form of skin inflammation or irritation. You may hear your veterinarian refer to this as “allergic dermatitis”. Allergic dermatitis often results in your dog’s skin becoming tremendously itchy. You may notice your dog scratching his ears, skin or even chewing at his paws. As a result from all of this scratching your dog’s skin will eventually become inflamed and sore to the touch. Hair loss, scabbing and skin lesions may also be a by-product of the scratching. Another sign of allergies are ear infections. You may notice a strong odor or even a discharge coming from your dogs ears, these are the tell tale signs that your dog has an ear infection.

Diagnosis:

Diagnosing seasonal allergies is often done by trial and error. This means that other causes of dermatitis such as yeast, bacterial infections, food allergies or parasites like fleas and ticks must be ruled out first. These rule outs can be done by doing cytology of the lesions, changing the diet, or checking for parasites. After the other causes of dermatitis are ruled out, blood tests can be done to help identify the specific allergens that are causing problems.

Management:

While environmental allergies are a lifelong condition, there are a few things we can do to manage the symptoms. Depending on the severity of the allergy dermatitis your veterinarian may recommend oral or topical medications, specialized shampoos or immune therapy.

^{This blog post was written by McQueen Animal Hospital, a veterinary clinic in Brampton providing quality affordable veterinary care}

The long days of summer are a great time to have — or be — a pet. But this glorious season for outdoor activities is not without its hazards. Knowing what to look out for is half the battle.

When enjoying the beautiful weather, we ask that you keep in mind the following:

Heat risks. Cats have enough sense to nap on warm afternoons, but dogs do not. If you let them, they’ll go where you do, even if it’s too hot. Dogs are not good at keeping themselves cool, and they rely on us to keep them out of trouble.

The fastest way to get your dog into trouble is to leave him in the car. Even a few minutes in a car on a warm day can kill a dog, so it’s best never to take a chance.

Limit exercise to the coolest part of the day, no matter how happy your dog is to participate when it’s warmer. Even in the cooler part of the day, watch for signs of trouble: glassy eyes and frantic panting indicate a dog who needs help. Brachcephalic breeds such as the Bulldog, Pug and Pekinese are at a particularly higher risk, as are older and overweight pets.

Gardening risks. Protect your pets from poisonous plants, troublesome garden materials or yard chemicals. Check with the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center (ASPCA.org/APCC) to be sure your plants are pet-safe, and put any ones that aren’t on the other side of a fence from your animals. Popular mulches made from cocoa hulls can be appealing to dogs, but some of these products have been shown to be hazardous. Again, if you use them, use them in areas off-limits to your pets.

Even the compost pile can be a problem, since some dogs learn the piles are a great source of food and will dig through to eat half-rotted materials. That’s a habit that could earn your pet a trip to the veterinarian, so keep the compost pile off-limits, too.

Finally, be sure to use any pesticides or fertilizers according to label directions, and let lawn chemicals dry before allowing your pet access to the yard. Snail and rodent bait can kill pets, so do not use it in areas where animals have access.

Poison risks. In addition to garden chemicals, other common products can present a grave risk to pets. Automotive coolant is deadly even in small amounts, so be sure to clean up all fluids completely and store all products carefully. Cleaners, solvents, paints, cleaners and pool supplies also need to be handled and stored properly.

Escape risks. With many children home from school and coming in and out of the house with friends, pets have more opportunity to slip out unnoticed and be lost.

The best way to deal with this risk is through prevention. Check your yard for loose or missing boards, and install self-closing mechanisms on all gates. Since leaving doors open seems a part of childhood, you may have difficulty getting help from the kids, but it’s certainly worth trying to get them to keep doors closed.

A collar and ID tag are always a good preventive measure and will help get your pet home if he’s lost.

Field risks. If your hiking takes you through open fields or wooded areas, be sure to check your dog afterward for foxtails and ticks. The spiky seed carrier of dried grasses, a foxtail will burrow deep into the ears or flesh of an animal, and it will need to be removed by a veterinarian if it gets in a place your pet can’t reach or is left to fester.

As for ticks, use tweezers or a tick-remover — not your hands — to get at these pests, pulling away from the tick head with strong, steady pressure. Dispose of the pest without touching it, and keep an eye on the spot for a few days to make sure no infection develops.

With a little bit of awareness, you and your pet will have nothing but enjoyment this summer.

A Careful Canada Day. Take the hazards of summer and add fireworks, and you have Canada Day, a scary and dangerous holiday for many pets.

If your pet finds fireworks terrifying, talk to your veterinarian now about tranquilizers that will help as the holiday gets closer. Many pet lovers also believe the homeopathic product Rescue Remedy, available in health-food stores, helps to calm a nervous pet.

Be sure your pets are secure when the noise begins — a quiet space indoors is ideal — because scared pets are more likely to escape the house or yard and be hit by cars or lost forever. Prepare for the worst by making sure your pets have collars and tags, and that you know where to go for holiday veterinary care.

^{This blog post was written by McQueen Animal Hospital, a veterinary clinic in Brampton providing affordable veterinary care}