Karen's Canine Kitchen

Toxic Foods - Part 4

Hi <<First Name>>,  This month's newsletter continues our series on toxic foods.  We will be concluding this topic next month and including information on what you should do if you suspect your pet has eaten these foods.   In case you have missed any of these issues, we have posted links to an archive on the home page of our website.
 
Coffee
Coffee grounds and beans have caffeine which is potentially toxic to dogs. Caffeine will over stimulate the central nervous system and the symptoms are similar to chocolate toxicity.  Those symptoms include excitability, hyperactivity, muscle twitching, excessive panting, vomiting and diarrhea.

Grapes & Raisins
Grapes and raisins are both toxic to dogs especially when eaten in large quantities and can result in kidney failure. Symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea. Severe kidney symptoms will begin about 24 hours after the grapes/raisins have been consumed.   The amount of grapes resulting in poisoning varies but according to vets it is between 0.41 and 1.1 oz per kilogram of body weight. Because of the possibility of death, vets at the ASPCA poison control center recommend aggressive treatment including inducing vomiting, stomach pumping and administering activated charcoal and IV fluid therapy for at least 48 hours. 

Excessive Fatty Foods
The pancreas is an important organ that produces enzymes. These enzymes break down foods into molecules the body can digest. These enzymes are handled by the pancreas in order to prevent them from damaging the pancreas itself or surrounding tissue. When these self-protective mechanisms break down for any reason, the result is leakage of enzymes which damages the pancreas and any surrounding tissue they reach. This breakdown is called pancreatitis.

Excessive amounts of fatty foods can cause pancreatitis. Symptoms include abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea. Your dog may show that it is in pain through a hunched posture when picked up. Miniature and toy poodles, cocker spaniels and miniature schnauzers are especially prone to pancreatitis.

Pancreatitis can be acute and only occur once in a dog's lifetime or it can become chronic and keep returning over and over again.  It can rapidly kill a dog or just be a mild attack of pain that goes away in a few hours or a day or so. It can also cause numerous side effects, including shock, blood clotting disorders, heart arrhythmias, liver or kidney damage and death.

A Warning for Small Dog Owners
Last month I ran across an article in Scientific American regarding a warning about popular flea and tick products.  The powerful poisons in these products can endanger dogs and cats.  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will require new instructions and labeling for flea products.  If you have small dogs (under 20 pounds) you may want to read the article.  Here is the link - www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm
Choking
You and your pet are at the dog park having a wonderful time playing fetch.   Suddenly, Fido starts to paw at his face or throat, is having trouble breathing, trying to cough and becoming frantic.  Pets can choke if an object gets lodged in their throat.  What do you do? 
  • First, pry open their mouth and look for the object.  If you can see it, reach in and try to dislodge it.  Don't reach for it if you can't see it.  Dogs have small bones that support their tongues which could be mistaken for a foreign object. 
  • You can also pick small dogs up by the hind legs, with their head hanging down.   With large dogs, lift the back legs.  Gravity may help dislodge the object.
  • If those do not work, try a few sharp blows between the shoulder blades with the palm of your hand.
  • Finally, you can try a modified Heimlich Maneuver.
The Heimlich Maneuver in dogs is very similar to the maneuver in humans. 
  • Pick your dog up with their back to your torso.
  • Make a fist and place it just behind the ribs with your other hand covering your fist.
  • Compress your dog's abdomen with 3 to 5 quick pushes.
  • Check to see if the object is dislodged.
You can repeat this one or two times.  Be prepared to administer rescue breathing or CPR and take your pet to the Vet immediately.  A visit to the vet is recommended even if you do dislodge the object.  There may be internal injuries.  Below is a link to a very helpful video on just how to perform this maneuver.  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xm2WSjlg0MA&NR=1

Upcoming Events
On May 7, we will be back at Street Fest.  Magnolia Street in downtown Eustis is closed to traffic for a street party.  Enjoy live entertainment on 3 stages, Artists’ Row, kids’ venues, food court, soft drinks, beer, wine and margaritas.  6pm-10pm.  It's free and pet-friendly.   

Saturday, April 17 will be the last Leesburg Saturday Morning Market of this season.  We'll see everyone again in October when next season opens.

Our vending schedule is getting busy so we needed a central location just to keep everyone updated.  We've added a new page to our website, the Events page, to accomplish that.   Visit often, it is updated regularly.
You are receiving this email because have subscribed to our newsletter at our website or in person.

Unsubscribe <<Email Address>> from this list.

Our mailing address is:
Karen's Canine Kitchen
110 S 5th Street
352-729-3302
Leesburg, FL 34748

Add us to your address book

Our web address is:
www.karensk9kitchen.com

Copyright (C) 2012 Karen's Canine Kitchen All rights reserved.

Forward this email to a friend
Update your profile
Email Marketing Powered by MailChimp