Striegel Animal Hospital
Over 50 Years of Quality Medicine
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Something Special Award June 2010 Winner
Maya
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| Dear Helen... |
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Is it really important to have my dog's toenails trimmed? And how often should it be done? Yes, regular nail trims are important, and overgrown nails can lead to several problems. The most common problem occurs when your dog or gat gets a nail caught in something like carpeting or your clothing. Most of the time they can free themselves, but sometimes they will break the nail, which causes bleeding and pain. If your pet struggles too hard, s/he can get a muscle strain or sprain. Nail that grow too long can also cause the toes to spread into an uncomfortable position. Over time, they can cause deformities of the toes and foot, which can lead to arthritis. As your pet tries to compensate for the pain in his feet, he can put stress on other joints, which will also become painful. Many pets have nails that curl as they grow. If not trimmed regularly, those nails can curl under and pierce the bottoms of the toes. It's even possible for the nail to grow all the way through the toe until it comes out the top of the foot, and they usually become swollen and infected. Nails that have grown into the pad should be cut and pulled out by your veterinarian, who will flush the wounds and prescribe antibiotics to treat the infection. How often nails need to be trimmed depends on a couple of factors, such as how much exercise your pet is getting and how fast the nails are growing. Thus, surfaces like pavement, gravel and sand will help war the nails down naturally, and your pet may not need a nail trim at all. But if the most exercise your pet is getting is a short walk from the couch to his food bowl, a once-a-month nail trim will keep him from developing painfully overgrown nails.
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Dog School
Development and Socialization
There are five basic developmental stages in puppies: neonatal, transitional, socialization, juvenile and adult. During the neonatal period, the puppy is very limited in mobility. It will spend most of its time sleeping and nursing. The puppy is totally dependent on its mother. By the end of this time the puppy will begin to walk and its eyes and ears will open.
When the puppy enters the transitional period, the adult behavior patterns begin to appear. The puppy gains independence from its mother. Its sensory systems, i.e. tactile, visual, auditory and pain are developed.
The socialization period is one of rapid development of social patterns. Puppies begin exploring their environments. Pack behaviors begin to emerge and the puppies interact more with their littermates. This is a time when the puppy forms attachments to other animals, people, and places. Fear postures and increased startle responses occur during this time.
By the time the puppy enters the juvenile period, basic learning capacities appear to be fully developed. Environmental exploration increases during this time. By four months of age the speed of learning begins to slow because previous learning begins to interfere with new learning.
The socialization period starts at 19 days of age through 12 weeks. Before initiating contact with the outside world, make sure your puppy is fully vaccinated. Avoid contact with dogs of unknown health or vaccination history. Be sure to keep your puppy on a leash for safety reasons. Do not delay socializing a puppy. This portion of the puppy's training can't wait.
The purpose of socializing a puppy is to develop a friendly and confident adult dog. In order to do this, the puppy should be exposed to different situations, environments, people and other animals. Bring the puppy with you in the car as often as possible, so that the puppy can become comfortable with traveling. Remember to never leave an animal in the car during hot weather! Expose your puppy to a variety of sounds. Proper socialization will eliminate fear-based anxiety and develop a confident, relaxed, well-adjusted dog that is welcomed by all and a joy to live with.
The following are a series of dog classes that are hosted by Striegel Animal Hospital.
Puppy Classes
Date/Time: First and Third Tuesday evening at 6:00 P.M.
This class is designed for the puppy, 6 to 16 weeks old. Emphasis for this class is basic puppy issues: socialization, crate training, housebreaking, chewing, etc. The method of reward-based training is introduced. The puppies begin learning some basic manners, such as "sit," "stay," and walking on a leash. this class provides an excellent opportunity for the puppy to socialize with other puppies and people. Socialization is critically important for the young puppy's growth into a confident and friendly adult dog. This class is provided at no cost to our patients and their families.
Sluggo's High Five!