Fun with Pus

As a veterinarian, I daily come into contact with many different unsavory bodily fluids. Vomit, drool, diarrhea, pus...the list goes on. Drool's my least fave because it tends to cling to everything and anything. It's slimy and gross. The worst is when big, drooly dogs come into the exam room and shake their heads, coating everything within a 4 foot radius with the nasty stuff. It ain't easy to clean off of glasses!

Today I had a bouncy little dog in for the removal of the stitches I had placed during his castration surgery. The dog was accompanied by a young boy (equally as bouncy as his pet) and his father. On examination of the surgical site, I noticed a small pustule about 1/2 inch in diameter near one end of the healed incision. Turns out the dog had been licking the area extensively during the healing process, even though the owner had been warned about this when the dog went home. As the pustule seemed to be superficial, I decided to drain it and clean up the area. A good firm squeeze of the swelling sent a tiny spray of pus jetting across the exam room, missing the boy's face by mere inches. His eyes widened and he pronounced the whole episode to be, "Cool!".

See? Pus can be fun!

Timber the Chewie Whore

There's no polite way to put it. I have discovered that Timber the samoyed is a chewie whore.

I've been feeling quite under the weather lately and, as a result, have been spending as much time huddled under the covers as time will allow. Last night was no exception. I was feeling rather sorry for myself when Timber, uncharacteristically, jumped onto the bed and crawled his way across it until he was snuggled up next to me, his head under my arm. "Awww", I thought. Timber understands that I'm not feeling well and is trying in his doggy way to do what he can. I'm so naive. However, I'm not to be blamed, because Timber was demonstrating a level of subtly formally unknown to him.

As I gave him scritches, he turned himself over onto his back, stretching himself with little grunts and groans. Ok, this was pushing it, even for Timber. He has a massive coat and usually finds about 2 minutes on the bed more than he can handle before he gets too warm. Then a lightbulb, albeit a dim one, went on above my head. Toby was on the floor beside us, chewing on a piece of rawhide he'd managed to scrounge somewhere in the house. Timber didn't have one. Timber kept shooting glances at Toby whilst nudging me yet again. Darn it. In no way was my dog acting on his Lassie-like need to succor an ailing loved one. He just wanted a flippin' chewie! To test my theory I said, "Chewie?" Off the bed in a flash, I found him in the kitchen sitting eagerly next to the pantry door where said chewies are stored. Nice. My dog has learned to prostitute himself for treats.

Paws in Print

This is the first in a series of reposts of articles I wrote for the local paper:

The Take on Teeth

Imagine not brushing your teeth for a year. Your friends stop dropping by. People give you horrified looks as they pass you on the sidewalk. Neighbours leave bottles of mouthwash in your mailbox. You've got bad breath. It hurts to eat because your gums are sore and a couple of your teeth are loose. You feel generally sick because bacteria from an infection in your mouth have spread through your bloodstream, wreaking havoc on your kidneys and the rest of your body.

A lot of people have imagined themselves in their pet's shoes (or paws!). In the past, we've never really considered the dental health of our pets. Wolves and tigers don't brush, right? They also don't have meals placed in front of them in handy-dandy kibble form!

Dental care is an important part of looking after your dog or cat. At each yearly physical, your veterinarian will examine your pet's teeth to determine the amount of tartar present and for the presence of gum disease. Dentistry may be recommended. This involves the scaling and polishing of all the teeth while your pet is under anesthetic. Extractions can be done if necessary.

If possible, you should brush your pet's teeth on a daily basis. I admit I'm a bit lax and only manage it about once a week. Some pets love it! Icey, once of my Samoyeds, starts to drool as soon as I get out the toothpaste. Tundra puts up a fuss, but eventually gives in with a big sigh when he realizes I'm not going to give up. You need to use a toothpaste formulated for pets, as regular paste can cause stomach upset. If you have a puppy or kitten, start brushing their teeth now so that they'll get used to it. With an adult pet, you may need to start with a 'finger' toothbrush. It fits over the top of your finger and tends to be less 'scary' to an animal than a big brush.

Special 'tartar control' diets are available from your veterinarian which are designed to remove plaque while being eaten. Rawhides and other chewies are good for gums and teeth. Just make sure you keep an eye on your dog while he's eating them. A lot of dogs are gluttons and will literally bite off more than they can chew!