Tag Archives: dog owners

I don’t understand…

Posted on June 11, 2016 | 2 comments

I often chat with my human clients (the ones who pay the bills) when working on their dog. This week, one my clients and I were chatting about her dog’s nutrition plan.  She mentioned that her neighbor was feeding a cheap food that wasn’t balanced.  And more importantly, he didn’t seem to care.

She said “I don’t understand why people get dogs, say they love them, and then don’t bother to feed a quality food.”

I, of course, agreed.

And then I got to thinking about the other things I don’t understand:

  • I don’t understand why some people get a dog and then never let it live inside the house with them and their family.
  • I don’t understand why dog owners think ‘cheap’ anything is appropriate for their dog’s health and well-being.
  • I don’t understand why people adopt puppies and then don’t take them to puppy training classes.
  • I don’t understand why people adopt older dogs and don’t invest the time to train them.
  • I don’t understand why anyone things it’s okay to hit a dog, or neglect it.
  • I don’t understand why some dog owners don’t take their dog out for daily exercise and enrichment.
  • I don’t understand why some people don’t accept their lifetime responsibility to their animal.
  • I don’t understand why people don’t spay or neuter their dog (and then some put it up for adoption and expect the new owner to do it).
  • I don’t understand why some people have children and then say they have to re-home their dog because they are too busy – the dog was there first.
  • I don’t understand why, when their dog is in pain or injured, the owner goes onto Facebook for advice rather than taking their dog to the vet (with urgency).

Daisy in sunshine 2014IMG_0577

I have been lucky enough to have some incredible dogs in my life (above are Daisy (now deceased) and Izzy (my retired racing greyhound).  I proudly say that they have always come first.

Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand

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What a veterinarian and a dog massage therapist have in common

Posted on January 7, 2016 | Leave a comment

I came across an article recently which was a sort of a “Vets Tell You What They Really Think” piece.  It listed 50 things that the veterinarian would love to say, but can’t, because it would be either too forward or too unprofessional (or both).

One of these really stood out for me:

“Here’s a pet peeve: owners who don’t want to pay for diagnostic tests but then cop an attitude because you don’t know what’s wrong with the animal. Since you wouldn’t let me do the blood work or X-rays, how the heck do you expect me to know?”—A vet in South Carolina.

I’m in total agreement with this vet.  If we don’t have a diagnosis how are we able to help?

Believe it or not, I get contacted fairly regularly from people who want me to come and work on their dog because they don’t want to pay for x-rays or other tests.  In such cases, I tell them politely that I need a diagnosis to be able to confidently work with their animal.  The risk is too high that, for example, if the dog has spinal injury I can make it worse rather than better.

Costs for veterinary care can be high, but you pay for the skills and the tools that are available to a veterinarian.  The vet is your dog’s equivalent of the Family Doctor/General Practitioner and sometimes the Emergency Room Doctor combined.  Your dog needs them!

dog and vet

There are times I’ve been caught.  Such as the case where the owners said x-rays had been taken and we worked for quite a few weeks on the dog only to suffer setbacks.  The owners were getting frustrated.   I suggested other things within my scope of practice and I recommended they go back to the vet.

That’s when I found out that the owner had only allowed the vet to take a single x-ray to save money.  The x-ray didn’t reveal anything in the lower spine and so the vet  assumed a partial tear of the cruciate based solely on symptoms.  And that’s the diagnosis I was working with, too.

When the owners returned to the vet, they were persuaded to do more scans and that’s when the problem (and a totally different diagnosis) was determined.

In the end, these owners probably spent more money than they saved.  And  their dog walked around with an injury that was even more difficult to address.

My advice to owners is to only bring a dog into your life when you are confident that you can pay for their care (and that’s means more than just vaccinations, food and flea treatments).  And if you have concerns about your ability to pay for injuries and illness – get pet insurance.  Some policies even cover costs of complementary care such as dog massage when these treatments are recommended by your vet.

I know that some owners like the idea of setting aside money regularly; my concern is that you would have to be setting fairly large amounts aside regularly for a bank balance with compounding interest to reach into the thousands.  And that’s what some of my clients face when surgeries and special procedures are needed.

Your vet is an essential part of your health care team.  We all need a solid diagnosis to help your dog feel better.

Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand

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Wet wipe management in dog care

Posted on July 12, 2015 | Leave a comment

Hitting the news this week has been an announcement from a number of local authorities in New Zealand warning about the disposal of wet wipes.  I and many other dog owners use these wipes; I’ve particularly found them useful for senior dog care when little accidents and dribbles happen on a regular basis.

I admit that I have dutifully bought wipes labelled ‘flushable’ like these thinking they were safe to flush.

wet wipes

And now I find out that wet wipes are clogging the public sewer system, increasing the costs to maintain the system and potentially raising the costs which will ultimately come back to us as ratepayers.

The problem is that, once flushed, these wipes aggregate together and clog around pumping systems and piping.

Clogged sewer pipes - thanks to wet wipes

Clogged sewer pipes – thanks to wet wipes (photo by Marlborough District Council)

Wet wipes clogging the pumping system (photo by Marlborough District Council)

Wet wipes clogging the pumping system (photo by Marlborough District Council)

 

 

 

 

 

So I’m putting up this blog post as part of the educational process.  All wet wipes -for babies, dogs and cleaning – shouldn’t be flushed no matter what the label says!

If you are buying ‘flushable’ wipes, maybe you can write to the company and ask that they stop marketing their wipes as ‘flushable’ since this description is misleading.

Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, Canine Catering Ltd, Christchurch, New Zealand

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The benefits of being dog-friendly (Christchurch take note)

Posted on September 4, 2014 | Leave a comment

Here’s more research that backs up my position on dogs and the Christchurch rebuild.  Hopefully the CCDU and CERA will take note…

A study from the University of Liverpool has recommended investing in dog owner education and facilities as a strategy to target physical inactivity and problems such as obesity in both people and their pets.

The research team reviewed scientific papers published since 1990 (31 studies from the UK, USA, Australia and Japan) and found that access to dog-friendly walking environments and better education about dogs’ physical needs could all motivate people to get out and take more exercise with their pets.

An exercised dog is a healthy one, less likely to be obese, and who is less likely to develop behavioural problems like aggression and excessive barking. 

Among the most common findings of all studies was that dog owners have a varied understanding of how much exercise their dog needs. This affected how much they took their dog for a walk; something that could be addressed with education programs.

People without access to high quality local areas that support dog walking, for example parks where dogs are allowed off-leash and poo-disposal facilities are provided, were less likely to walk with their dog and missed out on the associated health benefits.

“There are a large number of reasons why people do or don’t walk their dog and it is worth considering how we can address this when designing strategies for reducing obesity, or when planning urban areas and public open space. Not being able to let their dog off the leash is a particular put-off,” said Dr Carri Westgarth, co-author of the study.

Study authors Dr Carri Westgarth and Dr Hayley Christian take an off-lead walk (photo courtesy of University of Liverpool)

Study authors Dr Carri Westgarth and Dr Hayley Christian take an off-lead walk (photo courtesy of University of Liverpool)

“The study also found that some people are worried about their dogs’ behaviour and may be less likely to take it out to the park – potentially out of embarrassment or worry about how it might act – but lack of walks may also be causing this bad behaviour, due to boredom, frustration or lack of socialisation.”

When I submitted to the CCDU in November 2012, I made the point that by having greater accessibility, owners have more opportunity to take dogs out – and that increases opportunity not only for exercise but also socialisation.   We want good ownership to be more visible in our communities – thus making it the norm.  Poor ownership would also be more visible – and subject to peer pressure combined with enforcement approaches.

Let’s have a dog-friendly central city with walking accessibility from one end to the other!

Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, Canine Catering Ltd, Christchurch, New Zealand

Source:  University of Liverpool media release

 

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Service dog fraud

Posted on August 15, 2014 | Leave a comment

There’s a worrying and growing trend in the United States.  It’s Service Dog Fraud – when dog owners purchase fake service dog vests and then take their dogs into public places.

Under the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, people with service animals must be allowed access to public places.  This is the Department of Justice’s definition of a service animal:

“Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Examples of such work or tasks include guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack, or performing other duties. Service animals are working animals, not pets. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability.”

Yet, the sale of fake service dog products is unregulated.  On a recent flight through Los Angeles International Airport, the volunteers in their PUPs programme told me that they regularly see fake service dogs at the airport.  They can be spotted a mile away – dogs that are clearly pets with behaviors that are not characteristic of true service dogs doing things like jumping on people or stealing food.

CBS News has covered this type of fraud, which is causing people with genuine disabilities to be questioned about their right to enter establishments with their service dog:

Canine Companions for Independence is asking dog owners to take a pledge to stop service dog fraud.  You can take this pledge by clicking here. 

I encourage you to sign the pledge and circulate it to your friends and relatives.  If you know of someone who is illegally passing their dog off as a service dog, please ask them to stop and help them to understand what problems they are causing.

See also my earlier post on the sale of fake service dog products

Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, Canine Catering Ltd, Christchurch, New Zealand

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Trends in US travel for dog owners

Posted on May 10, 2014 | Leave a comment

DogVacay, the online site the connects dog parents who need home dog boarding, pet sitting and day care with qualified caregivers, has released its second annual State of U.S. Pet Travel survey.

dogs and travelIt shows that dog parents still face obstacles when needing or wanting to travel.

For example:

  • 60% of dog owners say arranging accommodation for their dog adds complexity to travel planning
  • 34% of owners say they often struggle to find a pet sitter when they need to travel at short notice
  • 22% of owners have delayed or skipped a planned vacation because of challenges in arranging care for their dog(s)
  • 50% say finding a good kennel or pet sitter has affected planning for their vacation
  • Another three in ten (27%) say financial challenges such as kennel fees or paying a pet deposit at a hotel have impacted their vacation plans

Also, 46% of dog owners agree that worrying about their dog(s) while they’re away makes it harder to enjoy their trip (I admit that I worry about Daisy when I have to travel for work or vacation, even when I have made arrangements for her care with reputable caregivers).

What’s your travel story?

 

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Is Your Veterinarian Being Honest With You? | Video – ABC News

Posted on November 28, 2013 | 1 comment

One of the things I try to do through this blog and my column in NZ Dog World magazine is to educate dog owners.  This item, from ABC News in the United States, gives you some food for thought.

The key messages are:

1) Be an educated dog owner about health care

2) Ask knowledgeable questions about recommended procedures (including vaccinations)

3) Understand that some practices market procedures (up-selling) to increase sales

And the subtle one for me is really to develop a working relationship with your vet.  I believe that most vets are ethical and are willing to have an intelligent conversation with you.  But, it’s up to you to be the steward of your dog’s care.  You are the one who says ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to all treatments given to your dog.

Is Your Veterinarian Being Honest With You? | Video – ABC News.

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Doggy pedicures?

Posted on August 16, 2013 | 2 comments

It’s important to keep your dog’s nails trimmed to avoid injury to their paws and general irritation.  Some dog owners find that walking on urban/suburban pavements means that the only real concern is the dew claws.  Other owners, such as those on lifestyle blocks and farms, find that their dogs need regular nail clipping.

But beyond that – do our dogs want/need pedicures?

I’m talking decorative colouring of the nails.  Products like this one from Warren London – Pawdicure Pens – which decorate the nails in colours…

Pawdicure pens from Warren London come in a variety of colours

Pawdicure pens from Warren London come in a variety of colours

I love my dog and I love to include her in my daily life and activities.  But would I colour her nails?  Never!!!  I think that is over to the top and exposes her to chemicals she doesn’t need.  Looks like this one don’t excite me:

Dog nail polish photo

What do you think?  Would you polish your dog’s nails in colours and designs?   If so, why?

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Helping pet owners make tough choices

Posted on June 15, 2013 | 1 comment

When your dog becomes seriously ill, it’s your job as the owner to make decisions about quality of life.  And it’s one of the toughest decisions we face during our lives.

Researchers at Michigan State University  are developing a new tool to help people assess their pet’s quality of life, a key factor in decisions about when to order life-prolonging procedures and when an animal’s suffering means it’s time to put them to sleep.

The research team, led by veterinarian Maria Iliopoulou, created a survey to help dog owners monitor the quality of life of 29 dogs undergoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer.   The owners completed the questionnaire when they received their dog’s cancer diagnosis and answered questions about how their dog was behaving then and how they behaved six months prior to the diagnosis.

Similar questions were asked in questionnaires administered at three and six weeks into chemotherapy. Meanwhile, the veterinarians treating the dogs filled out shorter surveys based on their observations.   The research team wanted to see if owners and clinicians agreed.

The research found that there was a close match between owners and vets, particularly in questions involving play behaviour, the dog’s happiness as perceived by the owner and clinical signs of disease.  These areas of commonality create the basis for a tool that will help to facilitate client and vet communication.  If there’s agreement about what constitutes quality of life, then it is these criteria that owners and vets should use to help agree on next steps for the dog’s care.

For the study, dog owners completed a questionnaire at the time of diagnosis about how the animal was behaving then and how they typically behaved six months prior. Follow-up questionnaires filled out three and six weeks later documented changes in behavior as the dogs underwent chemo. Meanwhile, the veterinarians filled out shorter surveys based on their observations. – See more at: http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2013/helping-pet-owners-make-tough-choices/#sthash.aUqdUd6n.dpuf
Dr Iliopoulou and her dog Rocky (photo by G L Kohuth)

Dr Iliopoulou and her dog Rocky (photo by G L Kohuth)

The research team has published their results in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.  All dogs were patients at the Michigan State University Animal Cancer Care Clinic.  The plan is to expand the work using a much larger sample size of patients and Iliopoulou hopes to develop questionnaires for dogs suffering from other diseases as well.

Source:  Michigan State University media statement

ichigan State University researchers are developing a new tool to help people assess their ailing pets’ quality of life, a key factor in decisions about when to order life-prolonging procedures and when an animal’s suffering means it’s time to let go. – See more at: http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2013/helping-pet-owners-make-tough-choices/#sthash.aUqdUd6n.dpuf
ichigan State University researchers are developing a new tool to help people assess their ailing pets’ quality of life, a key factor in decisions about when to order life-prolonging procedures and when an animal’s suffering means it’s time to let go. – See more at: http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2013/helping-pet-owners-make-tough-choices/#sthash.aUqdUd6n.dpuf

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A letter to my dog – NZ style

Posted on October 13, 2012 | Leave a comment

In February, I blogged about the wonderful website A Letter to My Dog, based in the United States.  (here’s the hyperlink to that blog posting).

Did you know that New Zealand has its own A Letter to My Dog site?  It started, just as the US site did, to support a book project.  In this case, the book will raise funds for Paw Justice and is sponsored by bookseller Whitcoull’s.  (The sponsors have now chosen their 30 stories for the book, but encourage owners to keep sharing their stories).

These sites are a wonderful read.  They celebrate how people feel about their dogs and the bond they share.  It’s something that all dog owners – past and present – understand.

Here are a few excerpts to heighten your interest:

Dear Sid,  you little goofball.
I will never forget what happened at 3 am on that cold Sunday morning,  me and Mike were walking home from town.  It was still dark, suddenly out of nowhere (you) this black dog came running up to us with this biggest grin and most waggy of tails.  At first I was a bit scared but then you started following us down the street. There were plenty of other people around that you could have followed, but you picked us. We took you to the pound but no one ever came for you, when the guys at the pound offered you to us, we just couldn’t say no.

Dear Lady,

It’s been three days since we said goodbye. I know you are in a happier place but I still miss you here with me. I think of you everyday. I imagine you everywhere I look. I imagine your happy face greeting me at the door when I get home. I hear you breathing peacefully asleep at the foot of my bed, but you’re not there. I think of you when I hear a dog bark or see people walking their dogs. And it makes me sad because I know I will never see you again, never play with you, play fetch with you, cuddle or kiss you.

Roy, you are such an awesome doggy.  I found you on that “Trademe” site. You were bought here on trial for a day and within hours we knew we were right for each other. You have such an awesome trusting nature.You are the light of my life Roy.

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