Dog Names Woof

Do you notice how she is studiously ignoring me?

She knows she rolled in something dead and putrid and she is secretly very satisfied about it.

Ho man, she came happily trotting into the kitchen last night looking incredibly contented and the smell just about knocked me off my feet! Wow.

I quickly hustled her back out, and with my trusty flash light, I took a look around to see what she could possibly have rolled in. I never did find it, so I have no idea what she got into.

At that late hour I couldn’t bathe her, so I sprayed some flea tick stuff on that I never use, but has a perfume-like smell. I just wanted to mask the stench enough to get through the night.

And then, can you believe she was perverse enough to keep trying to rub up and get close to me!!! That rat!!!!

I bathed her today, but she still has an underlying odor that I can’t seem to get out.

If any of you have any suggestions how to get icky dead animal smell out of her coat, please drop me a comment! I would really appreciate it.

Murphy won’t but she’ll just have to live with it!

Thanks!

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Ok, Murphy is going in to get her teeth cleaned in two weeks. A few of you were kind of enough to either make a comment or email me more information about what to do about Murphy’s teeth.

With so much information, I am going to add an article or two just about teeth to the Health & Training Tips section of the Dog Names Woof Site.

Until I get those written, here is what a Certified Veterinary Nurse Susan Allen had to say:

Get your dog’s teeth cleaned at least once a year, and if you can afford it, every 6 months. It’s so important, because as the gums get inflamed (due to excess tarter) they bleed, and then bacteria from the tarter enters the bloodstream. This contributes to problems with the heart and kidneys, amongst other things. Really!

I can’t brush a dog’s teeth . . I don’t thing most people really can. I noticed recently that Foster and Smith is carrying some sort of cleansing pad that you just wipe your dog’s teeth with. That might really help.

If you have cats DON’T use it on them . . . it contains chlorhexidine, which can slough a cat’s tongue – I nearly wrote to the company, because they are recommending it for cats too and they shouldn’t.

Also, greenies and other dental chews can help. Rawhide chewing helps. If you dog eats both wet and dry food, give them a good quality dry food – so they have to chew a bit – and mix in just a little wet food for taste. With Murphy, her little teeth might be sore. . .you may have to use some kibble with tiny bites. I know Iams and Science Diet both carry some. Iams you can get in the grocery store.

Some people get a dental tool called a scaler and pick the tarter from the dog’s teeth. DON’T do that. When you pick at the teeth, you leave microscopic little nicks, which actually invite tarter to accumulate – so you actually do more harm than good.

At the vet’s they use a polisher after they scale the teeth, to remove the nicks – just like your dentist does. Leave scaling up to them.

Finally, just know that some dogs, like some people, are just prone to bad teeth. No matter what you do. The trick is to keep up on it, so that bacteria isn’t entering the bloodstream all the time.

So. .. crunchy food, dental treats, regular cleaning. That is really all you can do.

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Yesterday was Murphy’s yearly check up at the vet. She is doing really well, but once again the one thing that needs extra attention right now is her teeth!

Does anyone out there have a dog with bad teeth? If you do, what do you do to keep them clean?

The Murphs, as we call her, has had 4 back molars pulled already due to cracking, and just plain old bad teeth.

I was told to start having them cleaned every year to keep them healthy. Sounds reasonable to me; I have my teeth cleaned every 6 months, so why shouldn’t hers need it too?

Does anyone know if this is enough to help? I know I won’t brush her teeth daily, so that is out, but is there anything else I should be doing to keep her mouth happy?

If you do, please leave me a comment!

Meanwhile, I will do my best to keep her healthy by getting her teeth cleaned at the vet every year.

Thanks!

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Hi,

I just thought I should pass this information along.

Recently, about 7 months ago, my sister’s dog was diagnosed with lung cancer and given a month to live. Well, we did some research and found some startling results with people who had started taking cottage cheese mixed with flax oil three times a day.

We were skeptical, but figured we had nothing to loose, so we stated giving her dog this regiment.

Well, here we are 7 months later, the dog is doing great. He has increased energy level, good breathing and is very bright-eyed. We are very pleased.

Does this have anything to do with the cottage cheese and flax oil? Who knows? But that is the only different thing that was added to his diet and he is on no other form of treatment or medication.

All I can say is, if you have a dog in a similar situation, it wouldn’t hurt to try it!

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Hi again,

Well, we are now into September already! Can you believe it. In fact we are almost into October.

Murphy is doing great on her food and home baked treats. At first I didn’t notice the smell when baking the dog cookies…I must have had plugged nose! Because I sure notice them now.

I was baking treats for Murph last night and I ended up running around with pine scented spray to try and dilute it. But it’s worth it right? The Murphs is happy and digesting contentedly!

I’ll check in again soon.

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Well, it’s been two full weeks and Murphy’s new diet seems to be going really well. She is so sentitive to commercial dog food that I can’t even give her store bought dog treats any more!

That has turned out to be quit a challenge since I now need to make and bake my own dog treats. It is very messy, but thankfully doesn’t make the house smell bad while they are baking.

But the work has paid off, Murphy is eating every day now (first time in her six years) and is putting a bit of weight on. Everything is looking good!

I’ll report again soon!

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Well, I had to take my dog Murphy to the vet again yesterday. It turns out she will need a whole new diet. She is apparently allergic to most commercial dog foods so we are going to start by taking away all her “regular food” and starting her on a all natural, non-protein, bland diet.

I will let everyone know how she progresses. It will take 30 to 60 days on her new diet to eliminate food as the possible culpret.

I’ll let you know how it all turns out!

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