July 2, 2025 • 34 mins
In this episode of 'Paws, Reflect and Heal', Dr. Randy Aronson addresses various pet care topics, including the pros and cons of pet insurance, strategies for managing pets' anxiety during fireworks, common mistakes pet owners make, how to address stress-related issues in pets, and the dangers of rattlesnake bites. The conversation provides valuable insights and practical advice for pet owners to ensure the well-being of their furry companions.
Main Takeaways
- Pet insurance can provide financial protection against unexpected vet bills.
- Microchipping pets is essential for their safety.
- Desensitization training can help pets cope with noise phobia.
- Socialization is important for puppies to prevent behavioral issues.
- Indoor cats require mental stimulation to stay healthy and happy.
- Stress in the home can lead to gastrointestinal issues in pets.
- Rattlesnake avoidance training can significantly reduce the risk of bites.
Chapters
00:00 Understanding Pet Insurance: Pros and Cons
05:43 Managing Fireworks Anxiety in Pets
12:18 Common Mistakes Pet Owners Make
19:09 Addressing Stress-Related Issues in Pets
26:20 Rattlesnake Bites: Prevention and Treatment
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
Don't do rattlesnake vaccine.
(00:01):
It's not a panacea, it's not ananswer, and in our hands, we
have not seen it make anydifference to help the dog
whatsoever.
And it's another vaccine thatyour pet doesn't need.
The best ticket to this israttlesnake avoidance training.
For example, when I was in GreenValley, we would see 30
invenimations a summer.
(00:22):
That's a lot.
30 dogs.
And when we started rattlesnakeavoidance training, it went to
three a summer.
So that just tells you how muchthat could save your dog's life.
Hey everybody, welcome to Pause,Reflect, and Heal.
I'm Dr.
(00:43):
Randy here today to have arather unique podcast.
I'm going to answer a lot ofyour questions that you've been
sending in and many, many thingsthat may be pertinent for the
current date, time, time ofyear, and all of that.
So I hope you'll hang hang in.
I'm going to do as best I can toanswer the questions that you've
asked and kind of cover them asbest possible.
(01:06):
One of our first questions comesin from a listener who's asking
about pet insurance and whetherit's really worth it, whether,
you know, how it works, kind ofwhat it looks like for our dogs
and cats.
So let me tell you about thepros and cons of pet insurance
so I can go over these with you.
The first one is with insuranceof any kind, we always have
(01:30):
financial protection.
So it covers like a lot of theunexpected vet bills, which is
really my number one reason forhaving you guys get insurance
for your pets.
You never know when a door couldbe left open, your cat can get
out, your dog may be loose, andthings happen.
And we see it all the time inour practice here at Paw's
(01:53):
Veterinary Center, and it can bereally problematic.
It can really significantlyreduce your out-of-pocket costs
for these problems.
One example, we had a dog intown here that fell in a
swimming pool and uh drowned,actually, was revived and taken
to an emergency service where itspent 10 days on oxygen and
(02:17):
breathing apparatus.
That bill was in excess of$20,000, and the pet insurance
company paid 95% of that bill.
So that just gives you an idea,that's a rather extreme
situation, but it really givesyou an idea of where that could
be.
The second reason is for yourpeace of mind.
(02:37):
We want to make sure that youcan make decisions for your pet
that aren't financially based.
Unfortunately, veterinarymedicine is a fee-based service.
It's not usually a HMO PPO typeservice.
So a lot of these fees come outof pocket.
And we don't want you to befaced with a decision to stop
(02:59):
treatment for your pet, yourdog, or your cat because of
finances.
So peace of mind is a veryimportant thing.
It also gives you access tobetter care.
If you have insurance and youneed to have that CAT scan or
MRI, or you need to have thatorthopedic surgery, again,
you'll have access to thosepeople without any issues
(03:21):
whatsoever.
And you can customize your plan.
As I spoke earlier, I recommendmajor medical.
I don't recommend usually theday-to-day expense plans because
I think they're very expensive,and often you may not even
utilize all of what's in thatplan itself.
So, what are the kinds of petinsurance?
(03:41):
Like, why should I not get petinsurance?
Well, the monthly premiums canadd up.
It can be very expensive.
Some plans range from$20 to$70 amonth over pet's lifetime.
That could be many, manythousands of dollars.
The other thing that's reallyimportant is that these plans
are very specific aboutpre-existing conditions.
(04:03):
So, for other words, if I seeyour puppy at six months of age
and it's itching and scratching,for whatever reason, it could
have fleas, uh, it could justhave dry skin.
And I make note of that in thedog's record.
If two years later your dog isitching and scratching because
of allergy, whether it's food orenvironmental, that may be
(04:25):
excluded from the coveragebecause that was in the record
initially.
I don't think that's very fair,but it is something that
definitely happens, so you wantto make sure.
The other thing is thatinsurance is a reimbursement
model.
So you have to come out ofpocket for a knot of the upfront
expenses and then they reimburseyou.
That's how that insurancecompany works, that's how the
(04:48):
insurance policies work.
And there are sometimeslimitations and exclusions.
Uh, if there's a hereditarycondition, uh, sometimes these
things can be excluded from thatcoverage, so that's something to
think about.
You also may not use it.
Uh, that the problem is if youbuy a major medical, God
willing, your dog or cat neverneeds it, and you're gonna be in
(05:10):
great shape, but you are payinga premium to have that insurance
policy uh in place.
So here's the question (05:16):
is this really worth it?
Well, it's worth it if you can'tafford two to ten thousand
dollar vet bill, that's forsure.
Uh you want to prepare forunpredictable health issues,
that's worth it.
Uh, you want to you know preferyou know have a predictable
monthly expense instead of anupfront big lump expense.
(05:38):
It may not be worth it if youhave enough in savings to cover
your bills.
Uh if your pet's older or has alot of pre-educing conditions,
as we talked about, you may wantto consider not doing this.
You may prefer uh a predictablemonthly expense, um, even um
even if there's huge unexpectedones.
So uh that's one of the thingswe we talk about.
(05:58):
But you may be you may beinterested in self-insuring
assuring this.
So one of the things I mentionedto my clients is you can form a
health service, health an HSAaccount for your pet.
You can put that money away, youcan put it into an interest
earning type account, and savemoney over the time of your
pet's lifespan.
(06:19):
This may be a great way to haveyour veterinary bills funded,
even the unexpected large billover time, that HSA account will
grow.
So it's really insurance reallybecomes what we call a risk
management tool.
It's not a guarantee that you'llsave money, but it certainly can
come in handy if that unexpectedproblem comes about.
(06:40):
I hope that little review helpedyou and gave you some
information on why or why not toget insurance.
Okay, so the next question uh Ithink is very pertinent.
Uh July 4th is coming up, andfor the past two years, my dog
has freaked out from the noiseof fireworks.
Last year she ran away.
(07:01):
Thankfully, we found her in thelocal shelter.
Uh the shelter was overrun withdogs with the same exact
problem, which these sheltersare during July 4th.
Um I don't know why she doesthis.
She's a pretty calm dog most ofthe time.
Uh I'm scared she'll run awayagain this year.
Is there anything that you cansuggest, Dr.
(07:21):
Randy, for the upcoming July 4thholiday to keep her calmer?
Oh, absolutely.
You know, this is a very commonbut very serious issue.
Fireworks are one of the topreasons pets go missing around
July 4th.
And it's it's heartbreaking butpreventable.
Even calm dogs can panic duringfireworks.
So we are calling this isactually what we call a noise
(07:43):
phobia.
So let's talk about some thingsthat you can do to keep your dog
or cat calm and safe during July4th.
First of all, make sure thatyour dog, especially your dog,
can't run again.
Uh, update or ID tags and and byall means microchepchip your
pets.
People don't understand that themicrochip is one of the best
(08:05):
insurance policies against yourdog or cat getting out of the
house, going missing, turning upsomewhere either at a shelter or
another veterinary practice, andbeing found very, very quickly.
Uh, I remember an example when Iwas in my practice in Green
Valley at Animal Care Centerwhere a dog got out away from
(08:25):
its owner up in Madeira Canyon,which is a beautiful hiking
area.
Uh, the gentleman could not findthe dog whatsoever.
The dog turned up in somebody'sum campground.
They took the dog down to aveterin practice who scanned the
dog and immediately found themicrochip.
The microchip produced theowner's cell phone number, and
(08:47):
in 25 minutes he had his dogback.
So, you know, that is such arewarding situation.
Secure your yard and your doors.
Make sure that that gate thatyou think is really very, very
well locked is locked.
Make sure your doors cannot beopened.
Dogs are incredibly ingenious.
When they're scared and they'refreaking out, they can get a
(09:10):
slider open very easily.
And keep her indoors.
Don't let your dog be outsideduring the fireworks.
That that's something that wouldreally invite a real problem.
I want you to understand thisfear.
This fear is called noisephobia.
It's a real anxiety condition,and it can trigger this flight
or fight response.
(09:30):
Uh, it's not about herpersonality.
You had mentioned she's a calmdog.
It's really an instinctive panicuh reaction.
So, what can you do beforehand?
Well, one of the things that youcan do for thunderstorms,
fireworks is calleddesensitization training.
This is a long-term response andeffect to help your dog out or
(09:53):
your cat.
You can play firework sounds orthunderstorm sounds at very low
volumes, gradually increasingthem over weeks to months.
You can reward that calmbehavior during that playing
with treats.
Find your dog or cat's favoritetreat and make sure you make
that available to them.
(10:14):
Uh slowly, you can acclimatethem to that sound.
You use more and more time, moreand more volume, and many, many
times this will help what wecall the desensitization
process.
It's too late to do this ifyou're close to July 4th.
You need a full year to do thesedesensitization tools, and that
(10:34):
really can help.
The other thing you might wantto do is talk to your
veterinarian now.
Uh, make sure you talk aboutanti-anxiety medicine or
sedatives.
There are lots of differentproducts that can be used.
Uh, there's products liketrazodone, cilio, which is great
for noise phobias, uh, CBD.
So there are a lot of differentthings you can do that your
(10:55):
veterinarian might be able tosuggest help beforehand.
Also, try calming products.
We're really big fans of Thundershirts or anxiety wraps.
These work very, very well,coupled with pheromone
diffusers.
There's a product called Adaptylthat we use in our dog practice
here at Paw's Veterinary Center.
(11:15):
It's a pheromone that the dogcan smell, it's a it's a smell
that your dog can smell, but youcan't.
It's actually the smell that thedog smells when it's nursing on
its mom.
So it's a very, very calming uhsmell.
And again, you can't pick it up,but it is something the dog can.
You can get these by puttingdiffusers in your house, you can
(11:37):
spray the dog's bed, you canspray the dog, uh, other areas
where the dog might be, and itreally helps uh kind of lower
it, ratchet down that anxietylevel.
Uh, CBD oil and common chews areavailable, and they're always
something you can try.
So also make sure that youcreate a safe space, this quiet
and closed area that your dog orcat can be comfortable in.
(12:00):
It's an you want an interiorroom away from windows and
doors.
You want to make sure that youcan close the blinds and
curtains in that area, that it'sit's a darkened area.
Add blankets, favorite toys, uh,chew things that your dog might
have or your cat may want tohave as far as a blanket.
Um, and play you can play whitenoise, which is like calming
(12:22):
music, or you can turn the TVon, or there are lots of white
noise machines that you mightwant to try.
You need to make sure that youstay calm and present.
So you need to be there and becalm.
Uh, if you panic, you know yourdog or cat's gonna pick up that
anxiety and it's only gonna makethings worse.
So don't do that.
And on the delay on the day ofthe fourth, exercise or heavily
(12:46):
that day.
Go out for a really long run, goto the dog park, um, make sure
your cat gets to play with alaser pointer or a bottle cap or
something that really gets someexercise.
And keep them inside beforedark.
Make sure they're they're insidebefore dark falls.
You know, give a special chew ortreat or toy that your dog or
(13:07):
cat might like.
And then stay home if you can.
That's that's the best situationthat you can have.
You know, if the dog gets looseagain, then you want to make
sure that you're checking withthe local humane society
shelters, and also check withthe veterinarians because many
times they can be turned in, andobviously your dog should have a
(13:28):
microchip or your cat and willbe identified and returned
quickly to your being.
So I hope that helps.
Have a very safe and happy July4th from all of us at Pause
Reflected Heel and PawsVeterinary Center.
This is Dr.
Randy.
I hope those tips will behelpful for you going forward.
One of the things that I wouldlike to talk about is what are
(13:49):
the three most common mistakesthat our pet parents can make?
And this is our dog and catedition.
So uh let's call this a publicservice announcement because uh
these are things that we cantalk about and do something
about, and maybe you may notknow this, may not be in your
wheelhouse to understand thatthis could be a mistake.
(14:09):
So, you know, a lot of timespeople will assume that a tire
dog is a well-behaved dog.
Doesn't always do that.
So many people think that ifthey just exhaust their pets, um
problems will go away.
But dogs, especially high energyor anxious breeds, uh often need
mental stimulation too.
Think puzzle feeders or scentgames, short training exercises,
(14:33):
not just running them ragged.
Although I do know and I willtell you that most of our dogs
do not get enough exercise.
And that's often the lead-in formany, many behavioral problems.
But think about that mentalstimulation on top of your
physical stimulation.
Um, a lot of people, number two,will wait way too long to
(14:53):
address dental health problems.
Dental disease is a very, verycommon disease in our dogs and
cats.
Why is this?
Well, if you didn't brush yourteeth for five or six years, you
can just imagine what would begrowing on them in your mouth
and causing issues.
Uh, you know, many times by byeven age three, 80% of our dogs
(15:15):
have dental disease.
But many owners wait untilthere's obvious problem drooling
or odor or even inability tochew.
Brushing, dental chews, orscheduled even cleanings can
prevent these costly, costlyproblems.
Remember that it's it's it's aproblem in the fact that there's
a huge amount of bacteria in ourdog and cat's mouth, and that
(15:38):
gets absorbed in through theblood lymphatics to the rest of
the body.
It's probably one of the leadingcauses for some time for our
heart disease, because we getvalvular disease, the bacteria
sticks to the heart valves andthey leak.
We also get kidney disease andliver disease, but this bacteria
can go anywhere.
We've actually seen at PauseVeterinary Center that the
(16:00):
number one uh when we geturinary tract infections, if we
culture their mouth, meaning weculture the bacteria that's
growing in their urine in theirmouth, and we culture their
urine where the urine isinfected, we actually get the
same bacteria.
And so you have to understandthat uh dental disease and
periodontal disease can be areal problem.
(16:20):
The other thing a lot of clientsand pet parents don't know is
that 40 to 50 percent of dentaldisease in our dogs and cats is
what we call periodontal.
That means it's under the gunline, you can't see it, and it
could already be causingproblems in your pet's mouth.
So that yearly or biannualexamination by your veterinarian
(16:43):
is very important to addresswhat he or she sees, what
they're looking at, and what therecommendations could be.
Don't wait too long for this todo something about it.
And then, you know, the otherthing that we see, I think,
that's a number three problemfor our dogs is not
socialization.
Uh, no socialization, not doingthis enough, or doing it too
(17:03):
late.
Uh, socialization for dogs, thewindow closes about 14 to 16
weeks.
So you want to get that puppy ina puppy class early.
Uh, if puppies aren't safelyexposed to different people, dog
sounds in environments duringthis time, it can lead to
lifelong problems.
Remember, socialization isn'tjust about other dogs, it's
(17:24):
about the world and people andwhere they go.
So remember to do all of that.
Let's talk about three problemsor mistakes that our cat parents
can make.
One is thinking indoor catsdon't need to have enrichment.
Indoor cats often live longer,but without stimulation, they
can become bored, obese, or evendepressed.
(17:48):
Cat trees, window perches, foodpuzzles, and interactive play
are essential, not optional.
So make sure you incorporatethis in your cat's life.
It's something you can do veryeasily.
It does involve you in thatsituation, so it's great
socialization for the two ofyou, and it really will help
your cat to get that mentalstimulation.
(18:12):
A second issue is people willavoid litter box issues.
If a cat stops using the litterbox, many odors assume it's just
a behavior, but often it's anearly sign of medical problem,
like a urinary tract infection,or even stress.
Cats are experts at hiding pain.
This is their way of telling yousomething's wrong.
(18:32):
So sometimes cats won't jump intheir box because they're
hurting.
We see at our feline focusfeline practice here at Paw's
Veterinary Center that manytimes up to 60% of our cats at
eight to ten years of age haveosteoarthritis.
But they don't show it.
And why is that?
Well, they don't show it becausethey know in the wild they could
(18:55):
get eaten if they show pain ordiscomfort.
So they hide it really well.
Again, this is a place whereyour veterinarian uh can come
into play and don't wait over ayear to have your cat examined.
A lot of people think my cat'sdoing great, doesn't need to go
into the veterinarian.
That's not always the case.
It's not a matter of gettingexpensive lab work.
(19:16):
Sometimes it's just thatexamination that can catch that
osteoarthritis or pain level andreally help your cat.
But litter box behavior changescan often be a problem.
And the last one is free feedingyour cat dry kibble all day.
As many of you know on my PauseReflect and Heel newsletter and
my site, my website at Dr.
(19:37):
Randy Petvet, I'm not a fan ofdry kibbles for cats.
Dry kibbles are superheated,they're super processed, and
cats don't need thosecarbohydrates.
They need protein levels, and soI'm a huge fan of lightly
cooked, air-dry or freeze-driedfoods for my cats.
(19:57):
Don't let put a big bowl ofkibble out there and let them
nibble on it.
It's like actually like crackfor cats.
I mean, you know, these kibblesare flavored, these companies
know how to get them to eat.
So the cats will do that allday, and it can really lead to
severe obesity, which can be areal problem for our cats.
Schedule your meals or use foodpuzzles for our cats, do some
(20:21):
mental stimulation, and thiswill really help.
So, what's my final thoughtabout these three mistakes for
both our cat and dog owner?
Whether you have a cat, dog, orboth, the most important thing
you can do is stay curious andobservant.
Many of the biggest mistakescome from assuming things are
normal without taking a closerlook.
Have a mis, you know, have amistake you made and want to
(20:44):
avoid repeating it.
You're not alone.
Keep an eye on your dog or cat,and you'll be much, much happier
that things will be muchhealthier for your pet going
forward.
So here's a good question forone of my pet owners, um, and I
think you'll you'll like this.
Um, excuse me for you know kindof browsing down occasionally,
but I want to read this per seso I don't get it wrong.
(21:04):
Dear Dr.
Randy, my husband and I aregoing through a divorce and
still live under the same rooffor now.
There's a lot of tension in thehome, and I think our
three-year-old Goladoodle haspicked it up on it.
Her diarrhea has been worselately, and I'm wondering if
she's reacting to the stress.
What can I do?
Also, when should dog owners beconcerned about diarrhea in
(21:26):
general?
Well, first of all, I'm reallysorry to hear about the divorce.
Been there, done that, thingsget better, I promise.
Uh, but I want to say something.
Dogs absolutely can pick up uhstress, and that could lead to
GI issues like diarrhea andvomiting.
It's called stress colitis, andit's more common than many
(21:47):
people realize, especially inemotionally sensitive breeds
like goldoodles, border collies,labs, and shepherds.
We often see can we often seethese in animals that are
boarded.
When they're in a syntheticsituation and dogs are barking
around them and they're not homein their comfort of their house,
uh, they can get stress uh GIproblems, especially diarrhea.
(22:08):
Um, just like in people, therethe the triggers cause chemical
changes in the dog's GI tract.
Cortisol, which is the stresshormone, disrupts a lot of the
balance of the good bacteria,leading to inflammation and
loose stools.
You've heard me talk aboutmicrobiome.
This is exactly what happens,and we get what's called a
dysbiosis, which is an imbalancebetween the good and bad
(22:31):
bacteria and yeast that are inyour uh yeast, bacteria and
fungus that are in your dog's GItract.
They become very sensitive, soyou can just really be careful.
So things like arguments,tension, crying, moving are just
things that will really set yourdog off.
So, what can you do like rightnow?
Well, first of all, give yourGoldadoodle a safe zone.
(22:53):
Uh, where's a predictable areawhere there's a bedroom, a cozy
cot, a corner with a soft towelor bedding, and low foot
traffic.
Remember, I talked uh about someof the um stresses for
thunderstorms and fireworks.
Pheromone sprays like adaptal ora plug-in diffuser can be
really, really helping.
(23:13):
And you can use like whitenoise, like a calming thing in
the background in that safearea.
Stick to a routine.
Don't change your Goldadoodlesroutine if you can help so.
Dogs love structure.
So feeding, walking, bedtime,keep it all the same if you can.
Um sometimes probiotics canhelp.
So we have things likeFortiflora, Proviable, or um
(23:36):
Espalardi, which can really makea big difference.
Using plain pumpkin uh with somefiber added, like psilium or
inulin, can really help withstress diarrhea and settle
things down.
Um, so you can do those kinds ofthings.
Uh, your diet.
A lot of people, when dogs startbreaking with diarrhea, will do
(23:57):
what they call bland diets.
Most bland diets to people arechicken and rice.
Don't do this.
Uh chicken in Chinese terms isconsidered what's called a hot
meat.
Lamb, venison, and chicken arehot meats, which often cause
more problems for the GI tract.
Use turkey or beef.
(24:17):
And use oats.
Use like Quaker oats, not thequick, but the regular
old-fashioned.
Use oats and turkey, oats andbeef as your bland diet if you
want to do a bland diet.
Okay?
And then calming support, wetalked about like the adaptal
diffusers, calming chews,anti-anxiety meds, even CBD.
You know, if there is a problem,speak to your veterinarian
(24:40):
because your veterinarian canhelp settle this issue down.
Um, so what when does thisbecome a real problem?
When does the diarrhea become uhif the diarrhea lasts for more
than 48 hours, call your vet.
If there's blood or black tar ystools, call your vet.
Um your dog seems verylethargic, it's vomiting or
(25:00):
refusing food, that's a problem.
Um there's weight lossassociated with this.
This is also a problem.
Um, or you've had frequent pastepisodes.
This needs to be addressed.
So, you know, nothing is aperfect home, but trying to make
this a stable uh situation foryour golden doodle is really
important.
(25:20):
Let me tell you a littlebackstory before I finish this
subject.
Um, I was working at the AnimalMedical Center in New York City,
and this sheepdog came in forterrible vomiting with blood in
it.
And the local veterinarian hadtried a number of different
things, uh, prescription diet,bland diet, and nothing seemed
(25:41):
to be helping, including themedicines.
Um, on pursuing the history onthis case, we found out that the
husband and wife had been havinga very violent divorce, and they
were still living under the sameroof, like this Goldadoodle
example.
And it even got to the pointwhere she was throwing plates at
the husband, he was punchingwalls, and this dog had an
(26:04):
absolute stress gastritis.
So it caused ulceration of thestomach, uh, severe
inflammation.
What happened was we went aheadand did endoscopy on this dog.
And endoscopy is passing a fiberoptic scope into the dog's
stomach.
And I saw that there weremultiple hemorrhagic or red
(26:25):
areas on the lining of thescope.
Hemorrhagic just means they werebleeding.
So we biopsied those areas, andsure enough, the biopsy came
back as stress ulcers.
And uh we were convinced thatthe stress was happening at the
home.
We addressed the home situation.
We obviously had the dog on somemedication to uh to cover the uh
(26:48):
the ulcers themselves and theirritation, and all resolved.
The dog got back to normal.
There was no need for long-termuh medication or diets, uh, the
dog's doing great.
But that just gives you anexample of how stress can really
set our dogs off, and this was aperfect example of that.
So, the last question for todaythat I'm gonna go through is a
(27:11):
question from a listener.
Um, I live in Boulder, Colorado.
Last summer, two of my friends'dogs were bitten by rattlesnakes
on hikes.
One of them said their vet toldthem that the baby rattlesnake
bites were worse because thesnake can't control its venom.
Is that true?
And what precautions should I betaking?
Should I do, uh, or you know,what should I do if my dog gets
(27:33):
bitten, or how much time do Ihave?
Um, well, that's a greatquestion.
This is um um there there arethese are great, you know, great
instincts on your part.
Rattlesnake bites do happen inand around Boulder, but we have
them all over Arizona.
We have them all over Tucson andGreen Valley, and we see them in
late spring all the way to thefall.
(27:55):
Uh, your dog is absolutely atrisk if hiking and biking or
going out in the desert, but wehave them even in the foothills
of our area where snakes willget into the yards and bite our
our dogs.
Um it can be a real problem.
Let's let's break this down.
You know, the first questionwas: are baby rattlesnake bites
worse?
(28:16):
Well, sometimes they are becausewhat happens when baby
rattlesnake bites are that theirvenom is very concentrated
because they're small.
And so the envenomation or thebite can be much, much worse
because they inject not morevenom, but much more toxic,
strong venom that can reallyhurt.
Um, adult, you know, adultsnakes could have more volume,
(28:38):
but sometimes those snake bitescan be dry bites, also.
So we actually see rattlesnakebites where we'll see the holes
and the bleeding, but we don'tget the secondary swelling and
what we call necrosis or dyingof the skin.
Uh this gets so bad it can goall the way down to the bone
when they start to die.
So any snake bite, anyrattlesnake bite can be a
(29:00):
problem.
I'm not in an area where youhave cotton mouths and some of
these other snakes uh on thesoutheast or the mid or the
Midwest or the East Coast, butmany of these are just as
problematic.
So, what do you do if um if yourdog gets bit?
Well, you want to get to anemergency service as soon as
possible.
Uh ideally, if you can within 30to 60 minutes.
(29:22):
Uh sooner is even better.
So the sooner you get that bitelooked at, the better off you
are.
Um try to keep your dog calm andum and try to carry them if you
possibly can.
Uh if it's on a limb, whichoften the bites are, we don't
want them using that so thatthey will circulate that venom,
it'll go up the leg and go intolymphatics and blood flow.
(29:44):
And this can be really lifethreatening.
Dogs and cats die fromrattlesnake bites.
So just know that time is reallycritical.
Um don't uh don't apply atourniquet, don't ice the area.
These are things that will nothelp and Actually, it can make
things worse.
And if you know, if it'spossible and you see the snake
(30:05):
and it's it's safe, take apicture of that snake so you can
bring that with you on your cellphone.
Okay?
What happens at the vet?
So many, many times they'll getaccessed really easily.
They'll get a catheter placed,placed on IV fluids, pain
medicine, monitoring, andsometimes anti-venom is
administered.
Anti-venom is uh expensive butcan be life-saving.
(30:28):
So something to definitelyconsider.
Bites of the face and chest canbe much more dangerous than some
of the limbs because of airwayswelling, and if their airways
swell, they can chuck themselvesoff and not be able to breathe.
Be alert around uh rocks, logs,and you know, shady spots when
you're hiking and walkingbecause this is the best way to
(30:50):
help prevent that that problem.
Um back to the the vet visit,sometimes that that will take
one to three days ofhospitalization to get your dog
or cat through the bite.
We often incorporate ozonetherapy around that area.
We also incorporate uh sometimeslaser or pulsed electric
(31:12):
magnetic therapy to decrease thesloughing or damage to the skin
and tissue around there.
So there are definitely thingsthat can happen after the bite
and after your dog or cat isstable.
Um, a lot of people will askabout the rattlesnake vaccine.
This is not an answer to thisproblem.
Um, we have seen dogs that havegotten the rattlesnake vaccine
(31:35):
and their bite were minimal butgot even worse because
rattlesnake vaccine is sometoxin that they're actually
giving to your dog, and thenyou're getting more toxin from
the actual bite.
Don't do rattlesnake vaccine.
It's not a panacea, it's not ananswer, and in our hands, we
have not seen it make anydifference to help the dog
(31:55):
whatsoever.
And it's another vaccine thatyour pet doesn't need.
The best ticket to this israttlesnake avoidance training.
Uh, for example, when I was inGreen Valley, we would see 30
invenomations a summer.
That's a lot.
30 dogs.
And when we started rattlesnakeavoidance training, it went to
(32:15):
three a summer.
So that just tells you how muchthat could save your dog's life.
Um, so definitely considerrattlesnake uh aversion
training.
It's available all over.
Uh, it's definitely something toconsider.
Um, and so what to think aboutin the future to be ready.
Make sure you have an emergencyvet or telephone number close
(32:38):
by, either in your car, on yourcell phone, or at your home.
Um, sometimes there's a first arattlesnake first aid card that
you can get, uh might beworthwhile looking at.
Um, there is sometimes we willalso recommend that if you know
if if you're far away from uh alocal veterinarian or you you
(32:58):
don't know that you can getthere in a you know quite of an
adequate you know amount oftime, thinking about having some
Benadryl or Diphenhydraminearound, but ask your vet about
this first, okay?
So um, you know, a final thoughton this is rattlesnake bites are
one of those things you'd neverwant to have to think about.
Please make sure you get therattlesnake avoidance done for
(33:20):
your dog, it'll save your dog'slife.
Best best uh advice I can giveyou about this being ready and
dealing with thislife-threatening situation.
Thanks for listening to PauseReflect and Heal today.
I'm Dr.
Randy.
Remember, uh, you can email meat drrandypetvet.com.
Stay uh be looking for ournewsletters, subscribe to our
(33:43):
our podcasts.
We're on all the streamingservices.
We'd love to have you asfollowers.
It makes it easier for us to doour job and bring you much more
information, and we'll be doingthat on our next podcast.
Have a great day.
Don't do rattlesnake vaccine.
(00:01):
It's not a panacea, it's not ananswer, and in our hands, we
have not seen it make anydifference to help the dog
whatsoever.
And it's another vaccine thatyour pet doesn't need.
The best ticket to this israttlesnake avoidance training.
For example, when I was in GreenValley, we would see 30
invenimations a summer.
(00:22):
That's a lot.
30 dogs.
And when we started rattlesnakeavoidance training, it went to
three a summer.
So that just tells you how muchthat could save your dog's life.
Hey everybody, welcome to Pause,Reflect, and Heal.
I'm Dr.
(00:43):
Randy here today to have arather unique podcast.
I'm going to answer a lot ofyour questions that you've been
sending in and many, many thingsthat may be pertinent for the
current date, time, time ofyear, and all of that.
So I hope you'll hang hang in.
I'm going to do as best I can toanswer the questions that you've
asked and kind of cover them asbest possible.
(01:06):
One of our first questions comesin from a listener who's asking
about pet insurance and whetherit's really worth it, whether,
you know, how it works, kind ofwhat it looks like for our dogs
and cats.
So let me tell you about thepros and cons of pet insurance
so I can go over these with you.
The first one is with insuranceof any kind, we always have
(01:30):
financial protection.
So it covers like a lot of theunexpected vet bills, which is
really my number one reason forhaving you guys get insurance
for your pets.
You never know when a door couldbe left open, your cat can get
out, your dog may be loose, andthings happen.
And we see it all the time inour practice here at Paw's
(01:53):
Veterinary Center, and it can bereally problematic.
It can really significantlyreduce your out-of-pocket costs
for these problems.
One example, we had a dog intown here that fell in a
swimming pool and uh drowned,actually, was revived and taken
to an emergency service where itspent 10 days on oxygen and
(02:17):
breathing apparatus.
That bill was in excess of$20,000, and the pet insurance
company paid 95% of that bill.
So that just gives you an idea,that's a rather extreme
situation, but it really givesyou an idea of where that could
be.
The second reason is for yourpeace of mind.
(02:37):
We want to make sure that youcan make decisions for your pet
that aren't financially based.
Unfortunately, veterinarymedicine is a fee-based service.
It's not usually a HMO PPO typeservice.
So a lot of these fees come outof pocket.
And we don't want you to befaced with a decision to stop
(02:59):
treatment for your pet, yourdog, or your cat because of
finances.
So peace of mind is a veryimportant thing.
It also gives you access tobetter care.
If you have insurance and youneed to have that CAT scan or
MRI, or you need to have thatorthopedic surgery, again,
you'll have access to thosepeople without any issues
(03:21):
whatsoever.
And you can customize your plan.
As I spoke earlier, I recommendmajor medical.
I don't recommend usually theday-to-day expense plans because
I think they're very expensive,and often you may not even
utilize all of what's in thatplan itself.
So, what are the kinds of petinsurance?
(03:41):
Like, why should I not get petinsurance?
Well, the monthly premiums canadd up.
It can be very expensive.
Some plans range from$20 to$70 amonth over pet's lifetime.
That could be many, manythousands of dollars.
The other thing that's reallyimportant is that these plans
are very specific aboutpre-existing conditions.
(04:03):
So, for other words, if I seeyour puppy at six months of age
and it's itching and scratching,for whatever reason, it could
have fleas, uh, it could justhave dry skin.
And I make note of that in thedog's record.
If two years later your dog isitching and scratching because
of allergy, whether it's food orenvironmental, that may be
(04:25):
excluded from the coveragebecause that was in the record
initially.
I don't think that's very fair,but it is something that
definitely happens, so you wantto make sure.
The other thing is thatinsurance is a reimbursement
model.
So you have to come out ofpocket for a knot of the upfront
expenses and then they reimburseyou.
That's how that insurancecompany works, that's how the
(04:48):
insurance policies work.
And there are sometimeslimitations and exclusions.
Uh, if there's a hereditarycondition, uh, sometimes these
things can be excluded from thatcoverage, so that's something to
think about.
You also may not use it.
Uh, that the problem is if youbuy a major medical, God
willing, your dog or cat neverneeds it, and you're gonna be in
(05:10):
great shape, but you are payinga premium to have that insurance
policy uh in place.
So here's the question (05:16):
is this really worth it?
Well, it's worth it if you can'tafford two to ten thousand
dollar vet bill, that's forsure.
Uh you want to prepare forunpredictable health issues,
that's worth it.
Uh, you want to you know preferyou know have a predictable
monthly expense instead of anupfront big lump expense.
(05:38):
It may not be worth it if youhave enough in savings to cover
your bills.
Uh if your pet's older or has alot of pre-educing conditions,
as we talked about, you may wantto consider not doing this.
You may prefer uh a predictablemonthly expense, um, even um
even if there's huge unexpectedones.
So uh that's one of the thingswe we talk about.
(05:58):
But you may be you may beinterested in self-insuring
assuring this.
So one of the things I mentionedto my clients is you can form a
health service, health an HSAaccount for your pet.
You can put that money away, youcan put it into an interest
earning type account, and savemoney over the time of your
pet's lifespan.
(06:19):
This may be a great way to haveyour veterinary bills funded,
even the unexpected large billover time, that HSA account will
grow.
So it's really insurance reallybecomes what we call a risk
management tool.
It's not a guarantee that you'llsave money, but it certainly can
come in handy if that unexpectedproblem comes about.
(06:40):
I hope that little review helpedyou and gave you some
information on why or why not toget insurance.
Okay, so the next question uh Ithink is very pertinent.
Uh July 4th is coming up, andfor the past two years, my dog
has freaked out from the noiseof fireworks.
Last year she ran away.
(07:01):
Thankfully, we found her in thelocal shelter.
Uh the shelter was overrun withdogs with the same exact
problem, which these sheltersare during July 4th.
Um I don't know why she doesthis.
She's a pretty calm dog most ofthe time.
Uh I'm scared she'll run awayagain this year.
Is there anything that you cansuggest, Dr.
(07:21):
Randy, for the upcoming July 4thholiday to keep her calmer?
Oh, absolutely.
You know, this is a very commonbut very serious issue.
Fireworks are one of the topreasons pets go missing around
July 4th.
And it's it's heartbreaking butpreventable.
Even calm dogs can panic duringfireworks.
So we are calling this isactually what we call a noise
(07:43):
phobia.
So let's talk about some thingsthat you can do to keep your dog
or cat calm and safe during July4th.
First of all, make sure thatyour dog, especially your dog,
can't run again.
Uh, update or ID tags and and byall means microchepchip your
pets.
People don't understand that themicrochip is one of the best
(08:05):
insurance policies against yourdog or cat getting out of the
house, going missing, turning upsomewhere either at a shelter or
another veterinary practice, andbeing found very, very quickly.
Uh, I remember an example when Iwas in my practice in Green
Valley at Animal Care Centerwhere a dog got out away from
(08:25):
its owner up in Madeira Canyon,which is a beautiful hiking
area.
Uh, the gentleman could not findthe dog whatsoever.
The dog turned up in somebody'sum campground.
They took the dog down to aveterin practice who scanned the
dog and immediately found themicrochip.
The microchip produced theowner's cell phone number, and
(08:47):
in 25 minutes he had his dogback.
So, you know, that is such arewarding situation.
Secure your yard and your doors.
Make sure that that gate thatyou think is really very, very
well locked is locked.
Make sure your doors cannot beopened.
Dogs are incredibly ingenious.
When they're scared and they'refreaking out, they can get a
(09:10):
slider open very easily.
And keep her indoors.
Don't let your dog be outsideduring the fireworks.
That that's something that wouldreally invite a real problem.
I want you to understand thisfear.
This fear is called noisephobia.
It's a real anxiety condition,and it can trigger this flight
or fight response.
(09:30):
Uh, it's not about herpersonality.
You had mentioned she's a calmdog.
It's really an instinctive panicuh reaction.
So, what can you do beforehand?
Well, one of the things that youcan do for thunderstorms,
fireworks is calleddesensitization training.
This is a long-term response andeffect to help your dog out or
(09:53):
your cat.
You can play firework sounds orthunderstorm sounds at very low
volumes, gradually increasingthem over weeks to months.
You can reward that calmbehavior during that playing
with treats.
Find your dog or cat's favoritetreat and make sure you make
that available to them.
(10:14):
Uh slowly, you can acclimatethem to that sound.
You use more and more time, moreand more volume, and many, many
times this will help what wecall the desensitization
process.
It's too late to do this ifyou're close to July 4th.
You need a full year to do thesedesensitization tools, and that
(10:34):
really can help.
The other thing you might wantto do is talk to your
veterinarian now.
Uh, make sure you talk aboutanti-anxiety medicine or
sedatives.
There are lots of differentproducts that can be used.
Uh, there's products liketrazodone, cilio, which is great
for noise phobias, uh, CBD.
So there are a lot of differentthings you can do that your
(10:55):
veterinarian might be able tosuggest help beforehand.
Also, try calming products.
We're really big fans of Thundershirts or anxiety wraps.
These work very, very well,coupled with pheromone
diffusers.
There's a product called Adaptylthat we use in our dog practice
here at Paw's Veterinary Center.
(11:15):
It's a pheromone that the dogcan smell, it's a it's a smell
that your dog can smell, but youcan't.
It's actually the smell that thedog smells when it's nursing on
its mom.
So it's a very, very calming uhsmell.
And again, you can't pick it up,but it is something the dog can.
You can get these by puttingdiffusers in your house, you can
(11:37):
spray the dog's bed, you canspray the dog, uh, other areas
where the dog might be, and itreally helps uh kind of lower
it, ratchet down that anxietylevel.
Uh, CBD oil and common chews areavailable, and they're always
something you can try.
So also make sure that youcreate a safe space, this quiet
and closed area that your dog orcat can be comfortable in.
(12:00):
It's an you want an interiorroom away from windows and
doors.
You want to make sure that youcan close the blinds and
curtains in that area, that it'sit's a darkened area.
Add blankets, favorite toys, uh,chew things that your dog might
have or your cat may want tohave as far as a blanket.
Um, and play you can play whitenoise, which is like calming
(12:22):
music, or you can turn the TVon, or there are lots of white
noise machines that you mightwant to try.
You need to make sure that youstay calm and present.
So you need to be there and becalm.
Uh, if you panic, you know yourdog or cat's gonna pick up that
anxiety and it's only gonna makethings worse.
So don't do that.
And on the delay on the day ofthe fourth, exercise or heavily
(12:46):
that day.
Go out for a really long run, goto the dog park, um, make sure
your cat gets to play with alaser pointer or a bottle cap or
something that really gets someexercise.
And keep them inside beforedark.
Make sure they're they're insidebefore dark falls.
You know, give a special chew ortreat or toy that your dog or
(13:07):
cat might like.
And then stay home if you can.
That's that's the best situationthat you can have.
You know, if the dog gets looseagain, then you want to make
sure that you're checking withthe local humane society
shelters, and also check withthe veterinarians because many
times they can be turned in, andobviously your dog should have a
(13:28):
microchip or your cat and willbe identified and returned
quickly to your being.
So I hope that helps.
Have a very safe and happy July4th from all of us at Pause
Reflected Heel and PawsVeterinary Center.
This is Dr.
Randy.
I hope those tips will behelpful for you going forward.
One of the things that I wouldlike to talk about is what are
(13:49):
the three most common mistakesthat our pet parents can make?
And this is our dog and catedition.
So uh let's call this a publicservice announcement because uh
these are things that we cantalk about and do something
about, and maybe you may notknow this, may not be in your
wheelhouse to understand thatthis could be a mistake.
(14:09):
So, you know, a lot of timespeople will assume that a tire
dog is a well-behaved dog.
Doesn't always do that.
So many people think that ifthey just exhaust their pets, um
problems will go away.
But dogs, especially high energyor anxious breeds, uh often need
mental stimulation too.
Think puzzle feeders or scentgames, short training exercises,
(14:33):
not just running them ragged.
Although I do know and I willtell you that most of our dogs
do not get enough exercise.
And that's often the lead-in formany, many behavioral problems.
But think about that mentalstimulation on top of your
physical stimulation.
Um, a lot of people, number two,will wait way too long to
(14:53):
address dental health problems.
Dental disease is a very, verycommon disease in our dogs and
cats.
Why is this?
Well, if you didn't brush yourteeth for five or six years, you
can just imagine what would begrowing on them in your mouth
and causing issues.
Uh, you know, many times by byeven age three, 80% of our dogs
(15:15):
have dental disease.
But many owners wait untilthere's obvious problem drooling
or odor or even inability tochew.
Brushing, dental chews, orscheduled even cleanings can
prevent these costly, costlyproblems.
Remember that it's it's it's aproblem in the fact that there's
a huge amount of bacteria in ourdog and cat's mouth, and that
(15:38):
gets absorbed in through theblood lymphatics to the rest of
the body.
It's probably one of the leadingcauses for some time for our
heart disease, because we getvalvular disease, the bacteria
sticks to the heart valves andthey leak.
We also get kidney disease andliver disease, but this bacteria
can go anywhere.
We've actually seen at PauseVeterinary Center that the
(16:00):
number one uh when we geturinary tract infections, if we
culture their mouth, meaning weculture the bacteria that's
growing in their urine in theirmouth, and we culture their
urine where the urine isinfected, we actually get the
same bacteria.
And so you have to understandthat uh dental disease and
periodontal disease can be areal problem.
(16:20):
The other thing a lot of clientsand pet parents don't know is
that 40 to 50 percent of dentaldisease in our dogs and cats is
what we call periodontal.
That means it's under the gunline, you can't see it, and it
could already be causingproblems in your pet's mouth.
So that yearly or biannualexamination by your veterinarian
(16:43):
is very important to addresswhat he or she sees, what
they're looking at, and what therecommendations could be.
Don't wait too long for this todo something about it.
And then, you know, the otherthing that we see, I think,
that's a number three problemfor our dogs is not
socialization.
Uh, no socialization, not doingthis enough, or doing it too
(17:03):
late.
Uh, socialization for dogs, thewindow closes about 14 to 16
weeks.
So you want to get that puppy ina puppy class early.
Uh, if puppies aren't safelyexposed to different people, dog
sounds in environments duringthis time, it can lead to
lifelong problems.
Remember, socialization isn'tjust about other dogs, it's
(17:24):
about the world and people andwhere they go.
So remember to do all of that.
Let's talk about three problemsor mistakes that our cat parents
can make.
One is thinking indoor catsdon't need to have enrichment.
Indoor cats often live longer,but without stimulation, they
can become bored, obese, or evendepressed.
(17:48):
Cat trees, window perches, foodpuzzles, and interactive play
are essential, not optional.
So make sure you incorporatethis in your cat's life.
It's something you can do veryeasily.
It does involve you in thatsituation, so it's great
socialization for the two ofyou, and it really will help
your cat to get that mentalstimulation.
(18:12):
A second issue is people willavoid litter box issues.
If a cat stops using the litterbox, many odors assume it's just
a behavior, but often it's anearly sign of medical problem,
like a urinary tract infection,or even stress.
Cats are experts at hiding pain.
This is their way of telling yousomething's wrong.
(18:32):
So sometimes cats won't jump intheir box because they're
hurting.
We see at our feline focusfeline practice here at Paw's
Veterinary Center that manytimes up to 60% of our cats at
eight to ten years of age haveosteoarthritis.
But they don't show it.
And why is that?
Well, they don't show it becausethey know in the wild they could
(18:55):
get eaten if they show pain ordiscomfort.
So they hide it really well.
Again, this is a place whereyour veterinarian uh can come
into play and don't wait over ayear to have your cat examined.
A lot of people think my cat'sdoing great, doesn't need to go
into the veterinarian.
That's not always the case.
It's not a matter of gettingexpensive lab work.
(19:16):
Sometimes it's just thatexamination that can catch that
osteoarthritis or pain level andreally help your cat.
But litter box behavior changescan often be a problem.
And the last one is free feedingyour cat dry kibble all day.
As many of you know on my PauseReflect and Heel newsletter and
my site, my website at Dr.
(19:37):
Randy Petvet, I'm not a fan ofdry kibbles for cats.
Dry kibbles are superheated,they're super processed, and
cats don't need thosecarbohydrates.
They need protein levels, and soI'm a huge fan of lightly
cooked, air-dry or freeze-driedfoods for my cats.
(19:57):
Don't let put a big bowl ofkibble out there and let them
nibble on it.
It's like actually like crackfor cats.
I mean, you know, these kibblesare flavored, these companies
know how to get them to eat.
So the cats will do that allday, and it can really lead to
severe obesity, which can be areal problem for our cats.
Schedule your meals or use foodpuzzles for our cats, do some
(20:21):
mental stimulation, and thiswill really help.
So, what's my final thoughtabout these three mistakes for
both our cat and dog owner?
Whether you have a cat, dog, orboth, the most important thing
you can do is stay curious andobservant.
Many of the biggest mistakescome from assuming things are
normal without taking a closerlook.
Have a mis, you know, have amistake you made and want to
(20:44):
avoid repeating it.
You're not alone.
Keep an eye on your dog or cat,and you'll be much, much happier
that things will be muchhealthier for your pet going
forward.
So here's a good question forone of my pet owners, um, and I
think you'll you'll like this.
Um, excuse me for you know kindof browsing down occasionally,
but I want to read this per seso I don't get it wrong.
(21:04):
Dear Dr.
Randy, my husband and I aregoing through a divorce and
still live under the same rooffor now.
There's a lot of tension in thehome, and I think our
three-year-old Goladoodle haspicked it up on it.
Her diarrhea has been worselately, and I'm wondering if
she's reacting to the stress.
What can I do?
Also, when should dog owners beconcerned about diarrhea in
(21:26):
general?
Well, first of all, I'm reallysorry to hear about the divorce.
Been there, done that, thingsget better, I promise.
Uh, but I want to say something.
Dogs absolutely can pick up uhstress, and that could lead to
GI issues like diarrhea andvomiting.
It's called stress colitis, andit's more common than many
(21:47):
people realize, especially inemotionally sensitive breeds
like goldoodles, border collies,labs, and shepherds.
We often see can we often seethese in animals that are
boarded.
When they're in a syntheticsituation and dogs are barking
around them and they're not homein their comfort of their house,
uh, they can get stress uh GIproblems, especially diarrhea.
(22:08):
Um, just like in people, therethe the triggers cause chemical
changes in the dog's GI tract.
Cortisol, which is the stresshormone, disrupts a lot of the
balance of the good bacteria,leading to inflammation and
loose stools.
You've heard me talk aboutmicrobiome.
This is exactly what happens,and we get what's called a
dysbiosis, which is an imbalancebetween the good and bad
(22:31):
bacteria and yeast that are inyour uh yeast, bacteria and
fungus that are in your dog's GItract.
They become very sensitive, soyou can just really be careful.
So things like arguments,tension, crying, moving are just
things that will really set yourdog off.
So, what can you do like rightnow?
Well, first of all, give yourGoldadoodle a safe zone.
(22:53):
Uh, where's a predictable areawhere there's a bedroom, a cozy
cot, a corner with a soft towelor bedding, and low foot
traffic.
Remember, I talked uh about someof the um stresses for
thunderstorms and fireworks.
Pheromone sprays like adaptal ora plug-in diffuser can be
really, really helping.
(23:13):
And you can use like whitenoise, like a calming thing in
the background in that safearea.
Stick to a routine.
Don't change your Goldadoodlesroutine if you can help so.
Dogs love structure.
So feeding, walking, bedtime,keep it all the same if you can.
Um sometimes probiotics canhelp.
So we have things likeFortiflora, Proviable, or um
(23:36):
Espalardi, which can really makea big difference.
Using plain pumpkin uh with somefiber added, like psilium or
inulin, can really help withstress diarrhea and settle
things down.
Um, so you can do those kinds ofthings.
Uh, your diet.
A lot of people, when dogs startbreaking with diarrhea, will do
(23:57):
what they call bland diets.
Most bland diets to people arechicken and rice.
Don't do this.
Uh chicken in Chinese terms isconsidered what's called a hot
meat.
Lamb, venison, and chicken arehot meats, which often cause
more problems for the GI tract.
Use turkey or beef.
(24:17):
And use oats.
Use like Quaker oats, not thequick, but the regular
old-fashioned.
Use oats and turkey, oats andbeef as your bland diet if you
want to do a bland diet.
Okay?
And then calming support, wetalked about like the adaptal
diffusers, calming chews,anti-anxiety meds, even CBD.
You know, if there is a problem,speak to your veterinarian
(24:40):
because your veterinarian canhelp settle this issue down.
Um, so what when does thisbecome a real problem?
When does the diarrhea become uhif the diarrhea lasts for more
than 48 hours, call your vet.
If there's blood or black tar ystools, call your vet.
Um your dog seems verylethargic, it's vomiting or
(25:00):
refusing food, that's a problem.
Um there's weight lossassociated with this.
This is also a problem.
Um, or you've had frequent pastepisodes.
This needs to be addressed.
So, you know, nothing is aperfect home, but trying to make
this a stable uh situation foryour golden doodle is really
important.
(25:20):
Let me tell you a littlebackstory before I finish this
subject.
Um, I was working at the AnimalMedical Center in New York City,
and this sheepdog came in forterrible vomiting with blood in
it.
And the local veterinarian hadtried a number of different
things, uh, prescription diet,bland diet, and nothing seemed
(25:41):
to be helping, including themedicines.
Um, on pursuing the history onthis case, we found out that the
husband and wife had been havinga very violent divorce, and they
were still living under the sameroof, like this Goldadoodle
example.
And it even got to the pointwhere she was throwing plates at
the husband, he was punchingwalls, and this dog had an
(26:04):
absolute stress gastritis.
So it caused ulceration of thestomach, uh, severe
inflammation.
What happened was we went aheadand did endoscopy on this dog.
And endoscopy is passing a fiberoptic scope into the dog's
stomach.
And I saw that there weremultiple hemorrhagic or red
(26:25):
areas on the lining of thescope.
Hemorrhagic just means they werebleeding.
So we biopsied those areas, andsure enough, the biopsy came
back as stress ulcers.
And uh we were convinced thatthe stress was happening at the
home.
We addressed the home situation.
We obviously had the dog on somemedication to uh to cover the uh
(26:48):
the ulcers themselves and theirritation, and all resolved.
The dog got back to normal.
There was no need for long-termuh medication or diets, uh, the
dog's doing great.
But that just gives you anexample of how stress can really
set our dogs off, and this was aperfect example of that.
So, the last question for todaythat I'm gonna go through is a
(27:11):
question from a listener.
Um, I live in Boulder, Colorado.
Last summer, two of my friends'dogs were bitten by rattlesnakes
on hikes.
One of them said their vet toldthem that the baby rattlesnake
bites were worse because thesnake can't control its venom.
Is that true?
And what precautions should I betaking?
Should I do, uh, or you know,what should I do if my dog gets
(27:33):
bitten, or how much time do Ihave?
Um, well, that's a greatquestion.
This is um um there there arethese are great, you know, great
instincts on your part.
Rattlesnake bites do happen inand around Boulder, but we have
them all over Arizona.
We have them all over Tucson andGreen Valley, and we see them in
late spring all the way to thefall.
(27:55):
Uh, your dog is absolutely atrisk if hiking and biking or
going out in the desert, but wehave them even in the foothills
of our area where snakes willget into the yards and bite our
our dogs.
Um it can be a real problem.
Let's let's break this down.
You know, the first questionwas: are baby rattlesnake bites
worse?
(28:16):
Well, sometimes they are becausewhat happens when baby
rattlesnake bites are that theirvenom is very concentrated
because they're small.
And so the envenomation or thebite can be much, much worse
because they inject not morevenom, but much more toxic,
strong venom that can reallyhurt.
Um, adult, you know, adultsnakes could have more volume,
(28:38):
but sometimes those snake bitescan be dry bites, also.
So we actually see rattlesnakebites where we'll see the holes
and the bleeding, but we don'tget the secondary swelling and
what we call necrosis or dyingof the skin.
Uh this gets so bad it can goall the way down to the bone
when they start to die.
So any snake bite, anyrattlesnake bite can be a
(29:00):
problem.
I'm not in an area where youhave cotton mouths and some of
these other snakes uh on thesoutheast or the mid or the
Midwest or the East Coast, butmany of these are just as
problematic.
So, what do you do if um if yourdog gets bit?
Well, you want to get to anemergency service as soon as
possible.
Uh ideally, if you can within 30to 60 minutes.
(29:22):
Uh sooner is even better.
So the sooner you get that bitelooked at, the better off you
are.
Um try to keep your dog calm andum and try to carry them if you
possibly can.
Uh if it's on a limb, whichoften the bites are, we don't
want them using that so thatthey will circulate that venom,
it'll go up the leg and go intolymphatics and blood flow.
(29:44):
And this can be really lifethreatening.
Dogs and cats die fromrattlesnake bites.
So just know that time is reallycritical.
Um don't uh don't apply atourniquet, don't ice the area.
These are things that will nothelp and Actually, it can make
things worse.
And if you know, if it'spossible and you see the snake
(30:05):
and it's it's safe, take apicture of that snake so you can
bring that with you on your cellphone.
Okay?
What happens at the vet?
So many, many times they'll getaccessed really easily.
They'll get a catheter placed,placed on IV fluids, pain
medicine, monitoring, andsometimes anti-venom is
administered.
Anti-venom is uh expensive butcan be life-saving.
(30:28):
So something to definitelyconsider.
Bites of the face and chest canbe much more dangerous than some
of the limbs because of airwayswelling, and if their airways
swell, they can chuck themselvesoff and not be able to breathe.
Be alert around uh rocks, logs,and you know, shady spots when
you're hiking and walkingbecause this is the best way to
(30:50):
help prevent that that problem.
Um back to the the vet visit,sometimes that that will take
one to three days ofhospitalization to get your dog
or cat through the bite.
We often incorporate ozonetherapy around that area.
We also incorporate uh sometimeslaser or pulsed electric
(31:12):
magnetic therapy to decrease thesloughing or damage to the skin
and tissue around there.
So there are definitely thingsthat can happen after the bite
and after your dog or cat isstable.
Um, a lot of people will askabout the rattlesnake vaccine.
This is not an answer to thisproblem.
Um, we have seen dogs that havegotten the rattlesnake vaccine
(31:35):
and their bite were minimal butgot even worse because
rattlesnake vaccine is sometoxin that they're actually
giving to your dog, and thenyou're getting more toxin from
the actual bite.
Don't do rattlesnake vaccine.
It's not a panacea, it's not ananswer, and in our hands, we
have not seen it make anydifference to help the dog
(31:55):
whatsoever.
And it's another vaccine thatyour pet doesn't need.
The best ticket to this israttlesnake avoidance training.
Uh, for example, when I was inGreen Valley, we would see 30
invenomations a summer.
That's a lot.
30 dogs.
And when we started rattlesnakeavoidance training, it went to
(32:15):
three a summer.
So that just tells you how muchthat could save your dog's life.
Um, so definitely considerrattlesnake uh aversion
training.
It's available all over.
Uh, it's definitely something toconsider.
Um, and so what to think aboutin the future to be ready.
Make sure you have an emergencyvet or telephone number close
(32:38):
by, either in your car, on yourcell phone, or at your home.
Um, sometimes there's a first arattlesnake first aid card that
you can get, uh might beworthwhile looking at.
Um, there is sometimes we willalso recommend that if you know
if if you're far away from uh alocal veterinarian or you you
(32:58):
don't know that you can getthere in a you know quite of an
adequate you know amount oftime, thinking about having some
Benadryl or Diphenhydraminearound, but ask your vet about
this first, okay?
So um, you know, a final thoughton this is rattlesnake bites are
one of those things you'd neverwant to have to think about.
Please make sure you get therattlesnake avoidance done for
(33:20):
your dog, it'll save your dog'slife.
Best best uh advice I can giveyou about this being ready and
dealing with thislife-threatening situation.
Thanks for listening to PauseReflect and Heal today.
I'm Dr.
Randy.
Remember, uh, you can email meat drrandypetvet.com.
Stay uh be looking for ournewsletters, subscribe to our
(33:43):
our podcasts.
We're on all the streamingservices.
We'd love to have you asfollowers.
It makes it easier for us to doour job and bring you much more
information, and we'll be doingthat on our next podcast.
Have a great day.
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