Myths and other good information…………

Does an Old Myth keep cropping up that "Drives You Crazy!"

Some Common Dog Myths:

MYTH .... My dog needs to grow a long coat in winter to stay warm, if it gets matted I should just wait till spring to have him groomed.

FACT......Your dog grows a "thicker" coat in the winter to keep warm. Letting it grow longer (unless he's kept outdoors for long periods of time) is unnecessary, and in that case, he should be groomed as often as possible.

Matt’s absorb water which can take hours or even days to dry out, thus making him MORE susceptible to chilling, and illness, than he would be if the coat were somewhat shorter, matt free, and dry.

MYTH ....My pets "natural" coat is 6 inches long, and drags the ground wherever he/she walks.

FACT ...This is not "natural" coat. It took years of careful, planned breeding to develop these types of coats.

This was done for the purpose of "showing" these breeds, and they are about as "manmade" as it is possible to get them.

In the wild state your pets coat would be nothing like this. (He/she probably wouldn't be able to survive if it was) And, there are several of reasons, why!

(1) As large matts pull down tighter and tighter on heavy coated dogs they can also begin to pull the skin, and then the dogs frame into an awkward position making it difficult for them to walk, much less run from a predator.

(2) Matted hair around the eyes makes it difficult to impossible for them to see.

(3) Flies are attracted to dirty matted areas around the tail, and like to lay their eggs there. The resulting maggots eat the flesh of the dog in those areas right down to the bone, and even enter into the lower intestinal tract and eat holes there also. The results are fatal if not caught soon enough!

Myth: My dog is over heated from the hot weather so I should plunge him in ice water

Fact: Don't plunge an overheated dog into ice water. This causes the peripheral blood vessels to contract, actually trapping the overheated blood at the body's core -- just where it does most harm. Instead, cool the dog slowly by placing him in cool water, or by draping him with wet towels and aiming a fan at him. Offer him plenty of cool water.

If you have a thermometer, cool him until his temperature reaches 103 degrees F (39 degrees C), then stop, as it will continue to decline. As soon as you have him cooling, race him to the veterinarian. Even if he appears to have recovered, he needs to go to the veterinarian because some delayed but deadly effects can still occur even days later.

Why you shouldn't shave your long haired double coated dog.

Myth: It's summer and 100 degrees F outside. You notice your Golden retriever panting, or your Sheltie, or your Chow or your Malamute and you think to yourself, wow, Fido must be hot in that fur coat!

Fact: Long haired, double coated dogs do not need to be shaved in the hot weather, any more than you need to shave your head in the hot weather. Double coated dogs are dogs that have a heavy undercoat (the lighter softer coat that sheds) and do not need to be shaved. Unless the dog has passed the point of no return in the matting department, the best type of grooming for these dogs is a vigorous undercoat raking with a special tool that helps remove undercoat, a bath, and a blow dry to help separate the hair so the groomer gets the rest of the undercoat out. Once the undercoat is removed, the dog does feel cooler. The guard hairs on the top that do not shed out provide protection against the rays of the sun, and actually insulate the dog from the heat. On most dogs I will shave a strip up their belly, so that they can lay on cool surfaces, and get maximum coolness.

Myth: Cutting the hair off short, it will cause the dog not to shed.

Fact: Dogs with undercoat shed. It may shed shorter hair, but it will still shed.

Myth: A dog with an undercoat that is shaved will grow

Fact: Sometimes it will. But, the older the dog, the less likely the guard hairs will re-grow. The undercoat will re-grow, but the upper hair sometimes does not. This gives the dog a patchy, scruffy appearance.

Also skin that is damaged by UV rays that they would not otherwise be exposed to, can take a long time to heal, and the dog may have scaling and dandruff for quite some time after the hair has re-grown.

MYTH Dogs should have a litter before they are spayed.

FACT This is not true. Dogs that have a litter before they are spayed are not better for it in any way. In fact, spayed dogs are at lower risk for breast cancer and uterine infections.

MYTH Dogs are sick when their noses are warm.

FACT The temperature of a dogs nose does not indicate health or illness. It also does not indicate if they have a fever. There is an "old wives tale" that cold wet noses indicate good health and that warm or dry noses indicate a fever or illness. The only accurate method to access a dog's temperature is to take it with a thermometer. Normal dog temperature is 100.5 to 102.5 degrees F.

MYTH Mutts are always healthier than purebred dogs.

FACT This is not true. Both mutts and purebred dogs can be either healthy or unhealthy. However, mutts generally do not have many of the genetic diseases that may be common in purebred lines.

MYTH All dogs like to be petted on their heads.

FACT Some dogs do like to be petted on their heads but many do NOT.

MYTH Happy dogs wag their tails.

FACT This may be true but aggressive dogs often wag their tails too. There are several physical body motions and cues that help dogs communicate their intent. A wagging tail can mean either agitation or excitement. A dog that wags his tail slowly and moves his entire rear end or crouches down in the classic "play bow" position is usually demonstrating a friendly wag. Tails that are wagged when held higher, tails that "twitch" or a wagging tail held over the back may be associated with aggression.

MYTH Only male dogs will 'hump" or lift their leg to urinate.

FACT This is not true. Female dogs, especially dominant female dogs, will lift their leg to urinate and "hump" other dogs or objects. This can be true even in spayed female dogs.

MYTH Table scraps are good for dogs.

FACT Some table scraps such as bones and pieces of fat can be dangerous to some pets. Dogs may not digest the bones and the fat may cause gastrointestinal problems such as pancreatitis.

MYTH Garlic prevents fleas.

FACT Garlic has NOT been proven helpful for flea control. Large amounts of garlic can even be harmful.

MYTH Household "pet dogs" don't need trained.

FACT This is not true. Every dog should be trained.

MYTH Dogs eat grass when they are sick.

FACT Dogs descended from wild wolves and foxes that ate all parts of their "kill". This included the stomach contents of many animals that ate berries and grass. Many scientists believe grass was once part of dog's normal diet and eating small amounts of grass is normal.

MYTH Dogs like tasty food.

FACT Dogs have very poor taste buds and eat primarily based on their sense of smell.

MYTH Licking is Healing.

FACT It is natural for a dog to lick its wound but this not necessarily always "healing". Too much licking can actually prohibit healing.

MYTH Dogs will let you know when they are sick.

FACT This is not true. Dogs generally are very good at hiding that they are sick by survival instinct, thus not to appear vulnerable to "prey". Often by the time they show you that they are sick, their disease or condition is quite advanced.

MYTH Dogs that are mostly indoors don't need heartworm prevention.

FACT This is not true. Indoor pets are also at risk for heartworm disease. Heartworm disease is spread by mosquitoes, which can come inside.

MYTH Dogs eat rocks, lick concrete or eat their or another animals stools because of nutrient imbalances.

FACT No one knows why dogs eat "stuff" that they should not eat. Some veterinarians believe that some dogs that eat "things" may be trying to get attention or acting out of boredom. It is important for dogs to eat a well balanced diet hat will fulfill their dietary and nutrient requirements and have plenty of opportunities for play and exercise.

MYTH Dogs don't need housebroken – they naturally know where to go.

FACT Oh...if only this were true. You need to train your dog on where to go. This preferably happens when you start at a young age and give your dog positive encouragement for jobs well done.

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Some Common Cat Myths:

Myth: Cats always land on their feet.
Fact: While cats instinctively fall feet first and may survive falls from high places, they also may receive broken bones in the process. Some kind of screening on balconies and windows can help protect pets from disastrous falls.

Myth: Cats should drink milk everyday.
Fact: Most cats like milk, but do not need it if properly nourished. Also, many will get diarrhea if they drink too much milk. If it is given at all, the amount should be small and infrequent. An adult cat doesn't need to drink milk at all. If you must give your cat milk, it is recommended you purchase special "cat's milk" which has been specifically formulated for cats to drink. 

NEVER give milk to a kitten! This can cause severe diarrhea that can lead to dehydration and could cause death.

Myth: Cats that are spayed or neutered automatically gain weight.
Fact: Like people, cats gain weight from eating too much, not exercising enough or both. In many cases, spaying or neutering is done at an age when the animal's metabolism already has slowed, and its need for food has decreased. If the cat continues to eat the same amount, it may gain weight. Cat owners can help their cats stay fit by providing exercise and not over-feeding.

Myth: Cats cannot get rabies.
Fact: Actually, most warm-blooded mammals, including cats, bats, skunks and ferrets, can carry rabies. Like dogs, cats should be vaccinated regularly according to local laws.

Myth: Indoor cats cannot get diseases.
Fact: Cats still are exposed to organisms that are carried through the air or brought in on a cat owner's shoes or clothing. Even the most housebound cat ventures outdoors at some time and can be exposed to diseases and worms through contact with other animals feces.

Myth: Tapeworms come from bad food.
Fact: Pets become infected with tape worms from swallowing fleas, which carry the parasite. Also, cats can get tapeworms from eating infected mice or other exposed animals.

Myth: Putting garlic on a pet's food will get rid of worms.
Fact: Garlic may make the animal's food taste better but has no effect on worms. The most effective way to treat worms is by medication prescribed by a veterinarian.

Myth: Pregnant women should not own cats.
Fact: Some cats can be infected with a disease called toxoplasmosis, which occasionally can be spread to humans through cat litter boxes and cause serious problems in unborn babies. However, these problems can be controlled, if the expectant mother avoids contact with the litter box and assigns daily cleaning to a friend or other family member.

Myth: A cat's sense of balance is in its whiskers.
Fact: Cats use their whiskers as "feelers" but not to maintain their balance.

Myth: Cats can have fish

Fact: It is perfectly fine to give your cat the occasional treat of fish, but it should not become a part of their regular diet. Feeding too much fish can lead to Yellow Fat Disease (steatitis), caused by Vitamin E deficiency. Cats require taurine in their diet & fish doesn't provide this in sufficient amounts. 

Myth: Cats must be 6 months of age before they can be spayed or neutered

Fact: With modern anesthetics, cats can now be safely desexed as young as 8 weeks of age.

Myth: Declawing won’t hurt my cat

Fact: Declawing is more than simply removing the cat's claws, the last bone on the cat's claw is amputated. This is an excruciatingly painful procedure & one which not all cats will fully recover from. Many declawed cats are surrendered to shelters because of behavioral problems they developed after being declawed including biting & refusal to use their litter tray. 

Cats by nature walk on their toes, so after they've been declawed, walking often becomes extremely painful to them.

Myth: Cat fur causes allergies

Fact: The primary cause of allergic reactions to cats is caused by allergens found in the cat sebaceous glands in the cat's skin, such as the allergenic glycoprotein called Fel D1(short for "Felis domesticus"), it is also secreted via saliva in lesser quantities. When cats lick themselves, they spread this protein, which is rather sticky, and glues itself onto dust particles, the home, your clothing and their fur; whether it's long, short, straight, curly, or absent. As all cats have sebaceous glands, all cat breeds can potentially cause allergies. Allergic allergens are also found in the faeces, serum, urine, mucous, dander, and hair roots of the cat.

Myth: All calico (tortoiseshell) cats are female

Fact: No, while the vast majority of calico cats are female, there is the occasional male. However, virtually all of these males are sterile. the calico colour is sex linked. For a cat to be calico it must have two X chromosomes ergo the cat is female. In rare instances however a male calico will be produced. This usually happens because the cat has an extra chromosome. So, instead of him being XY, he is XXY. These cats are known as Kleinfelter males. 

 * Approximately 1-3,000 calico's are male & out of those only 1-10,000 are fertile.

Myth: If you no longer want your pet cat, it is OK to release it into the wild because cats can fend for themselves

Fact: Sadly there are still some people who tire of their pet cat & leave the cat outdoors, justifying their behaviour by telling themselves that cats can fend for themselves. This is NOT the case. Pet cats who find themselves turfed out will most likely die of either starvation, injuries caused by fights with other animals, disease or be hit by a car. If you no longer want your cat then do the right thing & either find it a new home or take it to a shelter. 

Myth: All male cats spray

Fact: Not all male cats spray. Entire male cats are much more likely to spray than desexed ones, which is another good reason to desex your cats. Female cats (especially entire ones) can also spray, although it's less common for an entire female to spray than an entire male. 

Myth: Cats smother babies

Fact: There isn't a single verified case of a cat smothering a baby, this is entirely myth. However, there are several cases of parents accidentally smothering babies in their sleep.

Other good information:

Plan on boarding your pet over the Holidays?

Many boarding facilities offer a "Free" bath as part of their service. On the surface this might look like a really good deal, but what you should know is that if you have a long haired pet "the surface" may be all they plan to take care of. (This happens in Veterinary Hospitals also!!)

In some facilities they may only "top wash" top dry" and "top brush" your pet , just under that freshly polished looking exterior there will be matts, moisture, and skin trouble lurking.

The remedy for this is to ask what the policy is for long haired pets and offer to pay whatever extra is needed to have your pet thoroughly brushed and combed both before and after the bath takes place. If they are unable or unwilling to do this, ask them to give you a "credit" off your bill for the bath and keep it. You and your pet will be better off without it!

If you got a long haired puppy for Christmas. (Particularly if it's a Chow puppy)
Please, please, please, check it's collar regularly to see if it's too tight!!
Sometimes these pups grow so fast you don't realize they've outgrown the collar, the collar then becomes imbedded in the flesh, and a horrible infection sets in.

This can be fatal also if not caught soon enough!

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Electronic Fence Collars

Can't tell you how many Chow, Sheltie, Malamute, even an overgrown Cocker or two, have come into the shop with owners complaining of a "smell". On examination, we find the prongs from electronic fence collars embedded in the neck. Sometimes all the way in, but usually just a little (hate those things!) The smell they noticed is caused by open, infected sores. We usually recommend they keep the area shaved and CHECK IT ONCE IN A WHILE to be sure the fit is correct. An electronic fence is better than no fence, certainly. But on dogs with long hair a little caution is required.