Hot Weather, Ants and Dogs

Hot girl-dog starting a hot walk.

The weather has spiked here. It's in the 80s early in the day and mid-90s by mid-afternoon. The older I get, the more I am aware of the narrowing of my personal temperature comfort range. I am not comfortable when it is higher than the 70s. Activity brings on an instant, dripping sweat. Bella is also miserable and seems content to just be on the cool tile floor or in the shade of a palm.

Along with the heat, we've seen an enormous influx of ants—in the bathroom, in the kitchen, around the perimeter of the house. Counters are cleaned several times a day, but still they come. The concrete house is porous and we've found several spots we think are their entry by watching their trail.

The only thing available in our rental was Raid and my husband used it. (Effectively, I might add, but reluctantly.) We were concerned for our health, naturally, but more concerned for Bella. Some of the spray was at her level and we didn't want her anywhere near it.

Our neighbor, a long time Baja resident and knowledgeable ant remover, had the better solution: some liquid dish detergent diluted enough to use it in a spray bottle (which she was kind enough to lend us). Eureka! It stops them dead in their tracks without us resorting to pesticides. We can now go on the attack, without fear of the "bad stuff."

Dog Buddies

I've written a lot about our last dog, Lucy, and her selective friendships. She had a hard time with other dogs and only allowed a few into her life, but she played with none...except Kita. Kita was an Akita mix and she and Lucy were so obviously best friends. They could see across the street to each other's home and when they spotted each other, oh! The volume went up! Kita's owner moved away after a year and Lucy went into a huge slump. Kita was far enough away that get togethers weren't possible.

So you can imagine my delight when I read a story of two stray dogs in Indiana that had bonded, but were caught and taken to a shelter. One was adopted out and lasted with his family only three weeks before he made a ten mile journey back to the shelter to see his buddy. The end of the story is even better. Read it here.

Do you know what's in your dog's dry kibble?

I came across this article today from Reuters regarding contaminated corn in kibble.  Wikipedia states in its description of aflatoxins:

"Aflatoxins are toxic and among the most carcinogenic substances known."

Aflatoxins flourish in dry conditions like the Midwest had last year. In drought years, corn is more susceptible to mold, from which aflatoxin is a byproduct. Many kibble products contain corn. DogFoodAdvisor.com lists a recall of Hy-Vee pet foods from Midwestern states.

Check your dog's food label. Symptoms of aflatoxin poisoning are similar to so many other signs: lethargy, vomiting, lack of appetite, diarrhea—and a new one, yellow tint to eyes and gums.

How Often is Your Dog Vaccinated?

I am not even going to go into this other than refer you to this recent article in Bark magazine regarding vaccination frequency and amount. It is a HOT topic with many pet owners and something my vet and I have struggled with trying to walk a fine line between US and Mexican requirements for pets crossing borders. Bella is healthy and current on all her vaccines, but Mexican law requires yearly rabies shots, where my state has a 3-year interim between boosters.

I spoke with another U.S. vet who lives in Mexico six months of the year. I asked him how he manages his dog's rabies shot. He observes the standard for his state. I have not asked him about vaccinations in general and plan to do so the next time I see him.

Have you talked to your vet about this? What have you discovered?

Giving Table Scraps

We have a fairly strict policy at home about treating Bella with human scraps. Depending on what the food is, we are okay with it as long as we aren't cooking or eating. I don't want her drooling while I cook, hoping she'll get something, or begging at the table.

Recently I had an incident with a house guest who was liberal with handouts. Although I give her kudos for telling me, she mentioned she'd fed Bella some avocado and did I mind. I know there is controversy around avocados, but I was not concerned about the little bit she gave her. However, that she gave Bella anything without asking me first, did concern me. Not only for health issues (did she know about grapes, for instance), but for the fact that I don't want our four years of training to go down the tubes in a single week! I asked that she please not do it again.

Case closed I thought, but then saw her giving Bella bread and cheese. I asked her please do not feed Bella scraps. She apologized and laughed, "Oh! Her face is so cute and she looks so hungry!" I agreed to the cuteness (of course!), but assured her that Bella wasn't starving, but a bottomless pit.

The next day, same story, different page. Stop! Feeding! My! Dog! She was contrite, but not apologetic.

Lucky our guest has left–but she's left us with a dog who now puts her face too close to plates, food, compost all the while sniffing and drooling. It will take some undoing, I fear. Before where Bella would lie in the kitchen, out of my way, and watch, she's now underfoot. Each time I have to remove her to a further corner or put her on a down/stay while eating. What a bother to continually remind her one week of a bad guest and free handouts does not mean a perpetual license to beg.

Have you experienced this with others trying to ingratiate themselves to your pup via free food?

Hard-Working Dog Honored

I love these kinds of stories. I particularly like them when the animal, in this case, Rusty, the dog, can be honored and is alive to see it, versus posthumously. Not only has Rusty served his community well, but he gets to live out his life with his coworker as a regular family dog.

I wonder if after a life of work, if he'll be bored or able to enjoy his retirement with walks, ball tosses and swims?

Multilingual Dog

Bella is multilingual. I'm quite proud of her. Of course she speaks Dog. Here, in Baja, I don't know if the other canines speak a different dialect, but she seems quite at home with them and has had no problem making herself understood.

Then of course, she understands (though cannot speak) English. Her vocabulary is large. When she is being pesky with her ball wanting someone to toss it, she knows the command "be self-entertaining" and goes off with the ball to play by herself.

She often stays with some friends when we can't take her on our travels. I know they speak German to her. I don't know what she knows, but they say she's got the basics down. Maybe I should learn German...

And now she has some Spanish under her belt. I am working with the program Rosetta Stone to improve my Spanish and each unit starts starts and ends with "hola" and "adios." The first time I said "hola" she ran to the door and barked. I didn't get what the connection was until the second time. Now, if we're inside, and I say "Hola," she always runs to the door or out into the yard to see who's there!

How many languages does your dog understand?

Carbs? Low Carb? No Carb?

In the same day, I received an article from a friend and my brother regarding a new DNA study on wolves and domesticated dogs.  My friend sent it thinking I would find it fascinating, my brother because of the last paragraph in the article he sent. The author, Rosie Mestel, of the Los Angeles Times writes in that paragraph:

"Dr. Oscar Chavez, director of the veterinary technician program at Cal Poly Pomona, said the findings serve as a reminder that dogs don't eat like wolves. He said he and his colleagues are befuddled by the trend toward pricey low-carb dog foods and raw diets, which could stress dogs' kidneys with their extra protein load."

I had told my brother I was feeding Bella no grain/high protein kibble and that her coat was glossy, her stools (a dog owner's odd focus), and her demeanor even keel. He switched his young Wheaten to a similar diet with similar results. However with this news, and his understanding that Wheaten's can have kidney issues, he was concerned he might be hurting his dog with the best of intentions.

First off, I recommended he contact his vet and see what her/his thoughts were. I sent an email to my vet (and have not heard back yet), and went on-line to start reading. It seems in a layman's nutshell, the gist of the study was an apparent large difference between wolves and domesticated dogs ability to digest starch. Domesticated dogs have an enzyme that allows for easier digestion; wolves don't have it. (It is worth reading the articles, plus this one also.)

Someone mentioned to me the correlation in humans between a high protein (low carb) diet and kidney function and sent me the link to this article. I am no scientist and don't pretend to be, but found this statement in the Harvard study interesting:

"While the researchers observed that protein consumption had an adverse impact on women with mild kidney problems, the same did not hold true for women with normal kidney function."

As I wrote my brother, the high protein, low/no grain dog kibbles have been around long enough that if there were significant reports of kidney damage, I believe we would have read something about it. I also found it reassuring that none of the other articles mentioned anything about the high protein/low carbohydrate diets correlating to canine kidney dysfunction and that the Harvard article mentioned in people with good kidney function, high protein diets did not equate kidney problems.

My brother's vet did respond to his email and told him not to be concerned. If he wanted, the next time he brought his dog in, they would do a baseline test to measure Murray's kidney function.


My brother will rest easier and so will I. Thanks to all my on-line buddies at Good Paws for their input and knowledge sharing regarding this issue!

Dog Booties Uber Alles

Bella's paws are in good condition this year for three reasons:

1. Last year I picked eight jillion pounds of broken glass from the yard of the home we rent while in Baja. (She had seriously sliced her feet more than once just running across the yard.)
2. This year, the landlord has hired someone to rake the sand (i.e., yard) once a week. The other six days, I continue to pick up broken glass.
3. Bella wears Ruffwear's dog booties when we go mountain biking. 

Well-worn, de-sanded and moderately washed dog boots.

Last year I wouldn't allow her to bike in the cactus forest (La Bufadora), but she's more mature and I thought she could manage it this time around. With booties, she's done well, and still, we've pulled some huge thorns from the soles. So thanks, Ruffwear! Bella (and I) are happy campers knowing her paws are protected!

Baja's Second First–Mountain Biking in the Bufadora

Biking through the cactus last year.

We took Bella mountain biking in the Bufadora! This is a large cardón cactus forest at the end of our bay. Last year we kept her to the sand road skirting the area, but yesterday took her onto the trails. My concern was that Bellie's Australian Shepherd genes keep her running alongside my husband's bike. Not viable in a cactus forest! She tried to maintain her position, but she understands the command "Ahead." We tried to keep her there as much as possible.

This year has seen a lot of rain; the whole drive down we talked about how green everything was. The forest was truly spectacular. Desert grass skirted the trails, cactus were in bloom and everything was green, green, green. The trails were in excellent condition as the rain had packed the sand. Cycling was easy because of it.

No one puts their dogs in booties down here, even though I was told to bring them.  Although I had them in my Camelback, I didn't make Bellie wear them. Every major trail intersection, we'd stop and check her paws. She was good to go!

The temperature is still cool and there was no need to worry about her overheating. We had plenty of water with us. We'll keep riding with her until the morning temps prove to hot.

Baja First–Bella Hits the Beach

Wearing a muzzle means fun beach time! Oh boy!

Last year, after a fraught visit to the beach, I did not bring Bella down to the water again–at least not in the area where we live. There was an influx of dead sea slugs and puffer fish that year and living in the curve of a bay, we are the repository for most of the flotsam and jetsam. I had been warned these sea creatures exude such a powerful neuro-toxin that if mouthed, they can kill a dog within 24 hours.  It can drop a person who has only ingested a teaspoon. I had been told stories of friends dogs that had touched one and they filled me with dread. I was not going to expose Bella to that danger.

This year, I worked consistently with her wearing a muzzle. Before leaving, I was able to walk her around the neighborhood while she wore her muzzle with only infrequent rubbing against my leg. Two days ago, I took her to the beach with her muzzle. The sea slug scare remains, but the influx is next to nil this year.

She was so happy on the beach. Water! Running! She did drag her nose occasionally trying to remove the muzzle, but she was obviously blissful. Good girl, Bellie! Another beach visit is in your future.

Immediate Baja Addendum

Just spoke with a neighbor down here (Baja ) who has a lab who mouthed and dropped a toxic, dead sea creature (sea slug). He spent three days with a retired US veterinarian and a Mexican vet putting his Labrador into a three day, intentional semi-coma. The pet owner is an emergency room doc in the states. They did the intensive care in the owner's home. The dog came out of it, but continued to lose weight as the toxin had ruined the stomach lining. They flew home with the dog, saw an US vet and after three months, and visiting a vet who practiced acupuncture, were able to see their dog on a road to recovery who could tolerate digesting food.


I was going to take Bella to the beach tomorrow sans muzzle. Our friend said he never saw his dog pick up a thing. Guess Bellie is going oceanward with a face-trap.

Arrived in Baja

It is always a gargantuan drive, and this year in particular, difficult in that it rained the whole way. Not consistently, but off and on, leaving the roads muddy and slippery, and camping wet and uninviting. We saw more accidents this year than ever before despite the better roads.

She's out of the car, on a beach, with a ball–happy girl!

To be back in the same house is wonderful and finally, we have sun. It feels great. We went on a short bike ride around town this morning delivering things to people who had arrived previously. Because there are no street addresses or local post office, it's impossible to have things mailed. To get something, you often depend on fellow travelers to bring things you need. If it's easy to pack in a suitcase or a car, everyone is obliging. During the ride, there was a bit of Baja loose-dog-dodging, but we flanked Bellie with our bikes, or I road behind, weaving back and forth to dissuade any close encounters.

Bella is happy. In fact, Bella is happy anytime there is a ball, or her people, close by!

¡Feliz año nuevo!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Bellie wants to wish you all the best for the holidays and a new year that surpasses expectations. She wanted me to add, she hopes your stockings are full of tennis balls. Ho! Ho! Ho!

Any balls you don't want, just send them my way!

Getting Your Dog Out of a Trap

One of my biggest fears when we're mountain biking or hiking is that Bella, or another dog we are with, could be caught in a trap. I am grateful that Bella stays with us and rarely, if ever, ventures off the trail or far from our side.

However, our friends have a dog they acquired as a stray. This little girl kept herself alive by hunting rabbits and squirrels. The vet said she had had at least two litters by the time she was spayed, so she was also feeding her pups.

She does not stay on the trail. She bolts into the brush at the crack of a twig. I'm sending this article and it's links to her owners. If you spend time in the woods and your dog wanders, please read the linked story. It could save your pup's life.

How Much is Your Pup at Risk

I came across the website this morning and thought it pretty interesting. By clicking on a category (i.e., intestinal parasites), then a subcategory (roundworm) and then the animal (dog or cat), a map of the United States will appear. You can then pick your state, and from there, your county and see what the prevalence is. I can see this being helpful if you are traveling.

Parvo Redux—Good News?

There is a local, excellent, training facility in Seattle called Ahimsa Dog Training. The owner, Grisha Stewart, posted a recent update on the parvo outbreak in this area. She spoke with one of the vets at ACCES, an emergency veterinary clinic in the region. She quotes:

He [the vet] mentioned that the increase in cases was “significant, but it is not an epidemic.” The dogs who were sick were all treated and survived, and they seemed to have an incomplete vaccination history. So the vaccination probably would have protected them.

The good news is that it does not appear to be a new strain, although they are sending the culture out for testing. The number of cases has dropped back down to normal.

You can read more about it here.  Stewart's focus is on her training facility and the health of your puppy—good information wherever you live.

More on the Parvo Outbreak

The paper published another story. It seems that the preponderance of cases have been seen in young dogs, pups really, who have not received their full round of shots. My vet has seen it in young dogs who have received their initial shots (complete?) and their first booster. I think the comment at the end of the article says a lot—parents skeptical about vaccinating their children have transferred that same concern to their dogs. I know I feel "vaccine wary," but continue to have Bella receive all her shots.

The article also said:

"[T]he informal selling and giving of dogs through Craigslist has "definitely" increased the rate of unvaccinated puppies. If there isn't paper documentation that a puppy has been vaccinated, new owners should assume the dog needs to be inoculated."

I am skeptical of dog parks anyway. I've seen too many incidents of people who bring dogs, but do not monitor their behavior (dog fights) nor do they pick up after them (disease). I am leery of dogs who may not have been vaccinated spreading disease, not to mention fleas. Those reasons, combined with the fact that Bella only wants to chase a ball (versus play with other dogs), means we never go.

What is the Difference in Similar Drugs?

I was with my niece today who is a temporarily retired vet tech. I was talking to her about the drugs I have for Bella for Mexico—Trifexis and Frontline Plus—and she asked where I got the Frontline. Costco. Her take was that is was more efficacious to buy via the vet for the same reason my vet mentioned. Her drugs are guaranteed and trackable from the manufacturer. Costco's are not. I don't know that for sure and need to check with Costco to verify.

She also said before she left her clinic (to become a full-time mom), they were seeing many dogs for whom Frontline was no longer effective. Hm. Very interesting. I'll have to check with my vet about that. My niece recommended using Advantix.

So it got me to wondering, what is the difference in these products? I came upon an interesting website that spelled it out. If you're curious, take a peek. I think it's worth it.

Threat of Parvo Closes Local Dog Parks

Last night on the news was an entirely too short of a clip about a nearby city closing its dog parks because of a recent spike in parvo virus. For those of us with dogs—who happened to watch the news—this was a high alert. I recall last year in Baja, the family from whom we rented our house, nearly lost their dog to parvo. Luckily it recovered. However, that didn't stop me from bleaching the tile floors after they left (sans dog) from visiting us. Parvo can be found in the ground, on shoes and on the clothes of owners. The virus can survive not just days, but up to two years in favorable conditions. I didn't want Bella near it, despite the fact she's had her shots.

The city earns my applauds for being proactive and closing their dog parks. It seems vets were aware of this recent local uptick and unconfirmed reports had been linked to the parks. Parvo is shed via a dog's bowel movement and can still be present two to three weeks post exposure.  Just because you dog is vaccinated, doesn't mean he is completely off the hook either. An article in Whole Dog Journal states that even vaccinated dogs may contract the disease, although this is not normal.

Unfortunately symptoms of a parvo infection begin no differently than a myriad of other dog ailments: vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy and loss of appetite.

PAWPRINT: This just in from Bella's vet:

We wanted to make sure all of our clients know that there is currently a community wide outbreak of Parvoviral Gastroenteritis/Parvovirus in dogs.  There has been a sharp increase in cases of Parvovirus in the past few weeks and an increase overall in 2012 compared to 2011.  

Puppies are most susceptible to Parvovirus and most die unless they are treated with aggressive medical care.  

With proper medical care, 90% of puppies (and almost all adult dogs) will survive, but treatment is costly ($2,000-$7,000) and many dogs require hospitalization in a 24 hour critical care hospital for 6-8 days.

We are especially concerned that several recent cases in our area have been in adult dogs and well vaccinated dogs.  (My emphasis.)

It is critical to ensure that your dog is current on his or her Parvovirus vaccination!  Parvovirus is part of the DHPP vaccine.  The DHPP vaccine should be given every 3-4 weeks to puppies until they are 16 weeks old, boosted 1 year later, and then boosted every 3 years (or less often if vaccine titers have been performed).  Please contact us to check on the status of your dog's DHPP vaccine and to discuss whether a booster or a vaccine titer may be indicated.  We are especially concerned about our dog patients who are less than 2 years of age, but all dogs may be vulnerable.  

Signs of Parvovirus include decreased appetite, decreased energy, vomiting, diarrhea, and bloody diarrhea.   

PAWPRINT 2: I stopped by the vet's today and she said the dogs that had contracted parvo were young, but not puppies, who had received their puppy shot and first booster. She didn't know why the uptick in parvo cases. I speculate here, but hope it isn't that there is a strain out there resistant to the vaccine!